Building on Discovery & International Expertise

We live in remarkable times. Advances in science, technology and data analysis are accelerating the pace of discovery towards addressing the major challenges of biomedical research. Diabetes is an enormous and increasing challenge globally. Diabetes and its complications consume 10% of our healthcare budget nationally and cause inestimable human suffering. Through integrated approaches from molecular to epidemiological studies, the potential impact and benefits of the UCD Diabetes Research Centre are unprecedented.

The UCD Diabetes Research Centre will provide a multidisciplinary collaborative research matrix in which discoveries will be rapidly translated from bench to bedside, and vice versa in our quest to address this disease and its devastating consequences.

Building on our previous discoveries and established international expertise, UCD scientists will further develop their research into diabetes, diabetic nephropathy and other complications, investigating critical issues including: Who gets diabetes and why? What are the factors that influence the development of diabetic complications? How can we modify behaviours such as diet and exercise to minimise risk and maximise quality of life in susceptible individuals? What interventions will lead to new therapeutic breakthroughs?

The Centre marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of clinical, medical and scientific co-operation and advancement which will provide a unique fourth level forum nationally for the training of physicians, scientists and physician scientists in diabetes research.

We will be informed by our international of advisory board of experts from leading centres in Europe and the US. The UCD Diabetes Research Centre will build on the strengths and capacity of The UCD Conway Institute and the research programmes of several of the Schools of UCD.

We are uniquely positioned to address the major issues in Diabetes research through our expertise in basic biology, epidemiology, nutrition, clinical and translational medicine coupled with our technological resources and sophisticated analytical tools. Together with our national and international network of collaborators in academia and industry we will work towards discoveries to prevent, treat and cure diabetes and its complications.

Dr. Hugh R Brady,
President, UCD