Diabetes and Metabolism Research
The Diabetes and Metabolism Research Group is focused on the discovery and translation into the clinic of novel therapies for diabetes and kidney disease. Diabetes is a silent global pandemic with half of diabetes deaths each year in people less than 50 years of age, and a majority of these have kidney disease— an important risk factor for early death. In particular, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are disproportionately affected at a younger age, driving the disparity in life expectancy when compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
This internationally-renowned, highly-motivated and collaborative team are:
- testing innovative ways to prevent the onset of Type 1 diabetes
- enabling better understanding of early kidney disease in diabetes including in vulnerable populations such as youth, younger adults (<50 years of age) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- identifying timepoints and therapeutic targets for early intervention for diabetes and kidney disease
- translating novel intervention therapies to clinical trials via industry collaboration, and
- providing biological markers for use clinical studies to ascertain the efficacy of new therapies identified.
The Group's approaches are classically bench to bedside using state of the art technologies and relevant patient cohorts. Current funding sources include NHMRC and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ( international and Australian).
Group Leader
Group members
Professor Josephine Forbes is supported by group members and student researchers.
