Our research projects

Bodyweight is one of many factors that influences risk of type 2 diabetes. But people with similar bodyweights can have different risks, so alone it doesn’t give us the full picture. Dr Hanieh Yaghootkar is looking at how genes influence where the body stores fat, and how different fat patterns may increase or decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Understanding this could help us to better predict who’s most at risk and lead to more effective, personalised care for people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes can come with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems affecting the heart and blood vessels. Professor Stephen Wheatcroft wants to test ‘recipes’ for new molecules that can protect against these issues, and also treat type 2 diabetes. This could help researchers to develop new treatments for type 2 diabetes that also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In type 2 diabetes the beta cells in the pancreas struggle to release insulin in the usual way. Professor Herbert’s made a discovery about some proteins that are important in this process. He’s now going to take this information forward and learn more about how these proteins stick to other molecules and work to release insulin. 

Research shows that having too much fat inside the pancreas is one factor that can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. Dr Al-Mrabeh is exploring how excess fat affects different cell types in the pancreas. This could shed light on new treatments that target toxic fats and help people with type 2 diabetes go into remission - or prevent or delay type 2 in people at risk. 

Pregnant women with early-onset type 2 diabetes are 3-4 times more likely to have stillbirth and newborn death than women without diabetes. Currently, there are limited self-management programmes available to support people with early-onset type 2 diabetes - and even less for pregnant women with the condition. Professor Meek wants to design a new self-management programme for this group to provide vital support before, during, and after pregnancy to protect the health of mothers and their babies. 

Researching fat cells provides a chance to better understand the link between insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. A substance in the blood called ADMA changes how fat cells work. Dr Salt is going to compare ADMA in fat cells of humans and mice to understand why this happens. This could open the door to new ways of preventing or treating type 2 diabetes. 

Living with diabetes can increase the risk of kidney disease, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. Professor Luigi Gnudi has found a new protein that can tune signalling molecules to protect kidney cells and blood vessels. Understanding how the protein does this could help researchers to develop new treatments that can heal damaged kidney cells and also lower the risk of heart and blood vessel problems for people living with diabetes. 

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy. It can increase the risk of both mum and baby developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Dr Sarah Chapple wants to know if a chemical found in broccoli, called sulforaphane, could help the pancreas to work better during pregnancy. This will help us understand if sulforaphane holds promise to treat people with or at risk of gestational diabetes, and to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes for mums and their children. 

Cilia are tiny, hair-like structures that help cells communicate. Dr Nalia Haq is studying whether cilia problems in insulin-making beta cells contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes,  or result from it. Her findings could help us better understand the root causes of type 1 diabetes, and point to targets for new treatments to slow or prevent it.

Autoantibodies are proteins made by the immune system that signal it has begun to attack the pancreas. People who have two or more types of autoantibodies will almost certainly go on to fully develop type 1 diabetes in their lifetime. Dr Rachel Besser wants to make a list of everyone in the UK who has autoantibodies, called the UK islet autoantibody registry. The aim is to monitor how they progress through the early stages of type 1 diabetes, connect them with clinical trials of new treatments designed to slow down this progression, and understand how best to support them within the NHS.