Dr Kate Lomax is a Paediatric Endocrinologist at the Perth Children's Hospital (PCH), and Diabetes Researcher at The Kids Research Institute Australia (The Kids). She was awarded a Telethon Trust Research Fellowship in 2024 and this year, she's embarked on a PhD in diabetes research after being selected for the CAHS-PCHF-UWA-TKI Clinician Researcher Pathway program.
We had a quick chat with Kate to find out why she got involved in diabetes research and what she thinks will be the biggest T1D research breakthroughs in the next 10 years.
What is your role and how long have you been working in diabetes research for?
I am an early career researcher who has been working in diabetes research for the past 2 years. Prior to this I was completing my clinical training as a paediatric endocrinologist which I completed in mid-2024. I was involved in various diabetes research projects throughout my training years, however the past 2 years have brought more dedicated time to diabetes research starting with my Telethon Trust Research fellowship in 2024 and now embarking on a PhD in diabetes research through the CAHS-PCHF-UWA-TKI Clinician Researcher Pathway as of 2025.
Why did you get into T1D research?
As a clinician working in paediatric diabetes your primary focus is improving the lives and reducing the stress of your patients. Major breakthroughs and changes in clinical care are driven by research findings, however frustrations lie with time taken for these to be translated into practice. Involvement in research as a clinician for me felt key to help drive the change I wanted to see in my day-to-day medical practice to help improve the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes.
What are the current research projects you are working on?
Currently there are many projects I am involved in, many of which will help build a body of work for my PhD around themes of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, diabetes technology use and equitable access to diabetes care. The biggest project I am currently leading at PCH is the evaluation of our Model of Care change, which now aims to onboard all who wish to start automated insulin delivery within 3 months from diagnosis. This work is very important to me as it encompasses early, equitable access to diabetes technology, which I think are critical in the diabetes space moving forward.
What do you think will be the biggest T1D research breakthroughs in the next 10 years?
I expect the immunotherapies will play a big part in diabetes research breakthroughs in the next 10 years, with better opportunity to delay onset to type 1 diabetes, giving children more opportunity to live without the burden of diabetes before they have to.
In the area of equity, I would like to see the government fund insulin pumps for all children (and by extension adults!) with type 1 diabetes and I hope our work can contribute to a body of work that advocates for this.
What do you like to do outside of your work?
I love the beach! I spend a lot of time in the ocean and am training for the 2026 Rottnest Channel Crossing. I also love to run and read novels (non-medical!).