Research that's Changing the World

September 21st, 2009 - Media Statement

The National Health and Medical Research Council has recently released a publication titled "Working to Build a Healthy Australia". This highlighted the research conducted by Professor Grant Morahan in the Centre for Diabetes Research at WAIMR.

The article emphasised the need for diabetes research quoting that type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, with the incidence increasing at 3.2% a year.

Professor Morahan discussed some of the work he has been involved in including the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC). This world-wide research effort has now identified over forty diabetes risks.

Within Australia, Professor Morahan has also developed the Australian Childhood Diabetes DNA Repository with the aim to research genetic risk factors for both type 1 diabetes and child-onset type 2 diabetes. Some of the samples from the Repository have been used to verify findings within the T1DGC.

Through these projects, we are moving closer to understanding the genetics of childhood diabetes.

For more information please contact:
Natalie Papadopoulos
Media Consultant for the WA Institute for Medical Research
Mobile: 0411 404 415
Office: (08) 9381 8237