Date/Time: 4th November 2014

This lecture explains how the underlying ideas were developed and describes the research study which showed that Type 2 diabetes could be reversed to normal. A further study is presented which examines whether people with long duration Type 2 diabetes could also return to complete normality.

Just how can the composition of internal organs be measured? The Newcastle magnetic resonance methods can simply be understood. Taken together, it becomes clear that type 2 diabetes is not caused by any particular body mass index. Rather it is determined by personal response to fat, and this allows understanding of type 2 diabetes occurring in people who are not overweight or obese.

Speaker biography

Roy Taylor qualified in medicine at the University of Edinburgh, and is Professor of Medicine and Metabolism at Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust. He has been conducting research on type 2 diabetes since 1978, and has used a wide range of methods to understand the condition. He opened the Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre in 2006 and has focussed on how food is handled by the body in health and disease.

Recently he has demonstrated that type 2 diabetes can be reversed to normal by decreasing liver and pancreas fat content. Professor Taylor developed the system now used throughout the United Kingdom for screening for diabetic eye disease, and has demonstrated reduction in blindness rates in Newcastle.

He also runs the Newcastle Obstetric Medical service with care for women who have diabetes in pregnancy. He has delivered several named lectures including the 2012 Banting Memorial Lecture of Diabetes UK.