Richard Young

Associate Professor Richard Young

Head of Intestinal Nutrient Sensing Group

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Richard L Young is an Associate Professor, Senior Research Fellow and Postgraduate Coordinator within the Adelaide Medical School, and a Senior Research Fellow at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). He is a member of the Centre of Research Excellence in Translating Nutritional Science to Good Health (NHMRC 2013-2020), an exceptional framework for linking basic and clinical researchers in endocrinology and gastroenterology.

He leads the Intestinal Nutrient Sensing Group within SAHMRI which investigates the intestinal sweet taste system. This system detects dietary sugars and low-calorie sweeteners, and in response, can regulate the uptake and disposal of glucose in the body. His research has shown how this system is regulated in health and dysregulated in diabetes, critical illness and obesity. His research is focussed on the vertical integration of sweet and microbiome signals from the intestine to the whole body, and new avenues to better treat type 2 diabetes. He collaborates widely with clinicians, cell biologists, microbiologists and with industry. A/Prof Young also leads research within an ARC and industry collaboration with Flinders University investigating the intestinal serotonin system in humans. This system has novel and emerging roles in metabolic control, and is an exciting prospect for future novel therapies for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

  • Richard L Young leads the Intestinal Nutrient Sensing Group within SAHMRI Nutrition & Metabolism which investigates the intestinal sweet taste system. He has shown how this sensory system is regulated in health and dysregulated in human diabetes, critical illness and obesity and consequences for blood glucose control. He undertakes clinical and microbiological studies with low-calorie sweeteners in health and type 2 diabetes, and ex vivo studies with a novel tissue platform using human intestinal biopsies. This system has novel and emerging roles in metabolic control, and is an exciting prospect for future novel therapies for type 2 diabetes. He collaborates widely with clinicians, cell biologists, microbiologists and with industry in these inquiries.

NHMRC

  • 2019-21 Project (APP1164475) Keating DJ, Young RL,  Holst JJ, Knop FK. 'Targeting proglucagon cells in the human gut to treat diabetes and obesity'
  • 2018-20 Project (APP1147333) Wu T, Rayner CK, Jones KL, Young RL,  Feinle-Bisset C. 'Bitter taste as a mediator of food intake and postprandial glycaemia in health and type 2 diabetes'
  • 2014-18 Project (APP1081182) Young RL, Rayner CK, Horowitz M ‘Why do sweetened drinks link to type 2 diabetes?’
  • 2010-12 Project (APP627127) Young RL 'Glucose detection pathways in the gut'

Australian Research Council

  • 2015-18 ARC Linkage (LP150100419) Keating DM, Young RL, Liou A, Jackson VM ‘Mechanisms controlling enteroendocrine hormone secretion in human duodenum’

Diabetes Australia

  • 2018-19 Millennium Award, Type 2 Diabetes. Young RL, Rayner CK, Horowitz M, Wu T. 'Do artificial sweeteners affect glycaemic control adversely in people with type 2 diabetes?'
  • 2013 Research Grant. Young RL, Rayner CK, Blackshaw LA, Horowitz M. 'Postprandial consequences of intestinal sweet taste receptor dysregulation in type 2 diabetes'
  • 2008 Research Grant. Young RL, Rayner CK, Blackshaw LA, Horowitz M. 'Characterisation of intestinal sweet-taste molecules in type-2 diabetes'

National Natural Science Foundation of China

  • 2019-22 (81870561). Effects of intestinal bitter taste sensing on gastrointestinal hormone secretion and glycaemic control. Wu T, Rayner CK, Young RL, Lu Q, Wang D, Wang X, Chen J, Cai M, Ge M.

The Hospital Research Foundation

  • 2018-20 (Translational Research) Young RL, Rayner CK, Rogers GB. 'A bitter tale of artificial sweeteners in Type 2 diabetes?'

Diabetes SA

  • 2018-19 (Project, Inaugural Round) Young RL, Rayner CK, Rogers GB, Horowitz M. 'A bitter tale of artificial sweeteners in human health and Type 2 diabetes?'

Royal Adelaide Hospital

  • 2018 Clinical Project (9747) Young RL, Nguyen NQ, Rayner CK, Wu T, Horowitz M. 'Molecular events linking artificial sweetener intake to augmented glucose absorption and dysglycaemia in health and type 2 diabetes'
  • 2016 Clinical Project (2155) Wong S, Young RL, Nguyen NQ, Rayner CK. 'Impact of blocking intestinal glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) on glucose absorption, glycaemic control and incretin responses in morbidly obese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus'
  • 2014-16 Clinical Project (1772) Young RL, Wu T, Rayner CK. 'Intestinal sweet taste receptor control of glucose absorption in human health and type 2 diabetes'

  • 2013-14 Clinical Project (1483) Young RL, Rayner CK, Nguyen N. 'Molecular determinants of glucose sensing in human gastrointestinal tract'

  • 2012 Clinical Project (7849) Young RL, Deane AM. 'Protein determinants of intestinal carbohydrate malabsorption in critical illness'

  • 2012 Clinical Project Symonds E, Young RL, Nguyen N. 'Evaluation of nutrient sensing in the large intestine and modulation by obesity

MedVet Laboratories

  •  2011 (Special Research Project) Deane AM, Young RL. 'The intestinal glucose transporter SGLT-1 as a novel therapeutic target in critical illness'

Intensive Care Foundation Australia

  • 2014 (Research Grant) Young RL, Deane AM. 'Intestinal GLP-2 as a novel target in critical illness-induced malabsorption'

  • 2011 (Research Grant) Deane AM, Young RL, Chapman MJ, Rayner CK, Horowitz M. 'Critical illness & intestinal sweet taste receptors'

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  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2017 Principal Supervisor Investigations into the Cell Biology of Human Intestinal Sweet Taste Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Miss Denise Kreuch

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Gastrointestinal Nutrient Sensing in Obesity and type 2 Diabetes: Role in Appetite Regulation and Glycaemic Control Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Nada Cvijanovic
    2004 - 2009 Co-Supervisor Nutrient Sensing Mechanisms in the Small Intestine: Localisation of Taste Molecules in Mice and Humans With and Without Diabetes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Kate Sutherland

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2014 - ongoing External Supervisor Isolation, purification and characterisation of human enteroendocrine cells Flinders University of South Australia School of Medicine, PhD Doctorate Full Time Emily Wai-Ling Sun
  • Position: Head of Intestinal Nutrient Sensing Group
  • Phone: 81284845
  • Email: richard.young@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace West
  • Building: SAHMRI - South, floor 7
  • Room: 7
  • Org Unit: Medical Specialties
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