Involving people connected to T1D in research: diabetic wound healing

In 2024, Dr Mandeep Kaur Marwah received a Small Grants Award from Breakthrough T1D to support her exciting new project. She’s developing a smart dressing that uses a molecule called hydrogen sulphide—which could help diabetic wounds heal faster and more effectively.

Earlier this year, Dr Marwah teamed up with Breakthrough T1D to involve people connected to T1D in her research.

What is involvement in research?

Involvement is when people are recruited to actively contribute to research using their lived experience.

This can take place during the design or idea phase of a research study, or throughout the project. For example, using an advisory panel to review documents and/or trial/research design.

Involving people with lived experience of T1D in research benefits both researchers and people with T1D by improving the quality, impact and relevance of the research.

How did Breakthrough T1D support involvement in this project?

Breakthrough T1D worked with Dr Marwah to form an advisory group made up of people with real-life experience of diabetic wounds, either personally or through loved ones. We reached out to our Insight & Experience Panel, inviting members to share their thoughts and help shape the research.

Thanks to their enthusiasm, we formed a group of six brilliant volunteers who came together to hear about the project. The group, named the DRESS Circle, provided valuable feedback and asked insightful questions that helped Dr Marwah consider new angles.

“Their advice helped us understand what matters most to people living with diabetes – from the comfort and practicality of a dressing to the features they want to see us address. By combining scientific innovation with patient experience, we hope to create a treatment that truly meets people’s needs and improves their quality of life.” – Dr Mandeep Marwah

What did the DRESS Circle advise on?

The advisory group shared their experiences with current dressings, pointing out common issues like discomfort, pain during removal, risk of infection, and difficulty using them day-to-day. They emphasized the need for dressings that are:

• comfortable,
• easy to use,
• affordable,
• supportive of independence,
• suitable for sensitive skin.

Their feedback helped shape the design of a smart dressing that not only speeds up healing but also reduces pain, prevents infection, and fits into everyday life. By embedding patient priorities into the development process, this project is guided by lived experience as well as science, making it more relevant and impactful.

What’s next for this project?

Dr Marwah and her team are now working on the next phase of development, using the insights from the DRESS Circle to refine the dressing and prepare for future testing.

The hope is that this patient-informed innovation will lead to a real-world solution that improves wound care for people living with type 1 diabetes.