Western Health Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Group
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Group Leader
Dr Christopher Yates MBBS (Hons), FRACP, PhD+61 3 8345 6666
Research Overview
The Western Health Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Group is comprised of academic clinicians conducting clinical research primarily in the fields of diabetes and osteoporosis. The group is led by the Head of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Associate Professor Shane Hamblin and the Director of Research for Endocrinology & Diabetes, Dr Christopher Yates.
Currently there are four Endocrinologists within the group completing doctoral studies. Dr Ie-Wen Sim is undertaking a PhD investigating teriparatide versus placebo for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw related to bisphosphonate use (based at the University of Melbourne), Dr I-Lynn Lee is completing her PhD studying gestational diabetes follow-up (based at the Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin), Dr Dev Kevat is studying the impact of sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm disruption in doctors on rates of human error and harm (based at Monash University) and Dr Michelle So is studying proinsulin-specific CD4+ T-cells in the peripheral blood of people with type 1diabetes with the view of developing a biomarker (based at the University of Melbourne). Other active studies include the establishment of pregnancy trimester specific reference ranges for thyroid function, the impact of glucocorticoids on glycaemia in Oncology patients and factors associated with the high rates of diabetic ketoacidosis in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Planned studies include: The effect of betamethasone on glycaemic control in pregnant women, assessment of the safety and efficacy of current algorithms for the management of glucocorticoid induced hyperglycaemia on the wards, the effect of divided twice daily versus once daily prednisolone dosing on glycaemia, studies on the effect of Zoledronate infusion on the acute Charcot’s foot and the usefulness of new technology apps in improving Type 2 diabetes control (in collaboration with Deakin University).
Several Western Health Endocrinology & Diabetes Research Group members are also actively engaged in research at other institutions: Dr Bala Krishnamurthy – immunology of Type 1 diabetes at St Vincents Institute, Melbourne; Dr Priya Sumithran, obesity research at Austin Health).
Staff
- A/Prof Shane Hamblin, Head of Endocrinology and Diabetes
- A/Prof Christine Rodda, Paediatric Endocrinologist
- Dr Christopher Yates, Endocrinologist and Director of Research
- Dr Ie-Wen Sim, Endocrinologist and PhD candidate
- Dr I-Lynn Lee, Endocrinologist and PhD candidate
- Dr Michelle So, Endocrinologist and PhD candidate
- Dr Vivian Grill, Endocrinologist
- Dr Bala Krishnamurthy, Endocrinologist
- Dr Rosemary Wong, Endocrinologist
- Dr Deepak Dutta, Endocrinologist
- Dr Kavita Kumareswaran, Endocrinologist
- Dr Maryanne Papalia, Endocrinologist
- Dr Dev Kevat, Endocrinologist and PhD candidate (Monash University)
Collaborators
There is an active collaboration with the Melbourne Health Dept of Diabetes and Endocrinology for a multi-site study of glucocorticoid induced diabetes.
The Endocrinology & Diabetes Unit is also a part of the Western Chronic Disease Alliance
(Western Health Units: Nephrology, Endocrinology & Diabetes, Internal General Medicine, and Cardiology along with the University of Melbourne and Victoria University) which has been established to study chronic diseases in the western suburbs of Melbourne involving nephrology, diabetes and/or cardiology.
Funding
- Western Health Research Grant $10000 for glucocorticoid induced diabetes research
- Western Health Research Grant $5000 to study Zoledronate treatment for management of acute Charcot’s foot in diabetes
Research Publications
Publications from the Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Group Members in 2015:
- Sim IW, Sanders KM, Borromeo GL, Seymour JF, Ebeling P. Declining incidence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with cancer. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2015; 100(10): 3887-3893
- Sim IW, Ebeling P Romosozumab/CDP7851 for the treatment of osteoporosis Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2015; 10(5): 471-481
- Dick M, Catford SR, Kumareswaran K, Hamblin PS, Topliss DJ Persistent syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion following traumatic brain injury. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep. 2015;2015:150070. doi: 10.1530/EDM-15-0070. Epub 2015 Aug 27
- Somarajah G, Karunajeewa H, Hamblin PS, Karahalios E, Janus E The true prevalence of diabetes in hospital patients and its implications Intern. Medicine Journal 2015 45 (5): 594