Innovative research projects that leverage AI technology, reduce diabetes complications, and seek to preserve and restore beta cell function are set for a $2 million investment in 2026 through the Diabetes Australia Research Trust.

This funding will support 19 cutting edge projects across fundamental, clinical, health systems and public health research, as part of Diabetes Australia’s commitment to invest $40 million over 10 years alongside the 2025-2030 Diabetes Australia Research Strategy.

A further two scholarships will support PhD postgraduate research in diabetes, in partnership with the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Guided by the Research Strategy, this funding supports a commitment to involve people living with and at risk of diabetes throughout the research process, including selecting priority projects, co-designing research and solutions, and ensuring vulnerable communities are prioritised.

Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said this year’s research investment would create a positive impact in critical areas including reducing diabetes complications, and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 

“Diabetes is one of the most urgent health challenges of our time, affecting more than two million Australians,” Ms Cain said.

“Through our research funding, we aim to centre the experiences of people living with diabetes throughout the research process to fast-track solutions that will improve daily lives and deliver measurable impact.

“This investment is made possible by the generous support of our donors and partners, who we thank for supporting evidence-based research that prioritises the unmet needs of people living with diabetes and the diabetes community.

“Congratulations to all funding recipients. We are excited to see how your projects contribute to better health outcomes and improved lived experiences for all Australians living with diabetes, their support networks, and our health system.”

Diabetes Australia Director of Research Professor Grant Brinkworth said the projects funded cover a wide range of expertise, from cutting-edge beta-cell production recovery, to specialist wound care, and projects to centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in diabetes primary care.

“Several projects support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by developing community-led diabetes primary care models, including work to progress language-based culturally inclusive health education through collaboration with community leaders,” Professor Brinkworth said.

“Cutting-edge research into novel approaches to beta cell regeneration will look into new ways to combine immunotherapy with established treatments, while another project will seek to develop an individualised stem-cell based approach to beta cell regeneration.

“AI-based research projects will focus on creating tools that make health information easier to understand, support people in managing their own wellbeing, and strengthen the connection between individuals and their care team,” he said.

The University of Sydney’s Dr Julie Ayre said the funding would help build an artificial intelligence tool that could provide clear-language healthcare summaries for people living with diabetes.

“This grant will help us co-design an AI tool to make health care easier to understand, more accessible, and better meet the needs of people with diabetes,” said Dr Ayre.

“AI-generated, health-literate summaries of personalised care advice have the potential to transform how people with and at risk of diabetes build the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to live well with diabetes.”

A total of 19 projects have been funded in the 2026 Diabetes Australia Research Project funding round, totalling $2 million in investment, and a further two National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Diabetes Australia postgraduate scholarships. 

Projects were selected through a peer review process against criteria that supports the Diabetes Australia 2025-2030 Research Strategy. 

Diabetes Australia would like to thank the Research Steering Committee and expert peer reviewers for their time, expertise and thoughtful consideration of each application. 

2026 Diabetes Australia Research Program Grants

RESEARCHER	INSTITUTION	PROJECT	CO-INVESTIGATORS
A/Prof Behnam Akhavan	University of Newcastle	Engineering a Needle-Free Saliva Test for Type 2 Diabetes: A Low-Cost Glucose Sensor for Rural and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Communities	Prof Shamasunder Acharya Prof Alexis Hure Dr Syamak Farajikhah Dr Shanika Nanayakkara
Dr Bernard Asiamah-Asare	Deakin University	Shifting the Curve: Modelling the Case for Earlier Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes	Dr Crystal Lee Dr Sean Randall Prof Suzanne Robinson Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Dr Gill Cowen
Dr Julie Ayre	University of Sydney	Clear Words, Better Care Project: Evaluating AI-generated, patient friendly summaries for people with diabetes	A/Prof Carissa Bonner Prof Adam Dunn Dr Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz Dr Shanthini Seelan Mrs Geetha Bhat
Dr Richard Bright	Flinders University	Improving Outcomes with Ankle Fracture Fixation Devices in T2DM Patients	Prof Krasimir Vasilev Prof Ruurd Jaarsma A/Prof Tania Crotti
Dr Kaley Butten	CSIRO	Your Health, Your Summary: Supporting Postpartum Care with a Digital Discharge Summary	Dr Marlien Varnfield
Dr Kevin Chemello Kellion Research Award	University of New South Wales	Preservation and Restoration of β-Cell Function in Type 1 Diabetes Using a Novel Peptide-Immunomodulatory Combination Therapy	Prof Kerry-Anne Rye Dr Blake Cochran A/Prof Shane Thomas Prof Gerard O’Shea Ms Zara Mckinstry Mr Abel Orellana
Dr Paddy Dempsey	Deakin University	SMART-T2D: Adapting and co-designing a next-generation AI-powered digital ecosystem to support personalised self-care for type 2 diabetes.	Prof Ralph Maddison Dr Yuxin Zhang Dr Paul Janson Prof David Dunstan Prof Jane Speight A/Prof Neale Cohen Dr Charitha Dissanayake Dr Michael Wheeler
Miss Mariam Hachem	University of Melbourne	The ICO-CGM Trial for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with type 2 diabetes.	Prof Elif Ekinci Ms Tracey Hearn Mr Bernard Kelly-Edwards Prof Leonid Churilov Dr Marlena Klaic Prof David O’Neal Mr Ray Kelly Ms Coralie Cross Prof Chris Schilling Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Prof Stephen Twigg Ms Laura Zimmerman Dr Jas-mine Seah Prof Sean Taylor
Dr Jay Jha	Monash University	Decoding NOX5: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker for Early Detection of Kidney Dysfunction in Obesity and Diabetes	Dr Karly Sourris Prof Karin Jandeleit-Dahm Prof Jonathan Shaw
Dr Xuyu (Johnny) Liu	Heart Research Institute	Microengineered Digital Vessel Twins for Personalized Antithrombotic Screening and Diet Planning to Reduce the Risk of Strokes and Thrombotic Complications in Diabetes	Prof Arnold Ju Dr Mike Wu A/Prof Freda Passam Dr Timothy Ang
Dr Diana MacKay	Menzies School of Health Research	Enhancing Ngarnduma Women’s Story Sharing: further development of culturally resonant health promotion messages and health education activities in the Maningrida Healthy Women’s Project	Mrs Norlisha Bartlett Ms Jessica Phillips Ms Felicity Douglas
Dr Olumuyiwa Omonaiye	Deakin University	Improving care and outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Eastern Melbourne	Dr Sharon Atkinson-Briggs Prof Bodil Rasmussen Ms Kate Corrigan A/Prof Jacqueline Boyle A/Prof Rosemary Wong Ms Josette O’Donnell Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Ms Sarah Gales
Dr Jacqueline Schiesser	Murdoch Children’s Research Institute	Defining a stem cell derived beta cell replacement therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes	Prof Ed Stanley
Dr Mitchell Sullivan	University of the Sunshine Coast	Glycogen Structural Dysregulation as a Novel Driver of Liver Injury in Diabetes-Associated MASLD	Prof James O’Beirne Dr Lochlan Fennell A/Prof Nicholas West
A/Prof Ryu Takechi	Curtin University	Maintaining Healthy Brain in Diabetes Patients: Novel Insights through ApoE4 Genotype	Dr Virginie Lam Prof Gerald Watts Dr Tim Rosenow Prof John Mamo
Dr Mary White	Murdoch Children’s Research Institute	DIRECT-T1DM: Decision-Support for Real-Time Evaluation & Clinical Management of New Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in the Primary Care Setting	Dr Barbara Hunter A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis A/Prof Craig Nelson Prof Dougie Boyle Prof Harriet Hiscock Prof Fergus Cameron Ms Karly Cini Dr Cate Bailey Dr Christopher Preston Dr Devaang Kevat Dr Rahul Barmanway Dr Gabby Atlas Ms Molly O’Sullivan
Dr Ziyu Wang	University of Sydney	A hydrogel dressing regulator of temporal inflammation to accelerate diabetic wound healing	Prof Stephen Twigg Dr Danqing Min Prof Anthony Weiss
A/Prof Tongzhi Wu	Adelaide University	A novel renal pathway for non-nutritive sweetener risk in prediabetes	Prof Christopher Rayner A/Prof Richard Young Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh Prof Merlin Thomas
Dr Belinda Yau	University of Sydney	Using insulin granule proteomics to uncover new biomarkers for type 1 diabetes	A/Prof Melkam Kebede Dr Kirstine Bell

2026 NHMRC – DIABETES AUSTRALIA POSTGRADUATE AWARD

RESEARCHER	INSTITUTION	PROJECT	SUPERVISORS
Dr Beryl Lin	Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute	Improving cardiorenal outcomes in type 2 diabetes: real-world implementation and population-level impact of SLGT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists	Prof Dianna Magliano Prof Jonathan Shaw
Ms Caroline Deen	University of Sydney	Development of culturally appropriate household food security indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people	Ass Prof Veronica Matthews Ms Simone Sherriff Dr Alana Gall