Diabetes Australia has underscored its commitment towards New South Wales’ leading diabetes researchers with almost $470,000 to support six projects, including a prestigious Type 2 Diabetes Millennium Award.

Projects receiving funding include a study into links between diabetes and atherosclerosis (thickening of the arteries), insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and potential differences in the development of type 2 diabetes between males and females.

Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said the organisation was pleased to be able to support some of the nation’s leading researchers.

“New South Wales has some of Australia’s leading diabetes researchers and we are proud to partner with the University of Sydney and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research,” Ms Cain said.

“There are some exciting projects receiving funding including A/Professor Sonia Saad from the University of Sydney who is receiving the prestigious Type 2 Diabetes Millennium Award to support a study into an early diagnostic tool for chronic kidney disease that could remove the need for an invasive biopsy.

“The Diabetes Australia Millennium Awards are our most lucrative research grants and provide significant funding to world leading researchers to work on longer term programs.

“Dr Amanda Brandon, also from the University of Sydney, will explore how diet, gender and obesity interact to increase a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“Dr Brandon’s exciting research could pave the way for better targeted diabetes treatments that reflect the way the condition impacts male and female bodies.

“Another University of Sydney researcher Dr Ashish Misra will study the relationship between diabetes and the hardening of arteries which can lead to heart disease.

“In the last century diabetes research has changed the way people live with and think about diabetes and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

“We will continue to fundraise and invest in diabetes research until we’ve found a cure.”

The Awards were presented at a special National Diabetes Week event at New South Wales Parliament House during National Diabetes Week.

The Diabetes Australia Research Program was established in 1987 to support and develop diabetes-related research across Australia. The program provides funding towards the prevention, management and cure of all types of diabetes, as well as enabling and fostering young and upcoming researchers in the field of diabetes research. Each year outstanding research projects are selected through a merit based, competitive, peer review process.

Type 2 Diabetes Millennium Award

• Associate Professor Sonia Saad, University of Sydney: Assessing urinary tubular cells in chronic kidney disease by deep learning – early diagnostics without kidney biopsy.

 General Grants

• Dr Yanchuan Shi, Garvan Institute of Medical Research: A Novel Role of Neuropeptide Y in Salt-triggered Thermogenesis and Energy Expenditure
• Dr Amanda Brandon, University of Sydney: How do diet, gender and obesity interact to regulate insulin sensitivity and metabolism in mice?
• Dr Alexis Diaz-Vegas, University of Sydney: Role of the mitochondrial protease miPEP in insulin resistance in adipocytes
• Dr Ashish Misra, University of Sydney: Identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms linking diabetes with atherosclerosis.
• Dr Jacky Stoeckli, University of Sydney: Novel Insights into Lipid Homeostasis through analysis of Human Genetic Mutations.