Endocrinology and Diabetes

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Departmental Overview 

The Endocrinology and Diabetes Department provides a multidisciplinary service to children and adolescents in Western Australia with endocrine disorders, complicated obesity, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, Neonatal diabetes and other types of diabetes. 

The objectives of the Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology are to provide: 

• A comprehensive specialist clinical service in paediatric endocrinology, complicated obesity and Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, Neonatal diabetes and other types of diabetes 
• Endocrinology investigative services for children and adolescents 
• Expertise and resources for initial and continuing education and support for parents and their children with diabetes, endocrinology disorders and/or severe/complicated obesity 
• Education in all aspects of paediatric endocrinology, diabetes and paediatric obesity for medical students, doctors, nurses, other health professionals, teachers and community organisations 
• Facilities and where possible staff and funding for research into basic scientific, clinical or epidemiological aspects of paediatric endocrinology, obesity and diabetes 
• Promotion of community awareness of the specific needs of children with diabetes, endocrine disorders or obesity.

The Department has been involved in the development of national and international clinical guidelines in several areas of Endocrinology and Diabetes. 

The Department is a clinical centre for the Western Australian Bone Research Collaboration and a partner in the Children’s Diabetes Centre; an integrated clinical and research centre at Perth Children’s Hospital and Telethon Kids Institute. 

Current Departmental Research Program

• Bone and muscular health 
• Genetic aetiology and application of new therapeutics in growth and neuroendocrine disorders 
• The role of Vitamin D
• Prader Willi Syndrome 
• Identification and validation of an exercise assessment tool in type 1 diabetes.
• Knowledge and confidence of health care providers managing patients with childhood obesity.

Collaborative Research Projects  

• Recommendations and guidelines for Vitamin D supplementation.
• Characterisation of children and adolescents presenting with multiple fractures.
• International multicentre trials on new therapeutic agents for the treatment of osteoporosis in children and adolescents.
• Novel areas of medical imaging for the characterisation of bone health in youth. 
• Targeted exercise modalities to optimise bone health in youth.
• Multidisciplinary model of care for children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta.
• Consequences of hormone therapy in individuals from the gender diversity clinic at PCH.
• Trial evaluating the use of an a hybrid closed loop system to improve glycaemic control for patients with T1D.
• Trial of an exercise intervention to improve mental health of young people with T1D.
• Longitudinal cohort studies exploring genetic and early environmental factors for risk of T1D.
• Investigating early dysglycaemia in children at risk of T1D.
• The role of carbohydrate in the health of children with diabetes.
• Exercise in improving hypoglycaemia awareness.
• Nutrition issues related to food insecurity in families of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
• The mobile food record: A pilot study using images to assess dietary intake in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
• Database for patients with paediatric endocrine diagnoses in Western Australia.
• Population based database to track patient outcomes from diagnosis to adulthood for people living with type 1 diabetes.
• T1D and T2D DNA bank.
• Longitudinal plasma and serum repository. 
• WA DNA database & longitudinal serum storage for study of childhood weight regulation.