17 December 2007

Running researchers present cheque for Diabetes campaign

Photo opportunity: 9.30 am, Tuesday December 18th,
Wellcome Trust Building, University of Dundee.

A group of researchers and other staff from the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee have raised over £1500 for the Diabetes Research Campaign, which hopes to raise funds to support the world-class research being carried out into the disease at Dundee.

The group of 15 - ranging from Professors to technical staff - all took part in the Dundee Half Marathon earlier this year. They decided to run in support of the University’s Diabetic Research Campaign, which is raising funds to expand clinical research facilities in Angus, Perth and Dundee.

"It was great to see the staff involved in the run and then to realise we had raised such a nice amount of money," said Professor Dario Alessi, who took part in the run and is also Director of the Dundee Diabetes Research Centre.

"Special mention must go to one of one of our technical staff, Maisie Hawkins - she isn’t the fastest runner but she was ahead of all of us in terms of raising money, which was by far the most important thing."

"Two years ago Maisie completed the Dundee half-marathon in 3 hours 20 minutes, last year in 3 hours 10 minutes, and this year we are all supporting her and hoping to see her break the three-hour mark. Everyone was stunned as Maisise finished in the amazing time of 2h 45 min! Exercise is our greatest weapon in tackling diabetes. That doesn't mean you have to be running half-marathons every week, but just taking some regular exercise will have a real effect."

Michael Archibald, chair of the charity campaign, and Professor Andrew Morris, one of Scotland’s leading clinicians on diabetes, will accept the cheque for £1519 from Professor Alessi and some of the other runners on Tuesday December 18th at 9.30 am in the Wellcome Trust Building.

The Diabetes Research Campaign was launched last year to raise £3million to support research into diabetes at the University of Dundee, including the establishment of state-of-the-art outpatient clinical research facilities in Angus, Perth and Dundee, enabling scientists and doctors to work together to undertake research from "the cell to the community".

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk