Diabetes research takes the world stage

A new network has been created with the aim of increasing collaboration and cooperation to help prevent and treat diabetes. The Scottish Diabetes Research Network, based around a hub at the Ninewells hospital in Dundee, aims to make Scotland a leader in diabetes research.
Scotland is by no means free from the diabetes problem, with approximately 170,000 known sufferers. As in many countries throughout the world, it is feared that many more people have the condition but do not know it, and the implications for a future healthcare crisis are enormous.
The role of Scotland in diabetes treatment has already been large, with several important early discoveries coming from the country, and latterly advanced research into gene therapy has been undertaken. The new network should take things to the next stage.
Dr. John Petrie, a reader in diabetic medicine at the University of Dundee, will lead the initiative. He said: “We have already made excellent strides in Scotland in putting in place strong systems for research into prevention and treatment of diabetes. The establishment of the Scottish Diabetes Research Network is another significant step forward. This will help us engage even more widely with the general health community and the public, which will lead to real benefits in how we understand and treat diabetes.”