Our research projects

Living with diabetes can increase the risk of kidney disease, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. Professor Luigi Gnudi has found a new protein that can tune signalling molecules to protect kidney cells and blood vessels. Understanding how the protein does this could help researchers to develop new treatments that can heal damaged kidney cells and also lower the risk of heart and blood vessel problems for people living with diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes is linked to a higher risk of dementia. Dr Fiona McLean wants to investigate whether a build-up of iron in the brain caused by high blood sugar levels could be responsible. By untangling these links, Dr McLean’s research could help scientists to develop urgently needed new treatments that can improve the lives of people with diabetes and reduce the risk of the devastating effects of dementia.

Autoantibodies are signs in the blood that show the immune system has started to plan an attack on insulin-making beta cells. People who have autoantibodies will almost certainly go on to develop type 1 diabetes. Dr Rachel Besser wants to make a list of everyone in the UK who has autoantibodies. This registry could help researchers to understand what life is like knowing you’re at risk of type 1, as well as connect people at risk with clinical trials testing new treatments that could prevent or delay type 1 diabetes, helping to bring forward the day when they become more widely available.

Lots of people with type 2 diabetes take a drug called metformin, but it’s not suitable for everyone. Another type of drug, called salicylate, works in a similar way to metformin. Dr Graham Rena will unpick how salicylate works, to figure out if it could be used as an alternative to metformin. This could mean more people with type 2 diabetes will have access to medications to help manage their condition and lower their risk of complications.

With a blood test, scientists can look at parts of the immune system to help predict or diagnose type 1 diabetes. But this testing is very variable in different labs across the UK. Professor Gillespie will research a simpler, cheaper way to do the testing. She’s also hoping to turn her lab into a specialist NHS centre that’s officially recognised as the ‘go to’ place to carry out these tests. 

Some people with diabetes go on to develop problems with the nerves in their feet. This is known as peripheral neuropathy and can affect safe driving. Professor Marple-Horvat is investigating if a driving stimulator and feedback system can help people with peripheral neuropathy get back to driving safely again, and keep their independence.

Weight gain is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. A lot of research studies focus on what’s happening inside fat cells to try and explain why insulin no longer works properly. Dr Kang now plans to study what’s happening just outside fat cells to find more answers and a better understanding about the link between weight gain and type 2 diabetes. 

Insulin-making beta cells in people with type 2 diabetes can stop working properly due to toxic molecules. Dr Catherine Arden wants to explore what causes this by measuring what happens when sugar and fat are added to beta cells. Understanding more about this process will help researchers to develop new treatments that can prevent damage to beta cells. This could slow down the progression of type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of complications for people living with type 2 diabetes. 

Diabetes can cause many complications including foot ulcers. These can lead to a significantly higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and a shortened lifespan. Professor Khunti and his team are researching the best way to reduce these so that people with diabetes and foot ulcers can have healthier and longer lives. 

In type 1 diabetes the immune system attacks and destroy insulin-making cells in the pancreas. But researchers don’t know why the immune system attacks in this way. Professor Noel Morgan plans to test the proteins known as SIRPα and CD47 which kick into action when beta cells are being destroyed.