Professor Paul Zimmet believes that serendipity and chance have played a central role in his career. From reading an article on diabetes in a discarded Lancet during a cold London Christmas to finding himself sitting on a beach next to a director of the World Health Organisation, he’s embraced opportunities that arose from being in the right place at the right time.

Lucky breaks aside, Professor Zimmet’s hard work and determination have undoubtedly led to his string of achievements in the world of diabetes and obesity. He founded the International Diabetes Institute and his epidemiological studies have predicted and charted the global type 2 diabetes epidemic. He was integral to the establishment of the National Diabetes Strategy and continues to advise governments on ways to manage diabetes and obesity.

In this episode, we talk to Professor Zimmet about his career highlights, how he works to inspire policy makers to get behind a cause, and his two current passions: establishing a registry for more insight into the link between COVID and diabetes, and researching technology that has the potential to revolutionise the way we handle insulin.