Home | Jenkins Laboratory of Diabetes & Vascular Medicine

Biomarkers

A biomarker is a characteristic that can be measured to describe the state of health or disease. Biomarkers may be clinical (e.g. weight, blood pressure, smoking), biochemical (e.g. glucose, cholesterol) or molecular (e.g. telomere length, a gene polymorphism).

Observational Studies

The team conducts both observational studies and clinical trials, predominantly related to diabetes and to cardiovascular disease. Diabetes studies include studies of Type 1 diabetes youth and adults and Type 2 diabetes. Examples of observational studies include associations between eye (retinal) blood vessel calibre and geometry and concurrent and future chronic diabetes complications and the effects of insulin pumps on various glucose control metrics in people with Type 1 diabetes.

Clinical Trials

The team conducts both observational studies and clinical trials, predominantly related to diabetes and to cardiovascular disease. Diabetes studies include studies of Type 1 diabetes youth and adults and Type 2 diabetes. Examples of observational studies include associations between eye (retinal) blood vessel calibre and geometry and concurrent and future chronic diabetes complications and the effects of insulin pumps on various glucose control metrics in people with Type 1 diabetes.

Digital Health

Our Health Informatics unit has extensive experience in developing and implementing clinical software for health service delivery and clinical research. Specifically: Patient Reported Outcomes Measures via SMS and Email (PROMs) and electronic clinical decision support tools for lipid, blood pressure and glucose control.

Global Health

Global health is an area of study, research and practice that aims to improve health and to achieve equity in health for all people globally. There is an epidemic of diabetes, with an estimated 75% of people with diabetes globally living in disadvantaged countries. The team is engaged in observational studies of people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and of diabetes related health care systems in many different countries. The latter are facilitated by links with diabetes aid organisations <a class="color-subaccent" href="https://www.insulinforlife.org">Insulin For Life</a> and <a class="color-subaccent" href="https://www.lifeforachild.org/">Life For a Child</a>.

Cell Culture & Animal Models

People based (clinical) studies can guide health outcome prediction and monitoring and can point to but not discern mechanisms of tissue damage or protection. Studies in cultured cells, tissues or animal models can be used to explore mechanisms and to test new treatments. The team and their colleagues conduct diabetes related studies in cells and in animals to elucidate mechanisms of diabetes related tissue damage and protection.

Our Team

Alicia Jenkins, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FRCP, is an endocrinologist and clinician researcher, Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney and works in Diabetes Clinics at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.

Alicia holds a NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship and is an Australian Cardiovascular Alliance Flagship Director (Precision Medicine). She has over 375 publications and 15 completed higher research degree candidates. She served 8-years on the ADS Council and is currently on the IDF-Western Pacific Region Executive Council, and President of the diabetes aid organisation Insulin For Life.

Alicia leads a clinical, biochemical and molecular biomarker laboratory and has key roles in diabetes trials and studies including: REMOVAL, FAME-1, FIELD, T4DM, Hybrid Closed Loop trials, the DCCT-EDIC study, a CRE in Diabetic Retinopathy, an Australia China grant and a Program Grant.