Innovative research projects that leverage AI technology, reduce diabetes complications, and seek to preserve and restore beta cell function are set for a $2 million investment in 2026 through the Diabetes Australia Research Trust.
This funding will support 19 cutting edge projects across fundamental, clinical, health systems and public health research, as part of Diabetes Australia’s commitment to invest $40 million over 10 years alongside the 2025-2030 Diabetes Australia Research Strategy.
A further two scholarships will support PhD postgraduate research in diabetes, in partnership with the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Guided by the Research Strategy, this funding supports a commitment to involve people living with and at risk of diabetes throughout the research process, including selecting priority projects, co-designing research and solutions, and ensuring vulnerable communities are prioritised.
Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said this year’s research investment would create a positive impact in critical areas including reducing diabetes complications, and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“Diabetes is one of the most urgent health challenges of our time, affecting more than two million Australians,” Ms Cain said.
“Through our research funding, we aim to centre the experiences of people living with diabetes throughout the research process to fast-track solutions that will improve daily lives and deliver measurable impact.
“This investment is made possible by the generous support of our donors and partners, who we thank for supporting evidence-based research that prioritises the unmet needs of people living with diabetes and the diabetes community.
“Congratulations to all funding recipients. We are excited to see how your projects contribute to better health outcomes and improved lived experiences for all Australians living with diabetes, their support networks, and our health system.”
Diabetes Australia Director of Research Professor Grant Brinkworth said the projects funded cover a wide range of expertise, from cutting-edge beta-cell production recovery, to specialist wound care, and projects to centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in diabetes primary care.
“Several projects support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by developing community-led diabetes primary care models, including work to progress language-based culturally inclusive health education through collaboration with community leaders,” Professor Brinkworth said.
“Cutting-edge research into novel approaches to beta cell regeneration will look into new ways to combine immunotherapy with established treatments, while another project will seek to develop an individualised stem-cell based approach to beta cell regeneration.
“AI-based research projects will focus on creating tools that make health information easier to understand, support people in managing their own wellbeing, and strengthen the connection between individuals and their care team,” he said.
The University of Sydney’s Dr Julie Ayre said the funding would help build an artificial intelligence tool that could provide clear-language healthcare summaries for people living with diabetes.
“This grant will help us co-design an AI tool to make health care easier to understand, more accessible, and better meet the needs of people with diabetes,” said Dr Ayre.
“AI-generated, health-literate summaries of personalised care advice have the potential to transform how people with and at risk of diabetes build the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to live well with diabetes.”
A total of 19 projects have been funded in the 2026 Diabetes Australia Research Project funding round, totalling $2 million in investment, and a further two National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Diabetes Australia postgraduate scholarships.
Projects were selected through a peer review process against criteria that supports the Diabetes Australia 2025-2030 Research Strategy.
Diabetes Australia would like to thank the Research Steering Committee and expert peer reviewers for their time, expertise and thoughtful consideration of each application.
2026 Diabetes Australia Research Program Grants
| RESEARCHER | INSTITUTION | PROJECT | CO-INVESTIGATORS |
| A/Prof Behnam Akhavan | University of Newcastle | Engineering a Needle-Free Saliva Test for Type 2 Diabetes: A Low-Cost Glucose Sensor for Rural and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Communities | Prof Shamasunder Acharya Prof Alexis Hure Dr Syamak Farajikhah Dr Shanika Nanayakkara |
| Dr Bernard Asiamah-Asare | Deakin University | Shifting the Curve: Modelling the Case for Earlier Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes | Dr Crystal Lee Dr Sean Randall Prof Suzanne Robinson Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Dr Gill Cowan |
| Dr Julie Ayre | University of Sydney | Clear Words, Better Care Project: Evaluating AI-generated, patient friendly summaries for people with diabetes | A/Prof Carissa Bonner Prof Adam Dunn Dr Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz Dr Shanthini Seelan Mrs Geetha Bhat |
| Dr Richard Bright | Flinders University | Improving Outcomes with Ankle Fracture Fixation Devices in T2DM Patients | Prof Krasimir Vasilev Prof Ruurd Jaarsma A/Prof Tania Crotti |
| Dr Kaley Butten | CSIRO | Your Health, Your Summary: Supporting Postpartum Care with a Digital Discharge Summary | Dr Marlien Varnfield |
| Dr Kevin Chemello Kellion Research Award |
University of New South Wales | Preservation and Restoration of β-Cell Function in Type 1 Diabetes Using a Novel Peptide-Immunomodulatory Combination Therapy | Prof Kerry-Anne Rye Dr Blake Cochran A/Prof Shane Thomas Prof Gerard O’Shea Ms Zara Mckinstry Mr Abel Orellana |
| Dr Paddy Dempsey | Deakin University | SMART-T2D: Adapting and co-designing a next-generation AI-powered digital ecosystem to support personalised self-care for type 2 diabetes. | Prof Ralph Maddison Dr Yuxin Zhang Dr Paul Janson Prof David Dunstan Prof Jane Speight A/Prof Neale Cohen Dr Charitha Dissanayake Dr Michael Wheeler |
| Miss Mariam Hachem | University of Melbourne | The ICO-CGM Trial for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with type 2 diabetes. | Prof Elif Ekinci Ms Tracey Hearn Mr Bernard Kelly-Edwards Prof Leonid Churilov Dr Marlena Klaic Prof David O’Neal Mr Ray Kelly Ms Coralie Cross Prof Chris Schilling Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Prof Stephen Twigg Ms Laura Zimmerman Dr Jas-mine Seah Prof Sean Taylor |
| Dr Jay Jha | Monash University | Decoding NOX5: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker for Early Detection of Kidney Dysfunction in Obesity and Diabetes | Dr Karly Sourris Prof Karin Jandeleit-Dahm Prof Jonathan Shaw |
| Dr Xuyu (Johnny) Liu | Heart Research Institute | Microengineered Digital Vessel Twins for Personalized Antithrombotic Screening and Diet Planning to Reduce the Risk of Strokes and Thrombotic Complications in Diabetes | Prof Arnold Ju Dr Mike Wu A/Prof Freda Passam Dr Timothy Ang |
| Dr Diana MacKay | Menzies School of Health Research | Enhancing Ngarnduma Women’s Story Sharing: further development of culturally resonant health promotion messages and health education activities in the Maningrida Healthy Women’s Project | Mrs Norlisha Bartlett Ms Jessica Phillips Ms Felicity Douglas |
| Dr Olumuyiwa Omonaiye | Deakin University | Improving care and outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Eastern Melbourne | Dr Sharon Atkinson-Briggs Prof Bodil Rasmussen Prof Christopher Gilfillan Ms Kate Corrigan A/Prof Jacqueline Boyle A/Prof Rosemary Wong Ms Josette O’Donnell Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott Ms Sarah Gales |
| Dr Jacqueline Schiesser | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | Defining a stem cell derived beta cell replacement therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes | Prof Ed Stanley |
| Dr Mitchell Sullivan | University of Queensland | Glycogen Structural Dysregulation as a Novel Driver of Liver Injury in Diabetes-Associated MASLD | Prof James O’Beirne Dr Lochlan Fennell A/Prof Nicholas West |
| A/Prof Ryu Takechi | Curtin University | Maintaining Healthy Brain in Dementia Patients: Novel Insights through ApoE4 Genotype | Dr Virginie Lam Prof Gerald Watts Dr Tim Rosenow Prof John Mamo |
| Dr Mary White | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | DIRECT-T1DM: Decision-Support for Real-Time Evaluation & Clinical Management of New Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in the Primary Care Setting | Dr Barbara Hunter A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis A/Prof Craig Nelson Prof Dougie Boyle Prof Harriet Hiscock Prof Fergus Cameron Ms Karly Cini Dr Cate Bailey Dr Christopher Preston Dr Devaang Kevat Dr Rahul Barmanway Dr Gabby Atlas Ms Molly O’Sullivan |
| Dr Ziyu Wang | University of Sydney | A hydrogel dressing regulator of temporal inflammation to accelerate diabetic wound healing | Prof Stephen Twigg Dr Danqing Min Prof Anthony Weiss |
| A/Prof Tongzhi Wu | Adelaide University | A novel renal pathway for non-nutritive sweetener risk in prediabetes | Prof Christopher Rayner A/Prof Richard Young Dr Natalie Luscombe-Marsh Prof Merlin Thomas |
| Dr Belinda Yau | University of Sydney | Using insulin granule proteomics to uncover new biomarkers for type 1 diabetes | A/Prof Melkam Kebede Dr Kirstine Bell |
2026 NHMRC – DIABETES AUSTRALIA POSTGRADUATE AWARD
| RESEARCHER | INSTITUTION | PROJECT | SUPERVISORS |
| Dr Beryl Lin | Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute | Improving cardiorenal outcomes in type 2 diabetes: real-world implementation and population-level impact of SLGT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists | Prof Dianna Magliano Prof Jonathan Shaw |
| Ms Caroline Deen | University of Sydney | Development of culturally appropriate household food security indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people | Ass Prof Veronica Matthews Ms Simone Sherriff Dr Alana Gall |
