Summer Studentship 2025-2026: Marcus Ward

1.Can you tell us how you got involved with medical research? 

My interest in research began during the third year of my undergraduate physiology degree. There were a few papers where we had the opportunity to design a small research project and carry this out over the course of the semester. When I look back on my undergraduate degree, these are the learning experiences that have stuck with me the most and prompted me to apply for summer research. I wasn’t able to get a summer research project in the first two years that I had looked into it. Then in 2024, I saw a post on the University of Otago website from my now supervisors, Alisa Boucsein and Ben Wheeler, saying they were looking for a summer student. I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to do research with them that year, investigating the long-term outcomes of automated insulin delivery in children and youth. I have since been able to return this summer to do further research with them, supported by the DNZRF and NZSSD.

2.Your research topic is: Early glycaemic outcomes with Patch-APS and commercial AID. Could you provide a brief overview of the key aspects your study will explore?

The project is focused on the glycaemic and safety outcomes from the first six weeks of the FLIP-IT randomised controlled trial. Specifically, it compares Patch-APS, a patch pump-based open-source automated insulin delivery system (AID), with continued use of commercial AID in adults with type 1 diabetes and above-target glycaemia. Although commercial AID has improved diabetes management, many individuals remain above target, in part due to reliance on manual meal announcements and bolusing. Systems like Patch-APS have the potential to address this, as they are capable of operating in a fully closed-loop mode. By enabling greater automation, these systems may reduce daily management burden while maintaining or improving glycaemic control.

The main outcome of the project is how time spent in the target glucose range changes with Patch-APS compared with commercial AID over 6 weeks. By comparing the two systems during this early phase, when both groups continue their usual carbohydrate counting and bolusing, this study aims to understand how well Patch-APS performs and how safe it is in practice. Results from this initial phase will help guide the next stage of the trial, where participants are supported to move toward greater automation without routine meal announcements.

3.Can you tell us about your motivation and inspiration for your research?

My motivation for this research has developed through the summer research projects I have been involved in. By spending time with participants and the diabetes research team, I have gained a real appreciation of the daily effort required to manage diabetes, and how this lived experience extends beyond what is typically taught in medical school. While research from our team and others has shown that automated insulin delivery can make a big difference, many people still struggle to reach glucose targets that reduce the risk of long-term complications. This project feels like a natural and exciting next step, as it explores whether a more highly automated system can help bridge this gap and support healthier lives for people living with type 1 diabetes.

4.Can you elaborate on how your research project will positively impact the lives of individuals in Aotearoa living with diabetes? 

This research focuses on technologies that aim to reduce the day-to-day burden of diabetes management through greater automation. Systems capable of responding to changes in glucose levels with less reliance on user input have the potential to make diabetes easier to manage, particularly for people who find these tasks challenging. Patch pump systems may further support this by removing tubing and reducing device visibility, which can make diabetes technology feel less intrusive and more acceptable in everyday life. Together, these approaches have the potential to improve glucose control without increasing effort, and to support more equitable and sustainable diabetes care for people living in Aotearoa.

5.What does it mean to you being selected as one of the five recipients of the Summer Studentships this year? 

I am very grateful to have been selected as a summer studentship recipient. It has allowed me to continue developing skills in research while contributing to a project that I find both interesting and meaningful.

6.The Summer Studentships are made possible thanks to donations to the Diabetes Research Foundation. Please tell us how important these Summer Studentships are to others looking to conduct research?  

Summer studentships are important because they give students like me the chance to be meaningfully involved in research at an early stage. Being part of a research team helps show how research is actually done and how it can translate into real improvements in people’s lives. Through my experiences in research, I have come to see how closely research and clinical practice are connected, and this has shaped how I think about my future career.