City pair in world’s top 10 experts on diabetes
TWO Leicester professors appear in a top 10 list of the world’s leading diabetes clinicians.
Professors Kamlesh Khunti and Melanie Davies established the Leicester Diabetes Centre in 2012 and are featured on the international Expertscape list in third and ninth place respectively.
Professor Davies, Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester, was also the highest ranked woman in the document that has identified the 60 most knowledgeable and experienced clinicians from all over the world.
Professor Khunti, who is Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, was third on the global list and topped the UK version of the same list, with Professor Davies in third place.
Both professors have led a number of large global studies in the field of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease and their work has influenced national and international guidelines on the screening and management of people with diabetes.
As well as co-leading the diabetes centre, Professor Khunti is also Director of the National Institute for Health Research’s Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (NIHR CLAHRC) East Midlands and Professor Davies is director of the Leicester NIHR BRC.
Professor Davies said: “We are all hugely proud of what we’ve achieved and to have our work recognised on a worldwide scale is hugely rewarding.
“We’re a leading applied health research unit committed to improving the lives and care of people with diabetes and other long-term conditions.
“We believe in keeping close to our communities – valuing their input, and their support for all that we do. This support has enabled us to impact on the level care of people with diabetes receive, not only in our own city, but also throughout the UK and around the globe.”
Several other Leicester Diabetes Centre researchers have also featured on the national list, including Dr Laura Gray in 14th place, Dr Francesco Zaccardi at number 35 and Dr Tom Yates ranked in 59th place.
Professor Khunti said: “I am hugely honoured to be on this list, but the work we do could not be carried out without the team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre. Uniquely, we collaborate with primary and secondary care, applying basic science and research into the real word, in a bid to change people’s lives.”
Based at Leicester General Hospital, the Leicester Diabetes Centre is responsible for world-leading clinical research, evidence-based education and cutting-edge innovation. It is a partnership between Leicester’s Hospitals and the University of Leicester and is now ranked as Europe’s largest diabetes research facility.
Together, Professors Davies and Khunti have built up the centre team with more than 140 people carrying out over 50 studies designed to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
Expertscape is a healthcare information website.