Our research impact

Challenge 

Type 2 diabetes affects millions of Australians and remains a leading cause of serious long-term complications. While current treatments have improved outcomes, many people experience diminishing effectiveness over time. Blood glucose becomes harder to control. Weight increases. The risk of cardiovascular and other complications remains high. 

Traditionally, type 2 diabetes has been viewed as a disease of the pancreas, liver, muscle, and fat. However, we now recognise that the brain plays a central role in regulating appetite, energy balance, and glucose control. Exactly how disrupted brain signalling contributes to metabolic dysfunction has remained unclear. This knowledge gap limits the development of therapies that target the root drivers of disease. 

Bold idea 

Through three Diabetes Australia-funded projects, Professor Garron Dodd and his team investigated how specific neurons in the hypothalamus regulate blood glucose and how these circuits become compromised in type 2 diabetes. 

The research uncovered previously unrecognised neuronal populations that directly influence glycaemic control. It also identified structural and cellular changes within key metabolic brain regions that may drive insulin resistance and disease progression. 

By shifting the focus toward the brain as a master regulator of metabolic health, this work expands the therapeutic landscape beyond traditional peripheral targets. 

Impact  

For many patients, current therapies eventually reach a ceiling. When that happens, options narrow. 

By defining new brain-based mechanisms that regulate blood glucose, this research lays the foundation for therapies that work differently from existing treatments. Instead of only addressing downstream metabolic consequences, future interventions could restore control within the brain circuits that coordinate appetite, body weight, and glycaemia. 

This approach has the potential to deliver more durable metabolic control and provide new treatment options for people who do not respond adequately to current therapies. 

Professor Dodd is Head of the Metabolic Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Melbourne, and is Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Gallant Bio, a biotechnology company developing novel brain-targeted therapeutics for patients with type 2 diabetes. This ensures that discoveries supported by Diabetes Australia are not confined to the laboratory but are actively progressing toward clinical development. 

Diabetes Australia invests in research that delivers meaningful improvements in prevention, management, and long-term outcomes. Funding from Diabetes Australia has been instrumental in enabling these discoveries and accelerating their path toward real-world impact for people living with type 2 diabetes. 

Learn more about diabetes research and our research impact.