Sharon Conway
Programme Manager,
Diabetes Collaborative
Clinical Trial Network
Dr Christine Newman
Consultant Endocrinologist,
University Hospital Galway
& Clinical Lecturer,
University of Galway
Professor Fidelma Dunne
Director, Institute for Clinical Trials, University of Galway
Professor Seamus Sreenan
Consultant Endocrinologist, Connolly Hospital, Dublin
Diabetes poses a significant public health challenge in Ireland, with many cases undiagnosed and limited data available. Tackling it requires coordinated action, quality care and robust research to guide clinical decisions and reduce societal and economic impacts.
Dr Christine Newman, Consultant Endocrinologist at University Hospital Galway, explains: “With the right infrastructure, partnerships and vision, Ireland can lead in diabetes research.”
Collaborative diabetes research network
Centred at the University of Galway and funded by the Health Research Board, the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network (DC-CTN) is a national research network with members from across the island, positioned to facilitate change through research. Seamus Sreenan, consultant in diabetes at Connolly Hospital, Dublin, comments: “The network aims to bring healthcare professionals and key stakeholders from all backgrounds together, all committed to enhancing understanding and treatment of diabetes.”
Bringing together a national alliance of clinical sites, research facilities, public and patient involvement, industry partners, international collaborators and patient organisations, the network aims to drive meaningful change. Sharon Conway, Network Programme Manager, says: “We are creating a cohesive, strategic response to a growing public health crisis.”
Over the past three years, the DC-CTN has supported academic and industry trials in type 1 (D1 Now), type 2 (REDEFINE 2, REDEFINE 3, SYNCHRONISE) and gestational diabetes (GDM) (EMERGE), plus feasibility studies in new community care hubs. “The EMERGE trial has shown that treatment of gestational diabetes with metformin alongside usual care is a safe and effective alternative treatment with benefits to both expectant mother and infant,” reports Professor Fidelma Dunne, Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials, University of Galway, with a follow-up study currently underway.
Christine, study participant, says: “The opportunity to contribute to advancing care for expectant mothers with type 1 diabetes makes the experience deeply rewarding.”
By offering a single point of contact for sponsors and researchers, the network streamlines clinical trial activities — enhancing coordination, accelerating timelines and ensuring high-quality, ethical and robust trial design. By aligning research to the national diabetes clinical care programme, the network facilitates rapid translation of research findings into real-world clinical practice.
We are future-proofing the next
generation of researchers by giving
them practical hands-on experience
and real-world training.
Public and patient involvement (PPI)
People living with diabetes and supporting charities are shaping research through the DC-CTN, improving how diabetes research is designed and delivered. “Public and patient involvement helps us to not only ask the right research questions, but answer them in ways that truly benefit people living with diabetes,” explains Newman.
A recent study with the James Lind Alliance identified the top 10 research priorities for the type 1 diabetes community. “This research acts as a real roadmap to guide our efforts and conduct research in areas that matter most to people living with type 1 diabetes,” says Newman.
With strong community links, the network is urging involvement from people of all backgrounds and ethnicities to get involved. “If clinical trials only include a narrow group, then findings are only relevant to that group,” says Conway. “We are helping to remove barriers not just to trial participation, but all PPI involvement, whether financial, cultural or logistical, so no one is excluded from advancing diabetes care,” Newman adds.
Nurturing the next generation
Through its educational remit, the network supports students and early researchers with robust infrastructure, mentorship and expertise — bridging academia and real-world impact. “We are future-proofing the next generation of researchers by giving them practical hands-on experience and real-world training,” says Newman.
Initiatives like the summer research bursaries for students and Master’s scholarships, funded by industry partners and national bodies, are opening doors for researchers at all stages of their careers to help advance diabetes care.
Benefits to both patient care and industry
The network is also creating a stronger research environment that is more attractive for industry sponsors and delivering scientifically significant trials. “The network is open for business, innovation, collaboration and clinical discovery, making an impact not just in Galway but across the whole of Ireland,” says Conway. “By working together, we can bring world-leading innovation home and improve the lives of people living with diabetes.”
To find out more: https://diabetestrialsctn.ie/about/
