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.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Diabetes
- Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs)
- Atherosclerosis
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Diabetic Complications
- Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD)
- Renin Angiotensin System
Network
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Development of an inhaled antisense oligonucleotide for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus infections
1/02/22 → 1/02/23
Project: Research
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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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Dietary intake and hospitalisation due to diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes
Ahola, A. J., Harjutsalo, V., Thomas, M. C., Forsblom, C. & Groop, P. H., Dec 2021, In: Scientific Reports. 11, 1, 7 p., 1638.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Dimeric phosphorylation of glyoxalase I alters its symmetry and substrate binding mechanism: simulation studies
Barber, L. M., Hussain, Z., Thomas, M. & Hung, A., 2021, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 as a potential cause of type 1 diabetes facilitated by spike protein receptor binding domain attachment to human islet cells: An illustrative case study and experimental data
Venkatesh, N., Astbury, N., Thomas, M. C., Rosado, C. J., Pappas, E., Krishnamurthy, B., MacIsaac, R. J., Kay, T. W. H., Thomas, H. E. & O'Neal, D. N., Nov 2021, In: Diabetic Medicine. 38, 11, 6 p., e14608.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
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
12 Citations (Scopus) -
Dicarbonyl-mediated AGEing and diabetic kidney disease
Dimitropoulos, A., Rosado, C. J. & Thomas, M. C., Oct 2020, In: Journal of Nephrology. 33, 5, p. 909-915 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Other › peer-review
7 Citations (Scopus)