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Contact information


katharine.owen@drl.ox.ac.uk


+44 (0)1865 857226

Katharine Owen

Associate Professor of Diabetes

  • NIHR Clinician Scientist
  • Honorary Consultant Physician

Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes & Monogenic Diabetes

Diabetes arising in young adults has a wide range of underlying aetiologies. This includes genetic causes of beta-cell dysfunction (Maturity-onset diabetes of the young, MODY). We are investigating the characteristics of different subtypes of MODY and how to identify them from those with commoner causes of diabetes. Our research programme aims to implement systematic diagnostics for aetiology of diabetes into routine clinical care. At the moment we are investigating whether there are specific non-genetic biomarkers for MODY subtypes and have recently discovered that low levels of highly-sensitive C-reactive protein are a marker for HNF1A mutations.