Diabetes Research Group
Director: Vacant
The Diabetes Research
Group is made up of:
- the diabetes research
facility, incorporating a research support component in the Confocal facility;
- the cardiovascular
research facility, based at the US Medical School;
- and the Primate Unit
(PU), which primarily provides a research support function.
The strength of both the
PU and the Diabetes Research team lies in their synergistic relationship and
particular value is added to the diabetes research through the availability
of a primate model and specialized skills in handling primates for its investigations.
Similarly, international and national commercial and collaborative research
interest in the Primate Unit is attracted by the unique primate model for
studies from in utero to adult, and the availability of a basic research
infrastructure of laboratories, technical and human resources and skills for
cell biology research.
Research
Projected statistics
for South Africa reveal a rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes especially
with urbanisation of the African populations. Cardiovascular disease, blindness,
kidney disease and other secondary effects of type II diabetes mean a loss
of work force, with a resultant impact on the diabetic's family income and
standard of living, and further heavy medical costs which add to the burden
of an already over-stretched health service.
Using a rat and a non-human
primate model, the major research avenue of the Diabetes Research Group addresses
the effect of lifestyle, especially diet, from in utero to adult on
the development of type II diabetes. This is achieved by monitoring pathophysiological
and histopathological changes induced by lifestyle events and by investigating
molecular mechanisms associated with these changes. Meanwhile the cardiovascular
team investigates the pathophysiology of the myocardium in ischaemia and in
type II diabetes. |
