Current Diabetes Research Projects

Coghlan Award

The 2025 Charles Campbell Coghlan OAM Emerging Researcher Award was awarded to Dr Jedidiah Morton from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute for the project – Addressing inequality in type 2 diabetes development, treatment and outcomes.

Millennium Awards

The 2025 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to A/Professor Adam Rose from Monash University for the project – Role of liver amino acid metabolism in glucagon pharmacotherapies for type 2 diabetes.

The 2025 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Dr Rong Xu from Monash University for the project – Novel Formulation for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes.

The 2024 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to Dr Chengxue (Helena) Qin from Monash University for the project, A novel approach to treat diabetic kidney disease.

The 2024 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Professor Anthony Russell from Monash University for the project, A randomised controlled trial of plasmalyte versus normal saline as resuscitation and maintenance fluid therapy for patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (BEST-DKA)BalancEd fluids vs Saline Trial in Diabetic KetoAcidosis.

The 2023 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to Associate Professor Melkam Kebede from the University of Sydney for the project, Understanding the heterogeneity of insulin secretory granules

The 2023 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Dr John Karas from the University of Melbourne for the project, Oral Insulin.

The 2022 Millennium Award – Type 2 was awarded to Associate Professor Sonia Saad from the University of Sydney for the project, Assessing urinary tubular cells in chronic kidney disease by deep learning – early diagnostics without kidney biopsy.

The 2022 Millennium Award – Type 1 was awarded to Professor David O’Neal from St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne for the project, Glucose Control with a Hybrid Closed Loop System in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes and Advanced Renal Disease.

The 2020 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to Dr Christina Bursill from the University of Adelaide. Dr Bursill will look at a new therapy that changes current wound care practice for patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.

The 2020 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Associate Professor Usha Panchapakesan from the University of Sydney. Professor Panchapakesan’s project aims to reduce the progression of diabetic kidney disease.

The 2019 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to Professor Merlin Thomas from Monash University. Professor Thomas’ research will examine a new inhibitor which could help prevent and treat diabetes-related complications.

The 2019 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Professor Jerry Greenfield from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Professor Greenfield will examine insulin resistance in people with type 1 diabetes.

The 2018 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to A/Professor Richard Young from the University of Adelaide. Dr Young’s research is examining whether artificial sweeteners adversely affect glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes?

The 2018 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to Dr Emma Hamilton Williams from the University of Queensland. Dr Hamilton-Williams research is looking at oral liposomes for antigen-specific immunotherapy of type 1 diabetes.

The 2017 Millennium Award – Type 1 Diabetes was awarded to A/Professor Stuart Mannering from St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI) in Melbourne. Dr Mannering’s research aims to develop an immune therapy to prevent type 1 diabetes.

The 2017 Millennium Award – Type 2 Diabetes was awarded to Dr Seth Masters of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne. Dr Master’s research focuses on the role of NLRP1 and IL-18 in type 2 diabetes.