Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science
A major challenge for people living with diabetes is how to lower blood glucose safely with treatment such as insulin without overshooting into low levels (hypoglycaemia). The Evans Team is interested in how brain detects changes in blood glucose, how this glucose-sensing interacts with peripheral metabolism, and the short-term and long-term sequelae of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) in people with diabetes. We are also involved with new and innovative technology for monitoring and managing diabetes, including the development of closed loop insulin pump systems (the “artificial pancreas”).
Techniques we use
Insulin clamps in both pre-clinical and human models: insulin clamps are an experimental methodology for creating very controlled and precise blood glucose levels, for example dropping glucose into the hypoglycaemic range to measure responses.
Early stage clinical trials (in type 1 diabetes immunotherapy).
Team achievements
Rajna Golubic was awarded the Royal College of Physicians Turner Warwick prize (including the overall award) 2021 for her work while an academic clinical fellow in lab.
Masa Josipovic (PhD student) won the Bill Gates Senior prize in 2021.
Our highlight publication
Molecular Reductions in Glucokinase Activity Increase Counter-regulatory Responses to Hypoglycemia in Mice and Humans with Diabetes.
Molecular Metabolism 2018 Nov;17:17-27. PMID: 30146176
Ali J Chakera, Paul S Hurst, Gill Spyer, Emmanuel Ogunnowo-Bada,William J Marsh,Christine H Riches,Chen-Yu Yueh, S Pauliina Markkula, Jeffrey W Dalley, Roger D Cox, Ian A Macdonald,Stephanie A Amiel, Kenneth M MacLeod, Lora K Heisler,Andrew T Hattersley, Mark L Evans.
This paper demonstrated that the protein glucokinase involved in glucose -sensing is important for responses to hypoglycaemia in both mice and humans.
