Talking about his work, Prof McCarthy said, “For about one third of the 100 DNA sequences associated with the risk of developing diabetes, we have achieved some understanding of the disturbances they cause in cells and organs. But we are striving to fully reconstruct the complete network of genetic risk and its consequences, and there is still much work to be done.” Prof McCarthy hopes that this research will contribute to improving the prospects of developing diagnostic tests and medicine.
The Jacobæus Prize is awarded annually by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and celebrates excellence in physiology and endocrinology. Prof McCarthy will be giving the key note lecture, entitled "Genomics of Diabetes - What's Next?" at the annual award ceremony on 18 May in Bergen.