Principal Investigator

Principal Investigator

Dr. Latha Palaniappan

Latha Palaniappan

Latha Palaniappan MD, MS, is an internist and clinical researcher. Her work has focused on the study of different racial/ethnic populations in the areas of obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk. Palaniappan seeks to address the gap in knowledge of health in Asian subgroups and other understudied racial/ethnic minorities (The Pan Asian Cohort Study - PACS, 5R01DK081371). During her time at Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), she led the organization-wide initiative to collect patient race/ethnicity and language information, enabling PAMF researchers to conduct disparities research in the clinical setting. In collaboration with PAMF, her most recent work examines the clinical effectiveness of structured physical activity programs for diabetes management (Initiate and Maintain Physical Activity in Clinics - IMPACT, 5R18DK096394), as well as best exercise regimens for normal-weight diabetics (Strength Training Regimen for Normal Weight Diabetics - STRONG-D, 2R01DK081371). She is also co-principal investigator on the CAUSES (5R01MD007012) study, which examines mortality and socioeconomic differences between diverse Asian Subgroups in the U.S.