Diabetes Australia research grant winners announced

Research

By Michael Woodhead

17 Mar 2023

Diabetes Australia has announce details of 35 research grants that will fund studies in oral insulin, potential new drugs for treating type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and research into the mechanisms of diabetes and its complications.

The Diabetes Australia Research Program grants have been awarded to after a competitive, peer-reviewed selection process to researchers working in universities and institutes around Australia.

The recipients include Monash University, University of Tasmania, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, University of Newcastle, Menzies School of Health Research, James Cook University, QIMR Berghofer, University of Queensland, Flinders University, University of Adelaide, Deakin University, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, University of Melbourne, and the University of Western Australia.

Highlights include:

  • Dr John Karas, University of Melbourne –  Oral Insulin
  • Associate Professor Emma Hamilton-Williams, University of Queensland – Gut microbial metabolites during early-life development as predictors of islet autoimmunity
  • Associate Professor Tongzhi Wu, University of Adelaide – Targeting intestinal bile acid sensing mechanisms to manage type 2 diabetes
  • Professor Jonathan Golledge, James Cook University –  Assessing a novel drug therapy for ischaemic ulceration
  • Dr Jennifer Snaith, Garvan Institute of Medical Research –  Reducing cardiometric risk with semaglutide in type 1 diabetes (The RESET1 Study)

Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said: “These research projects create hope for people living with diabetes and provide vital funding to help ensure Australia’s best and brightest researchers want to work in diabetes research.”

“Diabetes is a complex condition impacting almost every organ in the body which makes it a very diverse area of research and the projects we are funding represent that diversity and complexity,” Ms Cain said.

“For instance, a Diabetes Australia Research grant will support research into how changes in the gut health of babies could contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes later in life. This could pave the way for new treatments to prevent type 1 diabetes.

“Another study will look at ways of preventing the pancreas from ageing, which could be a step towards new treatments to prevent type 2 diabetes.

“The program is also funding research into emerging issues including the impact of COVID-19 on people living with diabetes.”

Chair of the Diabetes Australia Research Trust, Lucy Brogden said that  over the past 12 years the program has provided more than $36 million to support diabetes research.

A full list of successful researchers and their projects is Diabetes Australia website (link here).

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