Weikun Huang

Research Interests

Innovative Therapeutics Nutrition and Metabolic Health Analytical Chemistry Biomedical Engineering Endocrinology & Metabolism Optical Physics Sensor Technology Microfluidics and nanofluidics Tissue engineering

Dr Weikun Huang

Internally Grant-Funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Medicine

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Weikun's work focuses on developing organ-on-chip platform for studying the endocrine functions of gut and pancreas and the identification of novel therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes (T2D). He is also interested in understanding the gut and pancreatic hormone secretion in health and T2D.

I'm an early career researcher in multidisciplinary medical science, undertaking postdoctoral research training within the Adelaide Medical School and the Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing. I have a unique interdisciplinary background across medicine, physics, material and animal sciences, which has enabled me to develop novel research platforms, including multiplexed fluorescence sensor and organ-on-a-chip device, to interrogate the biological functions of metabolic tissues in health. In addition to the innovation of research tools, I have embarked on studies to understand metabolic derangement via cell models and (pre-)clinical trials in the context of major metabolic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and MAFLD.

Date Position Institution name
2023 - ongoing Grant-funded researcher University of Adelaide
2019 - 2023 PhD candidate The University of Adelaide

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2025 Fellowship ADS-Skip Martin Early Career Fellowship Australian Diabetes Society Australia 85000
2023 Award Travel Grant Australian Diabetes Society Australia 350
2023 Award Travel Grant European Association for the Study of Diabetes Germany €2,000
2023 Award Pincus Taft Young Investigator Award (Finalist) Australian Diabetes Society Australia -
2022 Award Travel Award Australian Diabetes Society Australia 700
2022 Award Best Student Paper Award Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing Australia 500
2022 Research Award Adelaide Medical School Travel Grant Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide Australia 3,500
2022 Research Award Travel Grant Adelaide Graduate and Research School, The University of Adelaide Australia 2,500
2022 Award Travel Grant European Association of the Study of Diabetes Germany €1,400
2022 Award Basic Science Poster Award (Finalist) Australian Diabetes Society Australia -
2022 Award Clinical Poster Award (Finalist) Australian Diabetes Society Australia -
2021 Award Best Transdisciplinary Paper Award Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide Australia 500
2020 Award ADS-Abbott Registration Grant Australian Diabetes Society Australia 250
2020 Award Pincus Taft Young Investigator Award (Finalist) Australian Diabetes Society Australia -
2019 Award People's Choice for Best Oral Presentation Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide Australia -
2019 Scholarship NHMRC-funded supplementary scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia 5,000 per annum
2019 Scholarship Adelaide Graduate Research Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia 32,500 per annum
2019 Award Travel Award ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, The University of Adelaide Australia -

Language Competency
Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
Jilin University China Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medicine
Jilin University China Bachelor's degree in Art (English), dual degree
The University of Adelaide Australia Master of Philosophy in Physics
The University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine

Year Citation
2025 Xie, C., Iroga, P., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Huang, W., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2025). Impact of the timing of metformin administration on the plasma lactate response to intraduodenal glucose infusion in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, 27(3), 1614-1617.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Borg, M. J., Xie, C., Chen, C., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Huang, W., . . . Wu, T. (2025). Metformin slows intestinal glucose absorption in type 2 diabetes, irrespective of the timing of its administration. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, 27(9), 5370-5372.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
2025 Li, T., Rayner, C. K., Horowitz, M., Jones, K., Xie, C., Huang, W., . . . Wu, T. (2025). The Impact of Tea Consumption on Prediabetes Regression and Progression: A Prospective Cohort Study. Nutrients, 17(14), 2366.
DOI
2024 Huang, W., Xie, C., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2024). Sex differences in the plasma glucagon responses to a high carbohydrate meal and a glucose drink in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 214, 111769-1-111769-3.
DOI Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2024 Li, T., Sang, M., Wang, J., Sun, Z., Wang, D., Xie, C., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Dark tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of dysglycaemia and increased urinary glucose and sodium excretion in Chinese adults.. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 26(10), 4705-4712.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2024 Huang, W., Xie, C., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2024). Reply to 'Letter to the Editor: Sex differences in the plasma glucagon responses to a high carbohydrate meal and a glucose drink in type 2 diabetes'.. Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 217, 111880.
DOI
2024 Huang, W., O'Hara, S. E., Xie, C., Liu, N., Rayner, C. K., Nicholas, L. M., & Wu, T. (2024). Effects of a bitter substance, denatonium benzoate, on pancreatic hormone secretion. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 326(4), E537-E544.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2024 Xie, C., Iroga, P., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Huang, W., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Impact of the timing of metformin administration on glycaemic and glucagon-like peptide-1 responses to intraduodenal glucose infusion in type 2 diabetes: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Diabetologia, 67(7), 1260-1270.
DOI Scopus18 WoS16 Europe PMC12
2024 Xiang, C., Sun, Y., Luo, Y., Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Z., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Gastric emptying of a glucose drink is predictive of the glycaemic response to oral glucose and mixed meals, but unrelated to antecedent glycaemic control, in type 2 diabetes. Nutrition and Diabetes, 14(1, article no. 13), 13-1-13-7.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2024 Xiang, C., Sun, Y., Luo, Y., Xie, C., Huang, W., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Gastric emptying is slower in women than men with type 2 diabetes and impacts on postprandial glycaemia. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 26(8), 3119-3127.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2024 Sun, Y., Luo, Y., Xiang, C., Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Z., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Gastric emptying in newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve Han Chinese with type 2 diabetes and the impact of 4-week insulin pump therapy. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 26(8), 3078-3087.
DOI Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2024 Xie, C., Huang, W., Rayner, C. K., Horowitz, M., & Wu, T. (2024). Letter to the Editor From Xie et al: "The 13C Glucose Breath Test Accurately Identifies Insulin Resistance in People With Type 1 Diabetes".. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 109(10), dgae366.
DOI
2023 Huang, W., Xie, C., Wewer Albrechtsen, N. J., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2023). The 'early' postprandial glucagon response is related to the rate of gastric emptying in patients with type 2 diabetes. Peptides, 161(170941), 170941-1-170941-7.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC2
2023 Xie, C., Jalleh, R. J., Watson, L. E., Huang, W., Sun, Y., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Determinants of blood glucose concentrations following a high carbohydrate meal in type 2 diabetes: A multiple linear regression analysis. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 198(110606), 110606.
DOI Scopus6 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2023 Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Y., Xiang, C., Trahair, L., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Disparities in the glycaemic and incretin responses to intraduodenal glucose infusion between healthy young men and women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 108(9), e712-e719.
DOI Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC17
2023 Huang, W., Xie, C., Wewer Albrechtsen, N. J., Sang, M., Sun, Z., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Serum alanine transaminase is predictive of fasting and postprandial insulin and glucagon concentrations in type 2 diabetes. Peptides, 169(171092), 171092-1-171092-10.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC2
2022 Huang, W., Wu, T., Xie, C., Rayner, C. K., Priest, C., Ebendorff-Heidepriem, H., & Zhao, J. (2022). Sensing Intra- and Extra-Cellular Ca2+ in the Islet of Langerhans. Advanced Functional Materials, 32(3), 1-24.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2
2022 Xie, C., Huang, W., Watson, L. E., Soenen, S., Young, R. L., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2022). Plasma GLP-1 response to oral and intraduodenal nutrients in health and type 2 diabetes - impact on gastric emptying. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 107(4), e1643-e1652.
DOI Scopus24 WoS24 Europe PMC24
2022 Wang, X., Chen, C., Xie, C., Huang, W., Young, R. L., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2022). Serum bile acid response to oral glucose is attenuated in patients with early type 2 diabetes and correlates with 2h plasma glucose in individuals without diabetes.. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism: a journal of pharmacology and therapeutics, 24(6), 1134-1142.
DOI Scopus12 WoS11 Europe PMC13
2021 Xie, C., Huang, W., Wang, X., Trahair, L. G., Pham, H. T., Marathe, C. S., . . . Wu, T. (2021). Gastric emptying in health and type 2 diabetes: an evaluation using a 75g oral glucose drink. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 171(108610), 1-8.
DOI Scopus25 WoS24 Europe PMC22
2021 Xie, C., Huang, W., Young, R. L., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2021). Role of bile acids in the regulation of food intake, and their dysregulation in metabolic disease. Nutrients, 13(4), 1-16.
DOI Scopus92 WoS91 Europe PMC63
2021 Palasis, K. A., Lokman, N. A., Quirk, B. C., Adwal, A., Scolaro, L., Huang, W., . . . Abell, A. D. (2021). Optical fibre-enabled photoswitching for localised activation of an anti-cancer therapeutic drug. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(19), 10844-1-10844-10.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC5
2020 Huang, W., Wu, T., Shallan, A., Kostecki, R., Rayner, C. K., Priest, C., . . . Zhao, J. (2020). A multiplexed microfluidic platform towards interrogating endocrine function: simultaneous sensing of extracellular Ca²⁺ and hormone. ACS Sensors, 5(2), 490-499.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6 Europe PMC3
2020 Huang, W., Xie, C., Young, R. L., Zhao, J., Ebendorff-Heidepriem, H., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2020). Development of innovative tools for investigation of nutrient-gut interaction. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 26(25), 3562-3576.
DOI Scopus10 WoS10 Europe PMC7
2016 Deng, Q., Ma, D., Shi, Z., Huang, W., Du, X., Gao, W., . . . Li, X. (2016). Effects of β-hydroxybutyricacid on the synthesis and assembly of very low-density lipoprotein in bovine hepatocytes in vitro. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 100(2), 331-336.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2015 Li, X., Huang, W., Gu, J., Du, X., Lei, L., Yuan, X., . . . Liu, G. (2015). SREBP-1c overactivates ROS-mediated hepatic NF-κB inflammatory pathway in dairy cows with fatty liver. Cellular Signalling, 27(10), 2099-2109.
DOI Scopus121 WoS110 Europe PMC87
- Huang, W. (n.d.). DB and Islet paper_Supplemental file_clean.docx.
DOI

2025                           MRFF - Targeted Translation Research Accelerator Program (ID: MRFCDDM000009) ($999,733)

Project Title: Sweet tasting kidneys - a novel pathway in glucose homeostasis

Chief Investigators: Tongzhi Wu, Richard Young, Chris Rayner, Merlin Thomas, Caroline Miller, Cong Xie, Weikun Huang

 

2024                           UK Reserach and Innovation Grant (£161,994)

Project Title: Sensing and signalling of extracellular Ca2+ in the islet of Langerhans

Chief Investigators: Jiangbo Zhao, Weikun Huang

 

2023                           Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y24G-XIEC) ($59,995)

Project title: Development of a novel bile acid-based therapy to optimise postprandial glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes

Chief Investigators: Cong Xie, Tongzhi Wu, Richard Young, Michael Horowitz, Weikun Huang

 

2023                           Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y23G-WUTO) ($70,000)

Project title: Harnessing bile acid sensing mechanisms to improve the management of type 2 diabetes.

Chief Investigators: Tongzhi Wu, Chris Rayner, Richard Young, Michael Horowitz, Karen Jones, Cong Xie, Heike Ependorff-Heidepriem, Weikun Huang

 

2023                           Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y23G-RAYN) ($70,000)

Project title: Impact of renal 'sweet taste' sensing on the risk of dysglycaemia.

Chief Investigators: Chris Rayner, Tongzhi Wu, Richard Young, Merlin Thomas, Cong Xie, Weikun Huang

 

2022                           Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Strategic Research Support, The University of Adelaide ($32,600)

Project title: Application of a novel “organ-on-a-chip” system to understand the role of bitter taste in the regulation of the gut-pancreas axis

Chief Investigators: Tongzhi Wu, Lisa Nicholas, Weikun Huang, Chris Rayner, Heike Ebedorff-Heidepriem

 

2021                            University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - 2021 Small Equipment funding Award – Microfluidic perfusion pump ($2,470).

Tongzhi Wu, Richard Young, Lisa Nicholas, Weikun Huang

Date Topic Location Name
2021 - 2022 Profiling the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion from the mouse intestinal tissue ex vivo The University of Adelaide Health science undergraduate students

Date Role Membership Country
2021 - ongoing Member European Association for the Study of Diabetes Germany
2020 - ongoing Member Australian Diabetes Society Australia

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