Professor James currently holds the Leonard P Ullmann Chair in Molecular Systems Biology and he is the Domain Leader for Biology at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney. Professor James has made major contributions to our understanding of insulin action including the discovery of the insulin responsive glucose transporter GLUT4. He has won several awards including the Glaxo Wellcome Medal for Medical Research and he is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. His current work focusses on how genetics and the environment work together to control metabolic health and disease.

Professor Josephine Forbes from Mater Research-UQ in Queensland, is the current President of the Australian Diabetes Society advocating and supporting better and more equitable health care and research funding for people with diabetes. Her translational research extends from bench to bedside for novel therapies to prevent type 1 diabetes and kidney disease in vulnerable groups including youth and those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. These studies are in partnership with Health care entities such as Mater Health and Qld Children’s Hospital, Diabetes Across the Lifecourse Partnership and global industry/biotechnology companies. Josephine is part of the leadership group of the Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovation (ACADI) and co-lead of their kidney disease program. She an editor board member for Kidney International and Diabetologia. She is also continually in the top 2% of scientists globally as published annually by Stanford University, has an H index of 67. She has received numerous prizes for her research including the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research in Australia.