Dave-Hodson
Professor David Hodson

Expertscape has named David Hodson, Professor of Cellular Metabolism from the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR), in a list of top 30 leading insulin researchers in the UK.

The list is based on the results of scientific publications, with both impact and frequency taken into account. Expertscape published the list in association with Diabetes Times.

Expertscape is the world’s leading index of academic achievement and expertise in healthcare. Its rankings are 100% objective and are arrived at through a rigorous process.

Professor Hodson said: “Birmingham has among the highest rates of type 2 diabetes and associated complications in the UK. Here at the IMSR and at Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism we are trying to integrate world-class research with clinical studies. We are trying to build the IMSR (headed by Professor Wiebke Arlt) into the premier institute in the UK for diabetes and more widely metabolism research.”

Ranked 30th, Professor Hodson has over 75 peer-reviewed publications, including three book chapters. He has also secured over £2.5 million in research funding over the past five years, including grants from the Medical Research Council, European Commission Research, Diabetes UK and The Wellcome Trust.

Professor Hodson’s overarching research aim is to identify new mechanisms to preserve insulin release during type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as improve the robustness of stem cell-derived islet-like structures for use in transplantation.

His research group also focusses on understanding the complexity of pancreatic alpha, beta and delta cell function from the single molecule through to the intact tissue.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes – type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.There are 3.9 million people living with diabetes in the UK. That's more than one in 16 people in the UK who has diabetes (diagnosed or undiagnosed). This figure has nearly trebled since 1996, when there were 1.4 million. By 2025, it is estimated that 5 million people will have diabetes in the UK.