About us

The course is organised and led by the Diabetes Research Unit at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University.

Responsible for the academic aspects of the diploma are:

David R Owens, CBE MD FRCP FlBiol

Professor of Diabetes Medicine, Cardiff University

Professor Owens is the Director of the Diabetes Research Unit at Llandough Hospital in Cardiff, UK, and has been involved in the management of and research into diabetes for more than 30 years. His primary interests include the evaluation of novel oral hypoglycaemic agents and insulins and the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and its microvascular complications. He is the Director of the Diabetes Research Network in Wales and was the first Lead and Clinical Director of the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service for Wales, which was established in 2002. In addition, Professor Owens is a member of several diabetes-related advisory boards for both UK and international governmental organisations. Professor Owens has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers, reviews and book chapters concerning novel antidiabetic therapies, and diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. His early work regarding insulin was published in the book Human Insulin in 1986. In 2002 Professor Owens was awarded the CBE for his services to diabetes.

Dr Dean Jenkins MRCP, DipMedEd

Senior Clinical Lecturer

Dr Dean Jenkins leads the Standard 4 Diabetes National Standards Framework section of the All Wales Consensus group and until recently was the Chair of Bridgend LDSAG and Consultant Physician at Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. He now works as Senior Lecturer with Professor Owens and has led the development and approval of the Diabetes Diploma course with Cardiff University. His interests are in the education of health professionals and patients and in particular the use of new technologies to support learning and assessment.

Dr Mohamed Hassanein MB ChB, FRCP, MPhil

Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist

Currently a Consultant in Diabetes, Endocrinology and General Medicine in a district general hospital in North Wales, Dr Hassanein has special interest in macrovascular disease (MVD) in diabetes, erectile dysfunction in diabetes and thyroid disease. He has published a number of papers on MVD in diabetics, guidelines for management of diabetes in Ramadan and the effects of trace elements and some natural supplements in diabetes and hypertension. He also has a special interest in medical education.