Genetic analysis of type 2 diabetes in indigenous Australian pedigrees.

Funded Activity Summary

Type 2 diabetes is a major world health problem. With 300 million people expected to be affected worldwide by 2025 it is a major economic burden. It is a leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, heart attacks, strokes and amputations. Over 7% of the general Australian population have type 2 diabetes, whilst up to 30% of the population in some indigenous communities are affected by this condition. Very few Australians have not been touched in some way by the shadow of diabetes. The precise cause of diabetes is unknown, however we do know that it tends to run in families, indicating that inherited tendency is important. This research program will find genes which cause diabetes by searching for them in indigenous Australian pedigrees in which many of the family members are affected by diabetes. Finding the genes which cause diabetes will have significant impact in at least three major ways. Firstly, it will increase our understanding of the disease process. Secondly, it will be possible to develop tests to identify people at risk of diabetes at a very early stage so that therapy can be introduced and complications averted. Thirdly, it will be possible to develop new and more effective approaches for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2003

End Date: 01-01-2005

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $502,500.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Genetics Not Elsewhere Classified

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Indigenous Health | Linkage analysis | Medical genetics | Mutation detection | Susceptibility genes | Type 2 Diabetes

Related Links