Experts across multiple disciplines will convene at the Hilton New York March 28 for the Second World Congress on Interventional Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes.

The three-day meeting, hosted by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, will bring together physicians, scientists and policymakers representing 60 countries to review the latest research on bariatric surgery as a treatment option.

"The Second World Congress aims to raise awareness of gastrointestinal surgery for diabetes, not only as a valuable therapeutic option but also as a unique opportunity for research into the root causes of the disease," said Dr. Francesco Rubino, congress director, director of gastrointestinal metabolic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and associate professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. "The lessons we are already learning from the study of metabolic surgery may profoundly change the way we think about diabetes and obesity."

Specific themes include:

During the congress, the International Diabetes Federation will announce its first "Position Statement on Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery and GI Interventions for the Treatment of Diabetes."

Shortly after the meeting, a committee will draft a document describing the outcomes and most important messages from the congress. The paper, which will be submitted to a journal as a whitepaper, will indicate areas of research that should receive priority and propose relevant policy changes.

Bariatric surgery, initially developed for the treatment of morbid obesity, can improve or normalize blood sugar levels, reduce or even eliminate the need for medication, and lower the risk of diabetes-related death.

Scientists are also probing the mechanisms behind the powerful anti-diabetic effects of bariatric procedures, particularly gastric bypass. Understanding how the surgery works could significantly advance the understanding of diabetes and open avenues for the development of novel drugs.

The Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation is co-hosting the event.