Victorian diabetes researchers secure funding to find the next breakthrough
Victorian diabetes researchers have secured 10 funded research projects representing over 50 percent of the 2024 Diabetes Australia Research Program (DARP) national grant round.
The funded projects are awarded to some of the brightest minds in diabetes research in Victoria and will aim to find new ways to prevent and treat diabetes and related complications.
Diabetes Victoria is proud to make a significant contribution to the national DARP funding pool over many years.
DARP supports and develops outstanding diabetes research in Australia by funding a range of grants across the full spectrum of diabetes research. The grants are available to non-profit organisations and recipients are selected through a merit-based peer review process.
Among the recipients for the 2024 grant round is Professor Glenn Wadley of Deakin University, who is leading the development of a vitamin C treatment to aid the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes. An exercise physiologist with 25 years of research experience, Dr Wadley has a growing international reputation.
The general grant he has secured will fund a clinical trial to provide the first strong evidence as to whether vitamin C supplementation can improve foot ulcer healing and if it will help to prevent some of the 4,400 amputations annually in Australia.
Dr Helena Qin of Monash University has secured the Millennium Type 2 Diabetes Award to fund her research project, which has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of kidney scarring (renal fibrosis) in people with diabetes. Dr Qin’s expertise in drug design means this new treatment strategy could ultimately reduce kidney-related diabetes complications and deaths.
Dr Karen Alt of Monash University has secured a general grant for her project to find improved methods for detecting kidney scarring. Currently the only screening method is invasive biopsies – Dr Alt’s proposal will develop a non-invasive imaging method to identify and stage renal fibrosis in diabetes.
The 2024 DARP grant round received 193 applications, with 18 research projects selected for funding nation-wide.
Quotes attributable to Glen Noonan, Diabetes Victoria CEO
“Diabetes Victoria strives to support world class research in diabetes, to progress research breakthroughs for this serious and complex condition.”
“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are proud over many years to be one of the biggest funders of this national program.”
“Every dollar spent on research is an important investment and it is pleasing to see this year’s projects focus on all types of diabetes. The research will seek improved methods for the treatment and prevention of diabetes and diabetes-related complications and each project may be vital to the next big breakthrough.”
“Since 1987, Diabetes Victoria has been a significant contributor to the DARP funding pool, supporting more than 350 diabetes research projects in our state.”
“We are delighted that Victorian researchers secured more than 50 percent of the funded research projects this year.”
Media enquiries:
Britt Denton | bdenton@diabetesvic.org.au | 0488 133 316
