Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
- Exploring and understanding the key pathways involved in the development and progression of diabetic complications.
- Development of new therapeutics targeted towards the prevention and management of diabetic complications.
Research goals
The Biochemistry of Diabetes Complications Laboratory addresses important mechanistic questions across the spectrum of diabetic complications. This work is directed towards the development of novel preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies through multidisciplinary approaches combining bench-top research with human physiology and clinical studies. Our work directly impacts on patient care and has been published in major journals including Circulation Research, Diabetes, Diabetes Care and Diabetologia.
Professor Merlin Thomas is an internationally recognised clinician-scientist working in the field of diabetic complications, an area of utmost importance for the health of Australians. He is trained in both nephrology and endocrinology, but is also a state-of-the-art molecular scientist. Globally, he is the third-highest ranked expert in diabetic kidney disease and recognised as an opinion leader in the field of diabetic complications. His translational research spans basic biochemistry and biology to epidemiology and clinical trials. Dr Thomas has an exceptional track record of productivity with more than 270 publications many in the highest ranked journals in his field. He is also a sought-after speaker, teacher and best-selling author, demonstrating his exceptional capability to communicate complex scientific understanding to a general audience.
As both a clinician and a scientist, Professor Thomas’ work is keenly focused on the application of his work, improving the understanding and management of diabetic complications. This work has led to the establishment of international patents as well as influencing national and international guidelines. He is CIB in the newly created NHMRC Diabetes Complications CRE. His “Biochemistry of Diabetes Complications” laboratory in the newly created Department of Diabetes at Monash University is an ideal environment for multidisciplinary research, providing a combination of intellectual and scientific expertise, high-quality infrastructure and state-of-the-art capabilities.
The principal objective of Professor Thomas' research laboratory is to advance the field of diabetes by identifying and validating novel targets towards the development of efficacious strategies for the prevention and management of diabetic complications.
Research area keywords
- Diabetes
- Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs)
- Atherosclerosis
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Diabetic Complications
- Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD)
- Renin Angiotensin System
Network
Projects
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Augmenting the activity of glyoxalase-1 to increase dicarbonyl clearance
1/01/20 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Inhaled oligonucleotides to generate a decoy receptor for the SARS Coronarvirus-2
Thomas, M., Wilton, S., McAuley, J. & Pickering, R.
1/06/20 → 28/02/21
Project: Research
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Transactivation of RAGE as a novel therapeutic target in diabetes
1/01/19 → 31/12/20
Project: Research
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Transactivation of RAGE: a novel therapeutic target in type 1 diabetes
Thomas, M., Baell, J., Rosado, C. & Dimitropoulos, A.
1/10/18 → 31/03/20
Project: Research
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Research output
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A physician-initiated double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of inhibition of NADPH oxidase with the first-in-class Nox-1/4 inhibitor, GKT137831, in adults with type 1 diabetes and persistently elevated urinary albumin excretion: Protocol and statistical considerations
Reutens, A. T., Jandeleit-Dahm, K., Thomas, M., Salim, A., De Livera, A. M., Bach, L. A., Colman, P. G., Davis, T. M. E., Ekinci, E. I., Fulcher, G., Hamblin, P. S., Kotowicz, M. A., MacIsaac, R. J., Morbey, C., Simmons, D., Soldatos, G., Wittert, G., Wu, T., Cooper, M. E. & Shaw, J. E., Mar 2020, In : Contemporary Clinical Trials. 90, 8 p., 105892.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus) -
Dicarbonyl-mediated AGEing and diabetic kidney disease
Dimitropoulos, A., Rosado, C. J. & Thomas, M. C., 13 Mar 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : Journal of Nephrology. 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Other › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus) -
Empagliflozin modulates renal sympathetic and heart rate baroreflexes in a rabbit model of diabetes
Gueguen, C., Burke, S. L., Barzel, B., Eikelis, N., Watson, A. M. D., Jha, J. C., Jackson, K. L., Sata, Y., Lim, K., Lambert, G. W., Jandeleit-Dahm, K. A. M., Cooper, M. E., Thomas, M. C. & Head, G. A., Jul 2020, In : Diabetologia. 63, 7, p. 1424–1434 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Evaluating the efficacy and safety of GKT137831 in adults with type 1 diabetes and persistently elevated urinary albumin excretion: a statistical analysis plan
De Livera, A. M., Reutens, A., Cooper, M., Thomas, M., Jandeleit-Dahm, K., Shaw, J. E. & Salim, A., 3 Jun 2020, In : Trials. 21, 1, 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Other › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Imbalance of the renin-angiotensin system may contribute to inflammation and fibrosis in IBD: a novel therapeutic target?
Garg, M., Royce, S. G., Tikellis, C., Shallue, C., Batu, D., Velkoska, E., Burrell, L. M., Patel, S. K., Beswick, L., Jackson, A., Britto, K., Lukies, M., Sluka, P., Wardan, H., Hirokawa, Y., Tan, C. W., Faux, M., Burgess, A. W., Hosking, P., Monagle, S. & 3 others, , 1 May 2020, In : Gut. 69, 5, p. 841-851 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
56 Citations (Scopus)