The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes Marks a Milestone

The milestone event brought together researchers, partners, people with lived experience of diabetes and other community members to celebrate the Centre’s achievements and look ahead to its next 5-year chapter.  

In 2010, the ACBRD was established to fill a critical gap.  

“We saw a fair degree of research being undertaken from a clinical perspective, but we didn’t see any research being undertaken around behavioural, psychological, or social aspects of diabetes. We saw this as a critical gap,” states Diabetes Victoria CEO, Glen Noonan. 

Fifteen years on, that vision has transformed into a globally respected centre of research excellence, influencing practice and policy, and driving conversations around the world.  

“Collectively, the two organisations, Deakin University and Diabetes Victoria, had the foresight, the courage and innovation to form the ACBRD – to establish it, to back it and to fund it,” continued Glen. 

A Partnership with Purpose 

The ACBRD is a living example of what’s possible when community insights and academic expertise come together. With over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles, more than 100 awarded grants, and involvement from over 20,000 people living with diabetes taking part in the Centre’s research, the impacts have been profound. 

“We didn’t stop at understanding, we moved to asking what can make the difference? We’ve proven that when you understand the human experience of diabetes, you can create interventions that truly work,” says Professor Jane Speight, the ACBRD’s Foundation Director. 

This community-focused, evidence-informed approach has led to innovations with global reach, including a world-leading research program on diabetes stigma, the internationally adopted Language Matters movement, and co-leadership on clinical guidelines on diabetes distress, soon to be launched in Vienna. 

Voices from the Community 

The event featured heartfelt speeches that underscored how the ACBRD’s work has shaped both professional practice and personal lives. 

Meaghan Read, Community and Research Engagement Lead at Diabetes Victoria, who also lives with type 1 diabetes and collaborates with the ACBRD, shared, 

“Before the Centre’s work, it felt like a personal failing whenever I struggled. The Centre’s research on burnout and diabetes distress has been incredibly validating. We now know what we’re feeling is normal. It’s not a failing, it’s that we need support, not to ‘toughen up’.” 

Meaghan also highlighted the Center’s leadership in tackling diabetes stigma. 

“Stigma makes living with diabetes unnecessarily harder. If we leave stigma unchecked, the issues diabetes causes will remain. The ACBRD has been on this quest for a long time, and the community is grateful.” 

A Culture of Mentorship and Innovation 

The Centre’s growth over the past decade and a half hasn’t just been about research outputs; it’s also been about building capacity. With 15 current staff, five PhD candidates, and more than a dozen graduates already making their mark, the Centre is cultivating the next generation of behavioural researchers specialising in diabetes. 

“This culture of collaboration, mentorship, and opportunity within the ACBRD, Diabetes Victoria, and Deakin University has shaped my journey from research assistant to my role today,” said Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott, the ACBRD’s Deputy Director. 

What’s next? 

With the renewal of the partnership through to 2030, the ACBRD is setting its sights on even greater impact. Plans are already underway for the world’s first Global Summit to end diabetes stigma, to be held in India in March 2026, and the team is actively shaping Australia’s national screening type 1 diabetes program to ensure early detection is matched with psychological support. 

“Fifteen years ago, we set about filling a critical gap. Today, we set the agenda,” says Professor Jane Speight. 

“Locally, nationally, and internationally, when people think about the psychological and social aspects of the condition, many now think of us,” she continued. 

Glen Noonan closed with a message of gratitude and hope. 

“Thank you to the Centre’s team, past and present, for your passion, your rigour, and your unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people affected by diabetes. Here’s to 15 years of impact and to many more ahead.”