Tag: News

Each year, Diabetes Research WA funds innovative projects that help unravel the complex puzzle of diabetes. One such project, the recipient of our 2025 Diabetes Research WA Project Grant, is already delivering promising early insights.

Led by researchers at The University of Western Australia, the study is examining how a condition known as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), where a baby doesn’t grow to a typical weight during pregnancy, might lead to a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. While the long-term health effects of IUGR have been observed, the biological mechanisms linking it to diabetes have remained largely unexplained.

That is where this research comes in. The team is specifically investigating how IUGR affects skeletal muscle, one of the body’s key sites for using and storing glucose.

Progress to date

So far, their preliminary data is showing that IUGR appears to alter levels of certain proteins involved in insulin and glucose metabolism. This could mean that individuals born with IUGR are predisposed to develop metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

Next steps

The researchers are now continuing with in-depth lab experiments to further explore these protein changes. This includes identifying muscle fibre types and conducting glycogen assays, which are tests that measure how muscles store glucose. The hope is to build a detailed picture of how IUGR rewires muscle biology in a way that may increase the risk of diabetes later on.

These findings will form a critical piece of the puzzle in understanding metabolic syndrome and could one day help identify those at risk much earlier, possibly even before diabetes develops.

This progress is only possible thanks to your support. By funding this kind of forward-thinking research, you are helping uncover new ways to detect, prevent and eventually treat diabetes.

Together, we are making strides towards a healthier future.

In 2024 Diabetes Research Western Australia awarded a grant to the project Harmonisation of Western Australia multi-site optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) datasets for new biomarker discovery and application in diabetic retinopathy.  The project aims to introduce and validate a data analysis framework so datasets from multiple clinics in Western Australia can be combined and analysed to identify more sensitive biomarkers of diabetic retinopathy.

The project is led by Dr Danuta (Danka) Sampson from Lions Eye Institute and the University of Western Australia and supported by co-investigators A/Prof. Fred Chen (Lions Eye Institute), A/Prof. Angus Turner (Lions Outback Vision), Dr Jeremiah Lim (University of Western Australia) and Dr Mark Chia (University College London).

Update provided by the research team:

We are halfway through our research project, the Harmonisation of Western Australian, multi-site optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) datasets for new biomarker discovery and application in diabetic retinopathy, funded by DRWA. The project aims to validate a data analysis framework to harmonise OCTA datasets collected at Western Australian clinics. The harmonised datasets will generate preliminary data on OCTA-derived microvascular biomarkers in diabetic retinopathy in Western Australians.

We have made good progress in establishing the necessary groundwork to achieve our research goals. We have reviewed over 1,000 retinal images captured using OCTA in Lions Eye Institute (Perth) and Lions Outback Vision (Broome). From this, we’ve established a dataset of 400 high-quality OCTA images of Western Australians with and without diabetic retinopathy that will be used to test and refine harmonisation models.  Additionally, we have recruited 70 healthy volunteers and imaged them using three different OCTA instruments. These images will help validate the harmonisation models we are working on.

The next steps will be the implementing and refining of computer models that harmonise data between instruments and generate pilot data on OCTA-based biomarkers (medical signs) of diabetic retinopathy. We also look forward to continuing to work with our CCI group towards the completion of the current project and designing follow-up research.

In the sphere of medical research, where each breakthrough hinges on a wealth of diverse perspectives, the role of inclusivity is paramount. At Diabetes Research Western Australia, we are committed to the invaluable contributions of women in the sciences, particularly in our unwavering quest to find solutions for diabetes—a condition that affects millions globally.

Our recent grant awardees, Dr Lakshini Herat and Dr Danka Sampson, exemplify the beacon for the cause, their achievements underscoring the crucial need to inspire and embolden young women to immerse themselves in STEM subjects. Their journey is not simply one of personal or professional accomplishment; it is a beacon for what can be achieved when opportunities are equitable and diverse voices are heard.

Dr Herat speaks passionately about this, asserting,

“Science thrives on fresh perspectives—it’s the lifeblood of innovation. I was fortunate to have mentors who believed in this principle, and now, it’s my turn to encourage young women that their curiosity and intellect can catalyse the next wave of scientific discovery.”

Dr Sampson echoes this sentiment, stating,

“My zeal for medical research is matched only by my commitment to foster a learning environment where young girls envisage themselves not just as participants, but as leaders in science.”

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us pledge to not only honour the strides made by women like Dr Herat and Dr Sampson but also to actively create an environment where young women are motivated to choose and excel in STEM subjects. Let this day serve as a reminder that their choices will shape the future of medical research and, indeed, the well-being of humanity.

In nurturing such an environment, we do more than empower individuals—we fortify the very fabric of our scientific community. The route to a world without diabetes is laid with the skills, insights, and innovations that all scientists bring to STEM fields.

At Diabetes Research Western Australia, we stand dedicated to this cause, steadfast in our support for the brilliant young women who will lead us into a healthier tomorrow.