Vanita Aroda, MD, is a Physician Investigator with research interests in diabetes prevention and therapeutics, obesity, and integration of clinical research with clinical care utilizing health information technology. Dr. Aroda also serves as Scientific Director of the MedStar Community Clinical Research Center, overseeing the conduct of clinical trials and leading the development of ambulatory research strategy and infrastructure within MedStar Health.

Dr. Aroda completed her training in Internal Medicine and in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). While on faculty at UCSD and the VA San Diego Medical Center, Dr. Aroda created and served as the Director of the multidisciplinary VA Center for Treatment of Obesity and Related Diseases. Since joining MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI) in 2008, Dr. Aroda has continued pursuing her interests in disease prevention, serving as a subinvestigator in the NIH-funded Diabetes Prevention Program and Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Committee, collaborating with the USDA on effects of select foods and macronutrients on risk markers of disease, and serving as an investigator on numerous trials evaluating novel therapeutics in diabetes and obesity. Dr. Aroda serves on the American Diabetes Association Prevention Committee, MHRI's Research and Development Council, and on MedStar Health's Electronic Health Record Clinical Advisory Committee.