Since its inception in 1981, the objective of the Cambridge Diabetes Seminar has been to provide an international forum for capacity building for research and the application of the principles of epidemiology and public health strategies for the prevention of diabetes mellitus and its complications. There is an unabated rise in the prevalence and public health burden of type 2 diabetes globally, with latest estimates showing that ~1.3 billion people will have diabetes by 2050.
There are two principal aims of the Seminars: 1) to build research capacity in countries where diabetes epidemiology and public health research is currently very limited, and 2) to create a global network composed of both early to mid-career researchers and eminent international experts within diabetes epidemiology.
The week-long residential Seminar delivers training on aspects of descriptive and analytical epidemiology of diabetes and approaches to prevention through a mixture of lectures, interactive small group sessions, problem solving scenarios, debates, and participant presentations on research proposals that are critiqued by the Faculty in a friendly manner. Participants learn about methods and tools that they can employ in their research.
Over the next six years (2024 to 2030), the project will cover four Cambridge Diabetes Seminars:
- Two “standard” Seminars in Cambridge, similar to those delivered in the past in Cambridge
- One “bespoke” Seminar in India, similar to a previous and highly regarded bespoke Seminar held in China in 2010. AIIMS Delhi is one of the partner institutions in India
- One “advanced” Seminar in Denmark. The proposed content for an advanced Seminar in Denmark includes a broader CMD scope, more nuanced aspects of data analysis and interpretation, writing and scrutiny of research grant proposals, a role-play experience of sitting on grant decision making panels, and feedback on successful manuscript writing, publishing, and reviewing.
Expected Outcomes:
Participants will:
- Explore the global and regional burden of diabetes and learn how prevalence and incidence estimates are developed.
- Understand the causes of diabetes and strategies for prevention at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
- Gain practical knowledge of research design, methodologies, and tools essential for assessing exposures and outcomes.
- Learn techniques to measure behavioural risk factors such as diet and physical activity, which are critical for preventing type 2 diabetes.
- Present their research ideas and receive expert feedback to help shape impactful studies in their home countries.
- Become part of a global network of researchers, fostering meaningful collaborations and strengthening research capacity worldwide.
