RESEARCHER SPOTLIGHT K-Lynn Smith (NSW)
K-Lynn Smith is a Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation and Partnership Centre for Health Systems Sustainability at Macquarie University NSW.
K-lynn works closely with the Centre's Implementation Science Lead, Associate Professor Yvonne Zuryski. We had a quick chat with K-lynn to find out more about her current research projects and what she thinks will be the biggest T1D research breakthroughs in the next 10 years.
How long have you been working in diabetes research for?
I’ve been working in health services research for over five years now, looking at how we can create more sustainable, patient-centred models of care, but I only just started working in diabetes research in March of 2024. It’s been great to be embedded with such a fantastic team of researchers at Macquarie University and to have the support of wider Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre team.
Why did you get into T1D research?
It may sound corny, but I’m passionate about research that will change the health system and people’s lives. T1D is one of the most common chronic conditions in children, affecting over 13,000 children in Australia alone, so it’s essential that we research, design, and implement models of care that work for children, their families, and the systems that support them.
What are your current research projects you are working on?
The first step to improving models of care in Australia is to understand what services are currently available, which ones are functioning as intended, and what could be done better. I’m currently working on a collaborative project conducting surveys and interviews with families and health providers to answer these questions. This information, combined with systematic reviews of international T1D services, will help us identify how we can make things better for children living with T1D, their families, and for the health system.
What do you think will be the biggest T1D research breakthroughs in the next 10 years?
I expect we’ll see some of the amazing current research translated into the system. I think we’ll have made progress identifying environmental factors that contribute to T1D and am hopeful that Australia will have a strong, population-wide screening program to provide early detection of T1D in people without a family history. As far as health system changes, I expect we’ll be providing more integrated, patient-centred models of care that improve patient and family outcomes.
What do you like to do outside of your work?
I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, biking, and canoeing with my family. When it’s raining, I like baking and playing video games.