Dr Mitchell Sullivan joined the School of Health in 2024. Prior to this, he held positions such as a Mater Research Career Track Fellow, an Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow, and a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) CJ Martin Fellow at Mater Research. Dr. Sullivan is dedicated to exploring how our bodies process and store sugar in tissues, aiming to uncover the roots and potential treatments for metabolic disorders like diabetes. His research particularly focuses on glycogen, a crucial molecule for storing blood sugar in organs such as the liver and kidneys.
Dr. Sullivan has pioneered techniques during his PhD that have led to significant findings on how glycogen's structure affects its function and properties, especially in relation to diabetes. His research revealed that glycogen in diabetic conditions is more unstable and breaks down rapidly compared to non-diabetic states, potentially causing rapid glucose release and elevated blood sugar levels.
Spending two years at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, Dr. Sullivan delved into understanding the impact of glycogen on neurological conditions, including Lafora disease and Adult Polyglucosan Body Disease. Currently, he is broadening his investigative horizons to chronic health issues, with a focus on diabetic kidney disease. Dr. Sullivan collaborates with research teams across China, Canada, Sweden, Spain, and the US. Furthermore, he is examining the significance of placental glycogen in fetal development and its implications for pregnancy disturbances, particularly those affected by alcohol, which could lead to various complications.
Professional Memberships
- Endocrine Society of Australia
- Australian Diabetes Society
Professional Awards
- Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship (2021-2024)
- Mater Research Early Career Researcher of the Year (2019)
- UQ Amplify Initiative (2019-2020)
- Mike McGuckin Early Career Fellowship (2019-2020)
- NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Research Fellowship (2015-2019)
Dr Mitchell Sullivan’s research interests include understanding the role of glycogen structure and metabolism in health and disease. Glycogen acts as “glucose batteries”, efficiently storing energy in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans.
Dr Sullivan’s current research includes understanding glycogen’s role in blood glucose regulation and diabetes, in kidney function and diabetic kidney disease, in glycogen storage diseases such as Lafora Disease, and in placental health and embryonic development.
Dr Sullivan’s extensive experience in glycogen metabolism is evidenced by the top global ranking for "liver glycogen" and the 7th position (1st nationally) for "glycogen" according to Expertscape.
In approximately 10 years following his PhD completion, Dr Sullivan has authored 65 journal articles, a textbook chapter, and has an H-index of 27, reflecting the significant impact of his academic contributions. His research has been prominently showcased in prestigious journals like Cell Metabolism, Nature Metabolism, Brain, EMBO Molecular Medicine, Cell Reports, EBioMedicine (IF 11.2), and Diabetes (IF 9.5), highlighting the calibre of his contributions in the field.
Dr Sullivan has successfully secured over $1.3 million in research funding, including the prestigious NHMRC CJ Martin ECR Fellowship, highlighting the recognition of his research excellence.
Honours and HDR Research Projects
• The structure and function of glycogen in key diabetic tissues - This research aims to investigate how diabetes impacts glycogen metabolism and structure in key glycogen-producing tissues and determine the pathological potential of abnormal kidney glycogen accumulation.
• Examining the role of placental glycogen in fetal metabolism - This research project aims to uncover the role of placental glycogen: 1) in placental tissue functioning; and 2) in providing the developing fetus with glucose.
Research areas
- Glycogen
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Kidney Disease
- Glycogen Storage Diseases
- Placenta Metabolism
Teaching areas
Mitchel Sullivan's specialist areas of knowledge include Glycogen, Diabetes, Diabetic Kidney Disease, Glycogen Storage Diseases, Placenta Metabolism