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Our research projects

We fund world-class diabetes research

At any one time, we have around 120 diabetes research projects making discoveries across the UK. Each of these research projects is only possible thanks to the generous support of our members, donors and local groups

Every research project is reviewed by experts and approved by our research committee and our panel of people living with diabetes. So you're supporting diabetes research of the highest scientific quality, led by researchers with the skills and experience to succeed.

Your support of our research projects means we can keep tackling the complications of diabetes and bring us one step closer to a cure.

Find a research project

Use the search tool to discover research taking place in your local area, or choose a subject or type of diabetes you’re interested in.

Each project page showcases the details of the research, and if you find a research project you could really get behind, you can support it in lots of different ways.

108 results found

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Region
Subject

Keeping beta cells beating

Project:
London
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Type 1 and Type 2
London
Prevention
Healthcare
Innovation
England
Project Summary

In diabetes, insulin-making beta cells in pancreas have either been destroyed or don’t work properly. Dr Liu is researching a molecule called miR-33 to see if blocking it could help beta cells to work better. This could lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes and improvement transplants of beta cells for people living with type 1.

Shining new light on the body clock and retinopathy

Project:
Belfast
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Type 1 and Type 2
Northern Ireland
Complications
Innovation
Project Summary

Disruptions to our body clock can have a surprising impact on our health, including links with eye damage for people living with diabetes. Dr Eleni Beli wants to take a closer look at these links, to understand more about how eye damage can develop and progress. Her research could uncover an innovative new approach to help people with diabetes avoid sight loss.

Blocking bad proteins to combat type 2 complications

Project:
Lincoln
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Type 2
Complications
Midlands
England
Project Summary

Some people with type 2 diabetes are treated with drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors. As well as lowering blood sugar levels, these seem to keep the heart and kidneys safe from damage caused by inflammation. Professor Claire Hills wants to figure out how they protect kidney cells. Her work could help make sure more people benefit from SGLT2’s and could unlock new treatments that tackle inflammation and further reduce the risk of complications. 

Preventing problems in pregnancy

Project:
Leicester
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Type 1
Midlands
Pregnancy
England
Project Summary

Women living with type 1 diabetes and their babies can be at a higher risk of difficulties during pregnancy and birth. Professor Claire Meek wants to see whether levels of a molecule found in the blood can help to predict a high-risk pregnancy. Being able to spot potential problems in advance could help women with type 1 and their babies to get the tailored care they need to avoid these problems.

Eyes are windows to…foot health?

Project:
Coventry
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Complications
Healthcare
Type 1 and Type 2
Midlands
England
Project Summary

Losing sensation in the feet is one of the most common diabetes complications. It's often diagnosed too late and, in the most serious cases, can result in amputation. So it is vitally important to find a way to predict who’s at risk as soon as possible. Professor Robyn Tapp is testing whether photos taken at the annual eye screening for people with diabetes could be used as an early warning system to identify people at high risk of foot problems, and prevent complications.

LEGENDary study of remission in type 2 teens

Project:
Nottingham
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Type 2
Midlands
Remission
Healthcare
England
Project Summary

Our scientists have shown that some adults with type 2 diabetes can go into remission through a low-calorie weight management programme. Dr Sachdev will now explore if the same approach is possible in children with type 2 diabetes. This could lead to a much-needed new treatment that gives children with type 2 the chance to go into remission and the opportunity for a healthier future.  

A new measure of success in Type 1 immunotherapy trials

Project:
Cardiff
Status:
Project has less than a year to run, but can still be adopted
Tags:
Type 1
Towards a cure
Wales
Project Summary

Immunotherapies work by retraining the immune system, and scientists hope they can stop or prevent the immune attack behind Type 1 diabetes. Clinical trials testing immunotherapies are going on right now, but we don’t have a good way of measuring how effective a treatment is.

Professor Colin Dayan will combine different measurements to develop a score that indicates how successful the drugs are. This could speed up progress and help to make these treatments available for people with Type 1 sooner.

Shedding the stigma around gestational diabetes

Project:
London
Status:
Project available for adoption
Tags:
Other
England
London
Pregnancy
Healthcare
Project Summary

Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. People can experience high levels of stigma linked to the condition, which can have a negative effect on their mental and physical health. Dr Rita Forde and Prof Angus Forbes will work with women who have experience of gestational diabetes and healthcare professionals. Together, they'll develop communication tools that aim raise awareness of and combat gestational diabetes- related stigma. 

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