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Dr. Rachel Besser

image of Dr. Rachel Besser
Image: Dr. Rachel Besser

Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford

Dr Besser works as a consultant paediatrician at Oxford Children’s Hospital and js the Subtheme Lead for the Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) 4, “Translating experimental medicine into state-of-the art care”.

She works in translational research, which means research which directly effects the care of children, young people, and adults with diabetes. Her passion is type 1 diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease which results in lack of insulin. She was inspired to work in diabetes when I was diagnosed with T1D aged 9. Her drive comes from wanting to improve the lives of individuals with T1D, and that ranges from preventing T1D to improving ways of living with the condition.

A big focus of her work is in identifying children early before they need treatment for T1D, to help prepare for a smoother transition, or a ‘softer landing’, to insulin therapy. She leads the T1Early Programme.