The University of the Highlands and Islands has committed to invest heavily in personnel and equipment to set up a high quality research department in diabetes in the Highland Diabetes Institute within the Centre for Health Science. The Department is jointly directed by Ian Megson, Lifescan Chair of Diabetes and Sandra McRury, Clinical Professor of Diabetes.
 
The research themes will include preclinical and clinical aspects of diabetes research. Current research centres on the cardiovascular complications of diabetes and includes research into new agents to stop blockage of blood vessels in patients with diabetes. The work also involves investigating the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the deterioration of the function of pancreatic insulin producing cells.
 
The recent expansion of the team to include expertise in Genetics and Immunology has greatly increased the potential scope of the department to encompass genetic and environmental factors that might combine to trigger both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. 

A number of exciting collaborative projects are already underway and UHI are keen to use their latest technology and expertise and offer a wide range of opportunities for future research collaborations.