The grant will see him work alongside Professor James O'Beirne from Sunshine Coast Health, Associate Professor Nicholas West from Griffith Health, as well as University of the Sunshine Coast's Dr Lochlan Fennell whose research is based here at Sunshine Coast Health Institute.
The research investigates why people with type 2 diabetes are much more likely to develop serious liver disease.
‘Our research focuses on liver glycogen, a storage molecule of the sugar glucose. We’ve discovered that in diabetes, glycogen can become structurally abnormal and fragile. We now suspect these changes may actually contribute to liver injury rather than simply reflect high blood sugar. If confirmed, this could lead to earlier detection tools and new treatments to prevent liver damage in people living with diabetes,’ said Dr Mitchell.
We're proud to be collaborating with such great minds and education institutions. We look forward to sharing updates from the research as it unfolds. Watch this space!