Dr. Mike Lean, MA, MB BChir, MD, FRCP (Edinb), FRCPS (Glasgow), FRSE, Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow and NHS Consultant in Medicine at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, will present the 2025 Rundle-Lister Lectureship in Transformative Nutritional Medical Education.
Transforming Type 2 Diabetes: Nutrition Gently Replaces Endocrinology
In his keynote address, Dr. Lean will discuss his ground-breaking research on the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT), which has reshaped our understanding of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Drawing on decades of clinical and research experience, he identified a link between T2D and excess body weight – suggesting the condition could be reversed. Despite institutional doubt, DiRECT was launched in response to the needs of people living with T2D in the UK. The trial brought together teams with complementary skills to demonstrate that sufficient weight loss could lead to remission of T2D. The accumulation of ectopic fat within organs was identified as a key driver of the disease, impairing organ function.
The findings from DiRECT have since been validated and expanded across diverse populations and healthcare settings, transforming our approach to the treatment of T2D.