ENDIA

Australia's largest study into the cause of type 1 diabetes. Recruitment to the study is now complete. Find out more at www.endia.org.au and Harry B.

Recruitment to the ENDIA Study has closed. The ENDIA (Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity) study is looking into what contributes to the development of Type 1 Diabetes in early childhood. Type 1 Diabetes in children is twice as common as it was 20 years ago. This is because our environment has changed and at-risk children are more likely to develop Type 1 Diabetes. If we can understan

d exactly what in the environment is harmful or protective, we can develop strategies to prevent Type 1 Diabetes. We believe that children are exposed to these environmental triggers very early in life, perhaps even before they are born. Accordingly, the ENDIA study has recruited 1511 participants across Australia from the pregnancy or up to 6 months of age that have a first-degree relative (i.e. baby's Mum, Dad or older sibling) with Type 1 Diabetes. ENDIA is an observational investigation and does not involve any study medications or treatments. Further information is available on the ENDIA website at www.endia.org.au. This research has been supported by JDRF Australia, JDRF-I, Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative in Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and the Leona M. Helmsley Charitable Trust. Please note, comments and opinions made by others are not necessarily endorsed by the ENDIA Study Team. All content posted by the ENDIA Team has had ethical approval for public view. Thanks for your interest in finding the causes of Type 1 Diabetes!

25/04/2026

This month, ENDIA researchers travelled to Brisbane for the 2026 Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS) conference — one of the most important gatherings in type 1 diabetes research — and ENDIA families' contributions were at the heart of what was shared.

Across nine presentations ENDIA team members, and international collaborators, reported findings that are helping to build a clearer picture of how and why type 1 diabetes develops. Prof Jenny Couper presented an overview of the "Early origins of type 1 diabetes" followed by colleagues:
Prof Tommi Vatanen (Finland), Dr Rashad Mohammad Mahbub (QLD), Dr Ying Yiny Wong (SA), Dr Jayne Danska (Canada), Dr Ki Wook Kim (NSW), Dr Bree Tillett (QLD), Dr Yuan Gao (VIC), Dr Charlie Repaci (USA).

Highlights included:

🔬 New insights into how gut bacteria and the substances they produce shape a baby's immune system in early life
🧬 Evidence of immune system changes in ENDIA children detectable years before the first signs of autoimmunity
🦠 Clues from gut chemistry and the gut lining that may one day help identify children at risk much earlier
🌍 Findings on how viruses, gene activity, and even a mother's own type 1 diabetes can influence a child's development before birth

The full program and presentation summaries are available at: https://www.ids2026.com.au/program/

None of this would be possible without the thousands of hours families like yours have given to the study — the samples, the surveys, the appointments.

Thank you. This science belongs to you as much as it does to us. 💙 Stay tuned for more presentations and findings as they become available.

22/04/2026

🎉 Happy 9th Birthday to this incredible young man!

Today we're celebrating not just a birthday, but over 9 years of dedication to science. Since his very first days, he has been part of the ENDIA Study — and this year he completed his study visits having contributed 9 years of his life to research that could change the future of Type 1 diabetes. 🩸💙

Children like Zidan are the reason this research is possible. His participation — and his family's unwavering commitment — brings us closer to understanding how develops and how we might one day prevent it.

Nine years old. Nine years of making a difference. We couldn't be more proud. 🎂🔬

Thank you to Zidan and his wonderful family — we are very grateful for your contriubutions to into . 💙

19/04/2026

New research suggests signs of potential type 1 diabetes development may be present at birth.

A newly published study, analysed proteins in cord blood (the blood in the umbilical cord usually thrown away after birth). Researchers found certain patterns linked to children who later developed .

Some of the early changes seemed to be affected by exposures during , including certain environmental known as “forever chemicals.” This shows the risk of is likely influenced by a mix of factors before a baby is even born, not just alone.

A key finding is that cord blood could be used in the future to help identify children with a higher chance of developing without needing extra tests, or screening later in life. This could help researchers and doctors better understand how develops, and how it might be prevented.

Read more in Nature Communications: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67712-6

16/04/2026

Help inform a national screening and monitoring program!

Seeking ENDIA families with experience of screening and monitoring for coeliac antibodies to participate in online interviews.

If you or your child have had coeliac antibodies discovered through ENDIA Study screening and monitoring, Dr Mia would love to chat to you.

Interviews take around 30-45 minutes, are online, flexible/out of hours, with a Coles/Myer voucher for your time.

For a no obligation chat, email Dr Mia at mia.majstrovic@adelaide.edu.au or complete this interest form: https://adelaideuniwide.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ai1gunhvweaEHjg

Thank you!

13/04/2026

This is Ben. Ben is 10. Ben is from Western Australia.

Ben has completed all 10 years with ENDIA through the Regional Program and we are very VERY grateful to him and his family for all they contributed.

Bye Ben!

We recommend all our ENDIA graduates continue screening with Type1Screen. The risk of developing reduces with age. Although chances are low, it is possible to develop diabetes antibodies in the teenage years. For more information and to register, go to www.type1screen.org

10/04/2026

A huge thank you from Dr Aveni Haynes and the ENDIA CGM study team 💙

Late last year we wrapped up our CGM study — and the numbers speak for themselves: over 200 CGM sessions completed, many by families who came back again and again to contribute.

That is an extraordinary commitment.

Wearing a CGM, managing the logistics, fitting study visits around busy family lives — none of this is small. This helps us understand how blood glucose patterns in early life might connect to the development of type 1 diabetes in later life.

To every parent, caregiver, and child who took part — thank you. You are the reason this research exists. The data you've helped generate will take time to analyse fully, but its potential to improve how we understand and one day prevent T1D is real.

We are so grateful to have you as part of the ENDIA family. 🙏

Access Dr Haynes message of thanks here: https://vimeo.com/1180654329

06/04/2026

This is the amazing Dr Dao who manages all the samples collected from our very special ENDIA Families. Learn more about all the samples in our bio bank with thanks to Dao and Breakthrough T1D Australia.

We're getting excited about the possibilities children's deciduous teeth may bring in terms of helping answer the question "what causes type 1 diabetes?" Like rings of bark in a tree trunk, layers of tooth enamel can be analysed to determine exposures as far back as the first trimester of pregnancy!

Exciting analyses ahead which we hope Dr Dao will help lead as more children's teeth are collected. If your family is in ENDIA and you are yet to donate a tooth, please speak with your ENDIA coordinator or email us at endia@adelaide.edu.au

05/04/2026

Naelani is 10! I’ll say it again! Naelani is 10. Happy birthday my friend.

Thanks for all your information and samples to help us find the causes of .

You’re the best and we hope you had the best birthday too.

For information about continued screening and to register, go online to Type1Screen www.type1screen.org

Love from the

🌟⭐️💫

02/04/2026

🦠 Gut bacteria bile acids may influence type 1 diabetes development

Researchers analyzed data and samples from 303 children (ages 3-36 months) and found gut bacteria create special bile acid molecules. These differ in children who develop diabetes autoantibodies compared to those who do not.

Why it matters: These molecules influence immune cell balance. Identifying this could lead to:

• Earlier T1D identification
• Dietary or probiotic interventions
• Better understanding of gut-immune connection

Read more at 🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56484-8

30/03/2026

Wave the flag. Fletcher has finished ENDIA study visits.

Fletcher, and his two siblings, have been involved in ENDIA since the . What a significant contribution to finding what causes .

Well done Mum! Jess has gone the extra mile (quite literally driving across NSW) to ensure ENDIA had all the samples and information possible from her three .

A massive thanks to Fletcher and the Trezona family for all their time and efforts.

27/03/2026

Leo, look how you’ve grown! From a bub before birth to nearly 10 years old, you have participated in the ENDIA Study regional program. We’ve loved watching you become a big boy from afar.

What a treat it was for regional nurse, Sarah, to be able to say farewell in person at your final ENDIA visit in Adelaide.

Thank you, and your mum, for all your help with our into the causes of . You’ve been amazing.

For further antibody testing, we recommend Type1Screen. This program is free for any family member of those diagnosed with and less intensive than the . For information and registration go to www.type1screen.org

24/03/2026

🏅 Josiah's Final ENDIA Visit: Mission Complete!

Look at that smile! Josiah received his gold medal at his last ENDIA Study visit, and we think he's pretty proud of himself—and he should be! 💛

From his very first visit as a baby to today, Josiah has been a . Every visit, every sample, every moment of participation has contributed to groundbreaking prevention .

To Josiah: Thank you for being such an amazing research champion! That gold medal is well-deserved. 🌟

To Josiah's family: Your dedication over the years has been incredible. Thank you for making a priority and for helping pave the way toward prevention for future generations.

We're going to miss seeing you at study visits, Josiah! 💙
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The ENDIA Study follows children from as early as the pregnancy to understand early-life factors influencing type 1 diabetes development. www.endia.org.au

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Women's And Children's Hospital
Adelaide, SA
5006

Website

http://www.endia.org.au/

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