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

You can play a vital role by taking part in a research study or trial.

Scientists need your help to prevent diabetes, find new treatments, improve care, and ultimately, stop diabetes in its tracks.

But before new treatments can benefit people living with diabetes, they must be carefully tested to work out if they're safe, what the side effects are and whether they're better than treatments we already have. By volunteering to take part, you could play a crucial part in the fight for a world where diabetes can do no harm.

You can get involved in research at any time, but did you know many clinical trials testing new treatments to stop Type 1 diabetes in its tracks can only recruit people within the first six months of their diagnosis?

  • ADDRESS-2 is meeting the challenge and recruiting people with Type 1 diabetes to clinical trials pioneering new immunotherapies to slow or stop Type 1 in its tracks.
  • The Type 1 diabetes Immunotherapy Consortium (T1D UK) brings together researchers from across the UK to run trials that develop and test new immunotherapies.
  • TrialNet is an international network of leading academic institutions, scientists and healthcare teams dedicated to the prevention of Type 1 diabetes, by working with both people living with Type 1 diabetes and their families.

Whether it's a clinical trial, an interview or a questionnaire, research breakthroughs can only happen with your support. 

We list opportunities for getting involved here. If you would like to take part in a clinical trial, you should always consult your healthcare team and speak to the healthcare professionals involved in the study. 

All clinical trials are reviewed to ensure they are fair to participants and have the necessary ethical approval before advertising on this page. 

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How does exercise affect nighttime blood sugar levels and sleep for people living with type 1 diabetes?

Subtitle:
The impact of exercise time on sleep in adults with type 1 diabetes.
Institution:
Edinburgh Napier University
Location:
UK wide
Tags:
Clinical trial
Dates:
August 2023
November 2023

Researchers at Edinburgh Napier University would like to recruit people aged 18-60 years, who've lived with type 1 diabetes for more than two years, currently using a Freestyle Libre to take part in their study. This study investigates exercise at different times of day, and how it can impact the quality and duration of sleep, and blood sugar levels the following night.

The ELSA study - screening children for type 1 diabetes

Subtitle:
EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes
Institution:
University of Birmingham
Location:
UK wide
Tags:
Clinical trial Connect with researchers Interview
Dates:
November 2022

Researchers in the ELSA team at the University of Birmingham are recruiting 20,000 children aged 3-13 years in the UK, to explore the benefits and understand how families feel about screening children for type 1 diabetes. The team is testing for markers of type 1 diabetes in the blood, known as autoantibodies. As the number of autoantibodies a child has rises, this increases their risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the future.

Discover research opportunities in North West London

Subtitle:
Discover research opportunities in North West London
Institution:
North West London
Location:
England - London
Tags:
Connect with researchers

Discover is a register of adults living in North West London who are interested in and want to find out more about health research opportunities. The register is for both healthy people and those with a medical condition. Research could relate to any condition, including diabetes, and can range from answering surveys to having your blood tested, to testing new medical devices or phone apps, and participating in clinical trials.

Help BEAT diabetes by taking part in research

Subtitle:
Helping people with diabetes get involved in a wide range of NHS research opportunities including patient and public involvement, questionnaires, focus groups and clinical trials
Institution:
NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester and North West Coast
Location:
In and around north-west England
Tags:
Connect with researchers
Dates:
January 2020
January 2025

People with diabetes aged 18+ can register their details with Research for the Future to receive information about local NHS diabetes research opportunities. It’s free to join and doesn’t commit you to take part in any studies. 

Matching people with diabetes to the right research

Subtitle:
Matching people with diabetes to the right research
Institution:
British Research Panel
Location:
UK-wide
Tags:
Connect with researchers

Researchers across the country are looking for people living with diabetes to take part in their research. Meanwhile, people with diabetes are also looking for projects to take part in, but it can be difficult to find a match. That’s where the British Research Panel comes in: matching scientists to people with diabetes. It’s free to join and doesn’t commit you to take part in any studies. They’ll let you know when a relevant clinical trial is happening close to where you live.

Does communication affect the way people make decisions about their health?

Subtitle:
Communication of benefit-risk information: an online randomised controlled trial (CICERO)
Institution:
University of Oxford
Location:
UK wide
Tags:
Questionnaire
Dates:
May 2023
December 2024

Researchers at the University of Oxford would like to recruit people between 18 and 65 years old to take part in the CICERO trial. This study is investigating how the communication of pros and cons of medical treatments and interventions can affect people's understanding of information, their confidence, and how they use this information when making decisions about their health.

How can we support new mums with type 1 diabetes?

Subtitle:
The psychological needs of mothers with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the perinatal period
Institution:
University of Surrey
Location:
UK wide
Tags:
Questionnaire
Dates:
September 2023
February 2025

Researchers at the University of Surrey would like to recuit people over the age of 18 with type 1 diabetes who have given birth in the last 12 months to take part in a study. The study aims to explore the psychological needs of mothers with type 1 diabetes, and understand how to support them better.

Taking part involves completing an online survey, which will take around 20-30 minutes.

Testing feeling in feet

Subtitle:
The NERVE Study; Neuropathy evaluation using the vibration function of a mobile phone.
Institution:
University Hospitals Dorset & Bournemouth University
Location:
Bournemouth
Tags:
Clinical trial
Dates:
April 2023
April 2024

Researchers at University Hospitals Dorset and Bournemouth University would like to recruit people aged over 18 living with any type of diabetes to take part in a study that is testing a newly developed device that checks the feeling in your feet.

The study involves attending a single one hour clinic visit where your feet will be tested by a health care professional and you will be able to try the new device for yourself. You will also be asked to complete some short questionnaires.

How do healthcare professionals manage neuropathy in the clinic?

Subtitle:
Understanding the Management of Diabetic Neuropathy: A National Survey of Healthcare Professionals in the United Kingdom
Institution:
Imperial College London
Location:
London
Tags:
Questionnaire
Dates:
May 2023
May 2024

Researchers at Imperial College would like to recruit healthcare professionals who care for people with diabetic neuropathy to take part in a survey, aiming to understand how healthcare professionals across the UK manage neuropathy in their clinical practice.

This study will involve completing a 10-minute survey.

Supporting young people with type 1 to get active

Subtitle:
ISPA-T1D- Improving Support For Physical Activity For Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: Understanding Needs And Preferences Of Adolescents, Parents And Health Care Professionals.
Institution:
University of Exeter
Location:
UK wide
Tags:
Interview
Dates:
September 2023
April 2024

Researchers at the University of Exeter would like to recruit young people aged 12-18 years with type 1 diabetes, parents of young people (under 18) with type 1 diabetes, and healthcare professionals who care for young people with type 1 diabetes to take part in a study. Insights from the study will be used to help develop a programme for young people with type 1 diabetes, to support and encourage physical activity.

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