b'WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITYTHE PASIFIKA PREVENTINGIMPACT DRIVEN RESEARCH DIABETES PROGRAMME $29.4M of external researchWestern Sydney University has been awarded $1.4 million funding since 2016.to lead a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Project focused on tackling the MAIN DISCIPLINE AREAS: diabetes epidemic within Sydneys Pasifika communities. Infrastructure and materials engineering Professor David Simmons from the School of Medicine and Translational HealthWater and environmental engineering Research Institute (THRI) leads a team of multi-disciplinary researchers andArtificial intelligence and machine learning professionals spanning 13 health and industry partners, who are contributing Construction management an additional $3.1 million to the project. Psychology Education This program is vital in addressing the growing epidemic and reiterating theSocial sciences importance of community-based solutions when it comes to diabetes. Community health Pasifika communities have some of the highest rates of obesity and typePhysics and astronomy 2 diabetes globally, with high rates of diabetes complications includingSport and exercise science hospitalisation and dialysis. This combined with pre-existing inheritedUrban transformation predispositions to diabetes are amplifying obesity and diabetes rates withinEngineering these communities.INSTITUTES, CENTRES AND GROUPS: This programme sees the expansion of a pilot study, Le Taeao Afua (LTA), led by Dr Freya MacMillan and Professor Simmons which involved delivery of a lifestyleMarcs Institute and School of Psychology Babylab, Kingswoodprogramme through three Sydney Samoan Churches. The LTA program is nowTranslational Health Research Institute being introduced into 48 Sydney Pacific churches, making a huge impact on TeEachprogram these communities.Centre for Educational Research Centre for Infrastructure Engineering Results from the pilot study showed that community-based solutions make a International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems big difference. Participants were more active, and with their greater knowledge Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative were more aware of how to eat more healthily, and shared these healthy habitsCentre of Nursing and Midwifery Research, Nepean Hospital with their families and communities. Seeing this project expanded on such a large scale will help enormously in the fight against this growing epidemic.54 RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY'