Early career researchers at the Charles Perkins Centre are advancing innovative approaches to type 1 diabetes through a targeted seed funding scheme designed to foster collaboration, accelerate translation and deliver real-world impact.

Established through a philanthropic gift from Michael Cahill and Rachel Honnery, the Charles Perkins Centre Type 1 Diabetes Seed Funding Grants support multidisciplinary, early-stage projects with strong potential to improve outcomes for people living with type 1 diabetes.

Three early career researchers – Mr Huu Thanh Le, Ms Xinyi (Celia) Li and Dr Richard Liu – have each been awarded $10,000 to develop projects spanning immunology, nutrition and prevention.

The Charles Perkins Centre’s Type 1 Diabetes Research Project Node, co-led by Dr Kirstine Bell, brings together international multidisciplinary expertise to design and implement collaborative solutions for people living with type 1 diabetes.

“The scheme reflects the Centre’s commitment to nurturing emerging researchers while addressing complex challenges in type 1 diabetes,” said Dr Bell.

“Supporting early career researchers to lead collaborative, cross-disciplinary projects is essential to driving meaningful progress in type 1 diabetes.

“These projects demonstrate both scientific innovation and a clear focus on improving the lives of people living with the condition,” she said.

The funded projects highlight the breadth of research underway at the Charles Perkins Centre, from cutting-edge disease prevention to advancing clinical intervention and through to transplantation science for a cure.

Together, these projects exemplify the Charles Perkins Centre’s integrated approach to tackling chronic disease, linking discovery science, clinical research and prevention to accelerate impact. By investing in early career researchers and fostering collaboration across disciplines, the seed funding scheme is strengthening the pipeline from research to real-world outcomes for people living with type 1 diabetes.

The Charles Perkins Centre Type 1 Diabetes Seed Funding Grant recipients 2025 

(Image above, left-right: Mr Huu Thanh Le, Ms Xinyi Celia Li and Dr Richard Liu)

Mr Huu Thanh Le

Supervisor

Professor Wayne Hawthorne

Project

Investigating the peripheral immune landscape in xeno-islet recipients to monitor immune suppression and predict graft rejection

This project advances xeno-islet transplantation by refining porcine islet use as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. The team has already reversed diabetes in more than ten non-human primates, demonstrating strong translational potential. Using high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry, the project will characterise immune responses and identify early markers of graft rejection. The work aims to generate critical insights into transplant immunobiology while strengthening collaboration and technical capability across the Centre.

Ms Xinyi (Celia) Li

Supervisor

Dr Kirstine Bell

Project

Dietitian-led, healthy start education in children/adolescents with early-stage type 1 diabetes: A randomised controlled trial (StarT1D)

This randomised controlled trial will evaluate a 12-week healthy lifestyle education program for children and adolescents with early-stage T1D. Delivered by dietitians, the program promotes a balanced, low glycaemic index diet within a family-based framework. The study will assess impacts on diet quality, glycaemic outcomes and psychosocial wellbeing. As the first trial of its kind, findings are expected to inform clinical guidelines and support early intervention strategies as population screening for T1D expands.

Dr Richard Liu

Supervisors

Professor Maria Craig, Professor Fabio Luciani, Professor Ralph Nanan

Project

CoRD pilot trial – evaluation of clinical and immunological data

This project focuses on children at high risk of developing T1D, analysing immune markers to better understand disease progression. Building on a cohort of more than 300 children, including those who have received autologous cord blood infusions, the study will investigate whether immune changes are associated with delayed onset or prevention of T1D. The findings will provide critical evidence on the viability of this approach and deepen understanding of islet autoimmunity.