Adelaide researcher wins national diabetes award

Professor Michael Horowitz
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Friday, 4 September 2009

University of Adelaide endocrinologist Professor Michael Horowitz has received Australia's premier award for research into diabetes, the world's fastest growing chronic disease affecting more than 240 million people.

Professor Horowitz, from the University's School of Medicine, has won the Kellion Award for his outstanding contribution to diabetes research over a period of 27 years.

The award, presented at last week's Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) Conference in Adelaide, coincided with Professor Horowitz delivering the ADS Kellion Lecture entitled Gastric emptying and glycaemic control in diabetes - the chicken or the egg revisited.

For most of his career, Professor Horowitz has been at the forefront of helping to manage the diabetes crisis and is recognised internationally for his research into the disease, which has focused on the interactions between blood glucose control and gastrointestinal function.

As a co-author of 466 peer-reviewed papers and 33 book chapters related to diabetes, gastroenterology, endocrinology and nutrition, his publication record places him in the top 1% of cited authors in clinical medicine worldwide.

The award-winning endocrinologist heads a team of researchers in the Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Nutritional Physiology, Interventions and Outcomes (CCRE), based within the University of Adelaide's School of Medicine.

The Centre, launched in 2007, brings together world leaders in the fields of nutritional physiology and dietary intervention strategies, focusing on diabetes, obesity, ageing and critical illness.

Professor Horowitz's research program has been supported by the NHMRC continually since 1984, thanks to 24 project grants totalling more than $7 million in that time.

He and his team of investigators in the Centre, including post-doctoral researchers, have achieved significant progress in the past year.

New dietary strategies for improving glycaemic control are being trialled to help people with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

The role of protein and artificial sweeteners in the management of diabetes is also being investigated.

Professor Horowitz is also Director of the Endocrine and Metabolic Unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

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