RPA Foundation Research Medal winner

November 2020

Professor Stephen Twigg awarded $50,000 for wound test for people with diabetes

The prestigious RPA Foundation Research Medal for 2020 has been won by Professor Stephen Twigg, for his work in endocrinology and the link between diabetes and healthy living.

The RPA Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions to research, with the winner collecting $50,000 in funding to further their research.

The funding will help Professor Twigg undertake a project looking at an innovative point of care wound fluid test to aid the treatment and healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes.

It has been identified that 30 per cent of patients with diabetes will develop foot ulcers and, of them, 20 per cent will develop ulcers that do not heal using standard treatment techniques.

Professor Twigg’s research will examine the management and treatment of these patients’ ulcers and will include bedside testing of the wound fluid to identify levels of MMP-9, a protein present in high levels when wounds are not healing.

Digital documentation of the ulcer will also be carried out using a camera that is able to measure the volume and depth of the wound. The treatment of the wound will use the patient’s own plasma.

The District’s Executive Director of Operations, Dr Tim Sinclair commended Professor Twigg’s dedication to research.

“Professor Twigg’s contribution to diabetes research is exemplary.”

RPA’s General Manager Nobby Alcala said Professor Twigg’s “contribution to RPA, our patients and the community has been long standing.”

Professor Twigg said “I find winning this award both an honour and a privilege.

“This award provides a real opportunity to continue providing leadership and to mentor future generations of researchers including doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.”

Professors Warwick Britton, Steve Chadban and Chris Semsarian selected the winner of this year’s RPA Medal.

The Medal has been awarded for the past 21 years.