Clinical Diabetes and Metabolism

Close-up of a medical professional drawing blood from a finger.

The research carried out within the research group Clinical Diabetology and Metabolism aims to enhance understanding of disease mechanisms and to improve prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, consequences of diabetes are elucidated, and this includes medical complications as well as the patients’ care and their experiences. Our research is performed in close collaboration with national and international networks, including an EU-Horizon consortium.

Description of our research

The Clinical Diabetes and Metabolism research group is divided into two subgroups where one group focuses on research related to the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity while the other group focuses on diabetes care.

New ways to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes and obesity

Principal Investigator: Prof Jan Eriksson

Understanding disease development

We perform studies involving healthy volunteers and patients. Samples of blood and tissues are analysed to unravel mechanisms at the cell and molecular levels, which contribute to development of type 2 diabetes or obesity. We also monitor nutrient turnover in the whole body during different conditions or after treatments. In such investigations, advanced imaging techniques such as PET and MRI measurements are often utilized. A major focus of this part of the research to understand the importance of different organs and their interactions, for example brain, fat, gut, and liver as well as various hormone systems.

Novel prevention and treatment strategies

We are involved in several intervention projects. They test new concepts to prevent or reverse obesity, type 2 diabetes, and their complications. These studies evaluate effects of medicines, diets, behaviour and even surgery. In the long term, we anticipate proposing methods to tailor the best treatment to the individual in a personalized manner. This will be achieved by using both new diagnostic tools and new pharmacological and non-pharmacological principles.

Diabetes care

Principal Investigator: Janeth Leksell

  • Assessing the impact of self-management programs on both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients.
  • Studying the health-related quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients at onset and during the first two years.
  • Investigating the correlation between Diabetes Questionnaire responses and medical, sociodemographic, and comorbidity data.
  • Evaluating patients' perspectives on participating in clinical trials in both rural and urban settings.

We focus on developing effective self-management educational programs for people with diabetes. Initial results from our virtual diabetes care study demonstrate its efficacy compared to physical meetings, with ongoing evaluation after 1 and 2 years. Additionally, we're testing an individual treatment plan for type 2 diabetes patients based on Dorothea Orem's self-care theory. This plan aims to enhance collaboration between patients and diabetes nurses and evaluate its impact on various health parameters and patient experiences.

Understanding patient satisfaction with care and treatment is crucial. Our SMARTEST project investigates the quality of life in early-stage type 2 diabetes patients over one and two years, considering medication treatment, socioeconomic status, and demographic factors.

Collaborating with the National Diabetes Register, we've developed a digital Diabetes Questionnaire for routine clinical visits, allowing patient perspectives to be integrated into care. We're exploring its association with medical data and sociodemographic factors.

In long-term studies, we explore factors influencing patients' perspectives on participating in clinical trials, conducting interviews in rural and urban areas to develop a model for clinical trial implementation, particularly focusing on Gotland.

Our research focus is to describe and to evaluate interventions that are based on capturing and illuminating the patient's perspective of living with a chronic disease such as diabetes. Since diabetes is a serious lifelong disease, it is important to find interventions that support persons to a healthy lifestyle. Persons with diabetes experience a need for an encouraging patient-professional relationship that inspires them to be leader of their own self-management. Pharmacological treatment itself may affect the quality of life. If health-related life quality (HRLQ) is reduced by treatment, compliance might be affected, altering glycemic control and the risk of complications. Patient-related outcome measures (PROMs), such as HRLQ and treatment satisfaction incorporates patient perspectives into healthcare decision making.

Are you interested in our work and would like to join?

We recruit study volunteers all year round! We recruit people above the age of 18, both with and without type 2 diabetes.

If you would like to know more about what we do and you are interested in becoming part of our research, contact us at diabetesforskning@akademiska.se, or contact Sofia Löfving, group leader, 018-611 35 71.

Additional resources

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