Dr Mona Elbalshy, a PhD student working with EDOR members Associate Professors Ben Wheeler and Barbara Galland, has been awarded a $65,000 Freemasons fellowship for her research into more affordable glucose monitoring for children with type 1 diabetes.
Situated in the Department of Women's and Children's Health at the University of Otago, Dr Elbalshy is working on the MiaoMiao study, which is investigating a more equitable provision of essential blood glucose monitoring for this group of vulnerable children.
Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses of childhood. Glucose monitoring is essential for the management of type 1 diabetes but presents a large burden in terms of time and discomfort for the children and their families. New technology that reduces some of this burden is available but it is extremely expensive. This technology, called continuous glucose monitoring, provides continuous readings of glucose every 1-5 minutes to the patient.
The MiaoMiao study aims to investigate a more affordable version of continuous glucose monitoring, using a randomised controlled crossover trial, during real life use in 55 young children (aged 2-13 years) and their families. If proven to be of benefit, this study will help to provide healthier, more equitable and cost-effective diabetes care to children and their families.
Find out more about the Freemasons Fellowship
Child Healthcare gets a major boost from Freemasons Fellowship, University of Otago Alumni News, 20 October, 2020
Other type 1 diabetes research at the University of Otago
- New tech sees teens with diabetes improve glucose monitoring
- Managing diabetes in a 'flash'
- Sleep in Kids with Diabetes (the SKIDDoo study)
