Lund University Diabetes Centre LUDC, Jan Waldenströms gata 35 (2025)

01/12/2025

Our warmest congratulations to diabetes researcher Josefine Jönsson at Lund University Diabetes Centre who receives a research grant of SEK 200,000 👏

This grant is awarded to junior researchers by Diabetes Wellness. The project investigates whether a specific variant of a gene called Gimap4 may protect the immune system from attacking the body’s pancreatic beta cells.

In type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune system has attacked the pancreatic beta cells so they can no longer produce insulin. The long-term goal of the research is to map disease mechanisms that can contribute to the development of new treatments that may prevent the clinical onset of type 1 diabetes.

Read more (in Swedish): https://www.diabeteswellness.se/nyheter-event/nyheter/dr-josefine-jonsson-har-tilldelats-ett-forskningsanslag-pa-200-000-kronor

26/11/2025

Our network of early career researchers and students at Lund University Diabetes Centre organises several activities each year. The LUDC Early Career Network Day is arranged on December 9 and is aimed at younger members of LUDC 🔬

Early career researchers should join this day for inspiring talks by early career researchers at LUDC, doctoral students, invited guests and an after-work event. Andreas Edsfeldt, associate professor of cardiology at Lund University and physician at Skåne University Hospital, has been invited to give a talk about his career path and experience within academia.

The event is aimed at early career researchers affiliated with LUDC and the strategic research area EXODIAB. Register by December 2.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/ludc-early-career-network-day-2025

20/11/2025

Diabetes researcher Malin Fex at Lund University Diabetes Centre has led a study which investigates how melatonin affects insulin-producing cells 🧫

Previous studies have shown that people with a certain genetic risk variant in the melatonin receptor has an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Malin Fex and the research team used skin cells from a person carrying the risk variant. These cells were programmed into stem cells, which were guided to become the desired cell type – insulin-producing cells.

The researchers created two cell lines – one carrying the risk variant and one in which the variant had been corrected – to investigate how melatonin affects insulin-producing cells and contributes to development of type 2 diabetes.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/stem-cell-technology-reveals-new-insights-melatonin-and-diabetes

17/11/2025

Researchers at Lund University Diabetes Centre (LUDC) have previously shown that people with diabetes can be stratified into five subgroups with differing disease progression.

A new study by Emma Ahlqvist and Olof Asplund at LUDC provides increased evidence for the clinical relevance of the classification system. The research team also presents new findings of significant differences between subgroups in the development of complications.

The researchers hope that the knowledge about the subgroups can be implemented in the clinic in the future, to assess disease risk, resource allocation, and provide individualised treatment of patients.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/new-research-classification-diabetes-identifies-high-risk-group

📷 Photograph of Olof Asplund and Emma Ahlqvist.

13/11/2025

Our warmest congratulations to LUDC researcher Ben King, who receives the Medeon Award of SEK 50 000 at the World Diabetes Day Skåne event currently taking place in Malmö 🏆 💙 👏

Erik Malmström from Max Matthiessen, Malin Bornschein from Medeon Science Park, and Stefan Wendén from Moll Wendén Law Firm hand over the award to this year’s recipient during today's award ceremony.

Ben King receives the Medeon Award for his innovative research on the two proteins C3 and CD59, which may contribute to new treatment in diabetes in the future.

The Medeon Award is awarded annually to a researcher at Lund University Diabetes Centre (LUDC) by Medeon Science Park, Moll Wendén Law Firm and Max Matthiessen.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/award-protein-research-may-lead-new-treatments-diabetes

12/11/2025

💊 An international team of researchers has investigated whether oral insulin can prevent early signs of type 1 diabetes and clinical diagnosis in children with an increased risk of developing the disease.

Although treatment with oral insulin could not prevent development of diabetes-related autoantibodies, oral insulin delayed the rate of disease progression in children who developed such autoantibodies. The results from the POInT study are now published in The Lancet.

The international study includes 1,050 children from Sweden, Germany, Poland, Belgium and United Kingdom. The study was coordinated at Helmholtz Munich, Germany.

“The children who have participated in the study have made a huge effort together with their parents," says Helena Elding Larsson, professor of autoimmune diseases at Lund University, principal investigator for the Swedish part of POInT, and coauthor of the article in The Lancet.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/oral-insulin-delayed-onset-type-1-diabetes-some-children-increased-risk-disease

📷 Photograph by Kennet Ruona

10/11/2025

Inflammation researcher Ben King is this year’s recipient of the Medeon Award for his research about the function of two proteins in connection with diabetes. Join the award ceremony at the World Diabetes Day Skåne event in Malmö on November 13! 🏆

On the right of the photograph is a 3D printed model of the protein CD59. This protein seems to protect cells’ ability to secrete insulin. On the left is a 3D printed model of C3, a protein which seems to protect insulin-producing cells from damage and death.

You can learn more about Ben King’s research on the two proteins during the World Diabetes Day Skåne event when he will give a talk.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/award-protein-research-may-lead-new-treatments-diabetes

05/11/2025

Emma Hedlund is a doctoral student within Annelie Carlsson’s research group at Lund University Diabetes Centre. Emma Hedlund will defend her thesis “Exploring Heterogeneity in Paediatric Type 1 Diabetes” in Lund on November 14 💙

The aim with her thesis was to increase our understanding of the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes in children. Her findings suggest that there are subgroups of children with type 1 diabetes that differ according to family history, s*x, and autoantibody status.

Understanding this heterogeneity may enhance our knowledge of the disease etiology and improve risk prediction for suboptimal metabolic control and long-term complications. Such insights may also support the development of precision medicine approaches for children with type 1 diabetes.

📍Event details
Time: November 14, 13.00
Place: BMC, Segerfalksalen, Sölvegatan 17, Lund
Language: English

Read about the thesis defence: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/thesis-defence-emma-hedlund

Read the thesis: https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/exploring-heterogeneity-in-paediatric-type-1-diabetes/

04/11/2025

We would like to congratulate six researchers at Lund University Diabetes Centre, who have been awarded research grants within medicine and health by the Swedish Research Council (VR) 👏

Taken together, the six researchers at LUDC received funding of over SEK 25 million. Our warmest congratulations to Helena Elding Larsson, Malin Fex, Paul Franks, Hindrik Mulder, Marju Orho-Melander, and Allan Vaag ✨

The six researchers are affiliated with Excellence of Diabetes Research in Sweden (EXODIAB), which is a strategic research area within diabetes at Lund University.

Read more about the projects: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/six-ludc-researchers-receive-medicine-and-health-grants-vr

📷 Photograph by Kennet Ruona

24/10/2025

Our warmest congratulations to LUDC researcher Ben King who is this year’s recipient of the Medeon Award of SEK 50,000! 🏆 👏

Ben King is associate professor of inflammation research at Lund University. He receives the award for his innovative research on proteins that protect and maintain the functionality of pancreatic beta cells. His research provides important insights that could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies in diabetes.

The Medeon Award will be presented at the World Diabetes Skåne event in Malmö on November 13, when Ben King will give a talk about his research.

Read more: https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/medeon_ab/pressreleases/ben-king-at-ludc-is-awarded-the-2025-medeon-award-of-sek-50000-3411935

07/10/2025

Hanna Markstad is a doctoral student within the research group Cardiovascular Research – Translational Studies at Lund University Diabetes Centre. She will defend her thesis “Structural and Prognostic Clinical Insights in Cardiovascular Imaging” in Lund on October 17 ❤️

In Hanna Markstad’s thesis, cardiovascular imaging is utilised to predict future cardiovascular disease, map anatomical structures to better guide treatment, stratify risk factors, and assess potential risks based on image findings.

The goal of Hanna Markstad’s research is to improve guidance for clinicians and patient care, as well as prevent individuals from becoming patients. People with risk factors such as diabetes have an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease and may benefit from this kind of research.

📍 Event details:
Time: October 17, 09.00-12.00
Place: BMC, Segerfalksalen, Sölvegatan 17, 223 62 Lund
Language and target group: The defence is held in Swedish and open to all. Students, researchers, and professionals with an interest in cardiovascular imaging, cardiovascular research and diseases, cardiovascular risk, and risk stratification may have a special interest in joining the thesis defence.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/thesis-defence-hanna-markstad

Read the thesis:https://portal.research.lu.se/files/228364467/Avhandling_Hanna_Markstad_LUCRIS.pdf

📷 Photograph by Bo Lincoln

19/09/2025

Professor Allan Vaag at Lund University Diabetes Centre is one of the authors of a paper in The Lancet Global Health, which calls for greater recognition of type 5 diabetes. As many as 25 million people worldwide may be affected by this neglected form of diabetes.

The expert group behind the paper stresses that type 5 diabetes is a distinct form of diabetes which requires a different approach to treatment.

“Type 5 diabetes differs from type 2 diabetes in several ways. A common characteristic of type 5 diabetes is undernutrition after birth and in childhood, which explains the markedly reduced insulin secretion due to underdevelopment of the pancreas. Research has shown that low birthweight, due to undernutrition in utero and impaired fetal growth, contributes to the development of both type 2 diabetes and type 5 diabetes,” Allan Vaag says.

Allan Vaag recently gave an interview to The Telegraph’s global health security reporter about the paper.

“We simply don’t know how many of these patients exist. They live in some of the most underserved and understudied regions, areas affected by natural disasters, war, and famine. These individuals are often among the poorest in the world, making their needs even more critical,” Allan Vaag told The Telegraph.

🗞 Read the news article with Allan Vaag in The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/hunger-has-created-a-hidden-diabetes-crisis-experts-warn/

🌍 Read the paper in The Lancet Global Health: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00263-3/fulltext

Lund University Diabetes Centre LUDC