Diabetes research can’t happen without the help of people living with diabetes

Scientists need your help to prevent diabetes, find new treatments, improve care, and ultimately, find a cure.

Whether it's trying a new treatment, or filling out a questionnaire, research breakthroughs can only happen with your support.  

We've answered some common questions about taking part in diabetes research - including who can get involved, the types of studies available, and what the benefits and potential risks are.

Take a look at opportunities for getting involved here. Some you can take part in from home, while others will involve visiting a research clinic. If something catches your eye, get in touch with the study team to find out more. Without you, research can't move forward. 

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Finding out who is at increased risk of type 1 diabetes in the UK

Subtitle:
T1DRA: Type 1 Diabetes Risk in Adults
Institution:
University of Bristol
Location:
Online
Tags:
Survey
Dates:
November 2024

More than half of type 1 diabetes is diagnosed in adults but very little is known about how the condition develops. Researchers at the University of Bristol are conducting a study testing blood samples in the UK general population to assess people's risk of developing type 1 diabetes.


To take part people must: 
•    be living in the United Kingdom
•    be aged between 18 and 70 years.

Understanding when it's best to target immune cells in type 1

Subtitle:
Type 1 Grand Challenge: Improving Treg immunotherapy success by administering therapy at different times of day (Dr James Pearson’s Root Causes Programme Grant project)
Institution:
University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
Location:
Cardiff
Tags:
Clinical trial
Dates:
January 2025

Who: Individuals aged 18-40 living with type 1 diabetes who can attend the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

What: Giving two blood samples, one in the morning between 7-9am and another 10-14 hours later, at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. Eligible participants who successfully donate both samples will be provided with a £300 voucher from Lovetoshop.

Navigating perimenopause and menopause

Subtitle:
Comparison of peri/menopause experiences of female adults WITH AND WITHOUT diabetes: a cross-sectional survey
Institution:
Ulster University
Location:
Online
Tags:
Survey
Dates:
October 2025
November 2025

Are you a midlife female living with diabetes? Have you reached that stage of life when you could be peri or menopausal? We would like to learn from your experience.  

Most women don’t know this, but there’s very little research into how menopause affects diabetes - and almost none on how diabetes affects menopause.  

Perimenopause is the years before menopause, and they’re no picnic!

Gathering views on type 2 diabetes self-management support

Subtitle:
Self-management support for diabetes: Global exploration of patients and healthcare professionals' perspectives.
Institution:
James Cook University
Location:
Online
Tags:
Survey Interview
Dates:
March 2025
March 2026

Researchers at James Cook University, Australia would like to recruit people living with type 2 diabetes and healthcare professionals (doctors, diabetes nurse-educators, general nurses, dietitians, psychologists, podiatrists and community health workers) over 18 to take part in a study that aims to assess the perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals on current diabetes self-management. This will help to identify barriers to effective support and ways to improve it.

Exploring experiences of diabetes misdiagnosis

Subtitle:
Type 1 Diabetes Misdiagnosis Study
Institution:
Imperial College London
Location:
Online
Tags:
Questionnaire Interview
Dates:
March 2025
July 2025

Researchers at Imperial College London would like to recruit adults aged 18-49 years old living with type 1 diabetes who:

•    were initially misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes under the age of 40 years 
•    were reclassified with type 1 diabetes by a Consultant Diabetologist 
•    were reclassified in the last 10 years
•    have experienced at least 3 months between diagnoses

Co-creating an app to support mental health of young people with type 1

Subtitle:
Co-creating an app to support mental well-being in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Concept development and design.
Institution:
University of Warwick
Location:
Online
Tags:
Survey
Dates:
July 2025
January 2026

Researchers at the University of Warwick would like to recruit people living with type 1 diabetes aged between 11-17 years old, or caregivers of young people with type 1, to take part in a study that is aiming to co-create a mobile health app to support the mental wellbeing of young people living with type 1 diabetes. 

Exploring experiences of life before, during, and after ICU admission in people with diabetes

Subtitle:
What are the Experiential Processes of Post-Traumatic Growth Following Time Spent in an Intensive Care Unit?
Institution:
Coventry University
Location:
Coventry
Tags:
Interview
Dates:
May 2025
November 2025

Diabetes can sometimes, unfortunately, mean that people need to receive care in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in hospital.

Researchers at Coventry University would like to recruit people aged 18-65 years old who have been in an ICU for at least 3 days (within the last 1-15 years) to take part in a study looking at the process of how ICU survivors develop positive changes in their personal outlook on life.

Understanding how proteins contribute to insulin resistance

Subtitle:
Disruption to AMPKβ1/2 in insulin resistant skeletal muscle and its signalling implications on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.
Institution:
University of Roehampton / Coventry University
Location:
In-person
Tags:
Clinical trial Connect with researchers
Dates:
January 2025
September 2027

Researchers at The University of Roehampton & Coventry University would like to recruit people living with prediabetes (HbA1c 6- 6.4%) who are aged 18-50 to take part in an exciting new study. 

Understanding how people build healthy eating habits

Subtitle:
From Screen to Self: Evaluating a Digital Perspective Taking Tool for Health Behaviour.
Institution:
City St George's, University of London
Location:
Online
Tags:
Connect with researchers
Dates:
September 2025
August 2026

Researchers at City St Georges, University of London are inviting participants to take part in a research study exploring how people build healthy habits using an innovative psychological tool.
We are looking for people:

  • aged 18 years or older;
  • who can communicate in English;
  • with a BMI above 25;
  • who are trying to manage their weight or diet.

Participation involves a short online meeting, watching short videos, completing reflection exercises, and filling in questionnaires over 4 weeks.

Reviewing telemedicine vs in-person appointments to manage diabetes

Subtitle:
Experiences and views on the use of telemedicine (e.g. phones and laptops) and in-person appointments for the management of people with diabetes who are a member of a diabetes charity
Institution:
King's College London
Location:
Online
Tags:
Survey
Dates:
August 2025
November 2025

Researchers at King's College London would like to recruit people who:

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