Professor Paul Zimmet AO

Scientist and diabetes specialist

2018 VIC Senior Australian of the Year

An international leader in the field of diabetes for 40 years, Professor Paul Zimmet has had a profound impact on the lives of Australians living with diabetes. Paul’s research in the 1980s predicted the current global epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. He founded the International Diabetes Institute in Melbourne in 1984, the first institute in Australia to target diabetes and associated disorders. His legacy is entrenched in numerous humanitarian programs advocating for healthier lifestyles to prevent the disease and its complications. He has published more than 890 research papers, has been named one of the world's most influential scientific minds, and is listed in the top 10 diabetes researchers for global impact. The award-winning scientist is improving care for people with diabetes, nationally and globally. Paul’s knowledge, international profile and passionate advocacy is convincing policy-makers and politicians around the world about the adverse impact of diabetes on the nation’s health and economy, and the need for action to be taken to counteract this serious health threat.