Royal Society GlaxoSmithKline Lecture 2016 by Professor Andrew Hattersley FMedSci FRS.
Diabetes affects over 4 million people in the UK but there are still many uncertainties about the causes and best treatment approaches for this common condition.
Professor Andrew Hattersley FRS will show how, for patients with pure genetic diabetes, defining the specific causes of a patient’s diabetes has resulted in dramatic improvements in their treatment. These findings have changed the management of patients born with diabetes or with strongly familial diabetes throughout the world and have led to molecular genetic testing becoming a first line clinical investigation. The fundamental principle of this Precision Medicine approach is that defining discrete aetiological subgroups of patients within a broader clinical diagnosis can improve clinical care for patients.
The next challenge is to use 'Precision Diabetes' to define different subtypes of the common forms of diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) and to use this information to improve care. Early work suggests that there are genuine differences between patients with the same clinical diagnosis and these do alter the response to diabetes treatments.
The award
Professor Andrew Hattersley FMedSci FRS was awarded the Royal Society GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture 2016 for his work on genetic and physiological studies of patients with common subtypes of monogenic diabetes revolutionising treatment for these patients.
The award was initially established following a donation from The Wellcome Foundation. Since 2002 it has been supported by GlaxoSmithKline Limited. The first award was made in 1980.
The Royal Society GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture is awarded biennially for 'original contributions to medical and veterinary sciences published within ten years from the date of the award'. There is no restriction on the nationality of the recipient.
The medal is of gold and is accompanied by a gift of £2,500. The award is normally made to one individual and the winner is called upon to deliver a lecture at the Society.
For all enquiries, please contact the Events Team.
