Bernard Thorens received the Albert Renold Prize in the sum of 20,000 Euros for outstanding achievements in research from the European Assossiation for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Thorens is a Professor at the Department of Physiology and Center for Integrative Genomics at the University of Lausanne. His research on islet cells was initiated by the cloning and functional characterization of the beta cell glucose transporter Glut2 and of the receptor for the gluco-incretin hormone GLP-1. His studies describe fundamental pathways used by beta cells to adapt to changes in their metabolic environment; these pathways may be targeted for improved therapy of diabetes.