TTRA News - ACADI launches to unite in the fight against diabetes complications

31 May 2022

Pictured: Dr Susan Alberti AC (Inaugural ACADI Chair),Prof. James McCluskey (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) University of Melbourne), Dr Erin McAllum (Project Manager TTRA initiative), A/Prof Elif Ekinci (ACADI Director), Lauren Kelly (Senior Director TTRA initiative), Prof. John Prins (ACADI Deputy Director, Head of Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne), Dr Mana Liao (Director TTRA initiative) and Lisa Dubé (MTPConnect Chief Operating Officer).

The newly established Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations (ACADI) led by Associate Professor Elif Ekinci from the University of Melbourne aimed at improving the lives of people living with diabetes, has been officially launched.

Established by MTPConnect’s Targeted Transition Research Accelerator (TTRA) Initiative, the ACADI Research Centre has been awarded $10 million over four years from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and $13.3 million in cash and in-kind contributions from 70 partners across the country.

ACADI is a strong collaboration of clinicians, researchers, industry and patient advocacy groups who will deliver new interventions for timely diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Associate Professor Ekinci said diabetic kidney disease, diabetic foot ulcers and amputations and the acute complications of diabetes of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia are some of the most difficult complications of diabetes to treat.

“These complications come at a massive cost to the person living with diabetes and to our health care systems. Diabetes is the leading cause of diabetic kidney disease leading to dialysis and need for transplantation,” she said.

“By working together with researchers, clinicians, engineers and industry partners, we can make a greater difference to finding better treatments for people living with diabetes and be a voice for delivering positive messages around prevention and management. We are also committed to listening to those with lived experience of living day-to-day with diabetes, their carers and the advocacy groups that represent them.” 

Susan Alberti AC will lead the centre as the inaugural chair of the council.

Sue Alberti AC has made major contributions to life in Australia as leading businesswoman in the construction industry, a pioneer of the AWFL and as a philanthropist to name a few.

“But perhaps her greatest contribution is yet to come as inaugural chair of the ACADI Council. Her knowledge of this disease and its implications are profound. Sue Alberti lost her only child Danielle to complications of diabetic kidney disease when Danielle was only 32 years of age,” said Associate Professor Ekinci.

Susan has committed to providing her expertise and lived experience  to shape the direction of the national centre’s future.

“I am totally committed to providing leadership and support of the centre by making certain our voices are heard and our discoveries are shared. I want to ensure other people don’t go on to develop the complications my daughter Danielle did. I do not want other families to lose a child to complications of diabetes at the prime of their lives,” Sue Alberti AC said.

Around 1.8 million Australians have diabetes according to Diabetes Australia, with one person contracting the disease every five minutes. Globally, 500 million people are estimated to have the illness.

MTPConnect delivers the $47 million Targeted Translation Research Accelerator for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease which aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and their related complications.