Distinguished Professor Lyn Griffiths is leading a $2.1 million study to better understand genetic links to conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, gout, and kidney disease in a Pasifika cohort based in Queensland.
Professor Griffiths, Director of QUT's Centre for Genomics and Personalised Medicine, said she and her team were conducting The Pasifika Metabolic Health Study – Mapping the genetic and multi-omic landscape of metabolic conditions in Pasifika communities in Australia, funded by the biotechnology company Variant Bio and the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
"The Pasifika Health Study is a community-based research project designed to understand the genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors influencing high rates of metabolic and inflammatory conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, gout, heart disease, and kidney disease," Professor Griffiths said.
"Despite global advances in genomics, most research to date has been based on populations of largely European ancestry, leaving Pasifika communities significantly underrepresented, even though they bear a disproportionate burden of disease.
"This lack of representation limits our ability to develop effective, culturally appropriate, and scientifically accurate treatments for Pasifika peoples."
Professor Griffiths said the Genomics Research Centre's commercial partner, Variant Bio, would provide short and long-term financial support to involved community organisations to support local health, environment, education, and/or cultural initiatives.
"Variant Bio has also been partnering on our Norfolk Island Health study research as well as Norfolk community organisations under similar arrangements over the past four years.
"We are aiming to involve 1000 to 2000 participants over the next 18 months in this study which will be undertaken at our site at Logan Central."
For details on participating in the study, please go to QUT's research participation page.
