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Culturally-Tailored CGM Implementation for Gestational Diabetes Management in Malaysia

Monash University Malaysia Medicine and Health Sciences
✓ Funded (Competition) 🎓 Biomedical Engineering 🎓 Health Sciences 🎓 Medicine biomedical engineering digital health continuous glucose monitoring gestational diabetes maternal health translational research neonatal outcomes multilingual education

Explore how a digital health platform integrating continuous glucose monitoring and multilingual education can improve gestational diabetes management in Malaysia's diverse population. Investigate innovative biomedical engineering solutions to enhance maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

AI-generated overview

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Why This Research Matters

Gestational diabetes is a growing health challenge in Malaysia, affecting diverse ethnic groups with varying language and cultural needs. This research develops culturally tailored digital tools to improve patient engagement, glycemic control, and birth outcomes, potentially reducing the disease burden and informing health policy in multi-ethnic societies.

Diabetes diabetes education metabolic syndrome self-care practices

Project Description

Project Overview

This 36-42 month PhD project involves pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes across Johor state. It proposes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a digital health platform integrating continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with possible multilingual education and decision support tools, aimed at improving patient engagement, maternal glycemic control, and neonatal outcomes in Malaysia’s multi-ethnic population.

What You Will Do

The candidate will gain interdisciplinary expertise spanning digital health innovation, biomedical engineering, and translational research. Most work will be conducted in Johor, with travel to multiple sites within the state expected. The candidate should have a biomedical background and be conversant in Bahasa Malaysia and/or English to facilitate communication and innovation.

Expected Outcomes

The project is expected to deliver a culturally tailored, effective digital platform that enhances gestational diabetes management, improves maternal and neonatal health outcomes, and provides evidence for scalable digital health solutions in diverse populations.

Why This Matters

Gestational diabetes poses a growing health burden in Malaysia's diverse population. This project addresses this challenge by integrating technology and culturally sensitive education, potentially transforming diabetes care and reducing associated complications in pregnant women and their newborns.

Entry Requirements

Biomedical background; conversant in Bahasa Malaysia and/or English; minimum academic qualification of First Class Honours (H1) or equivalent recognized by Monash University Malaysia; satisfy English language requirements.

How to Apply

First contact the main supervisor with academic background and achievements to assess fit. If suitable, complete an Expression of Interest with a relevant research proposal. Eligible candidates will be invited to apply and may be interviewed. Scholarship applications open until filled. Interview likely in February 2026.

Eligibility

UK/Home
EU
International

Supervisor Profile

AP
Assoc. Professor Badariah Ahmad
Monash University Malaysia, Medicine and Health Sciences
672 Citations
16 h-index
Google Scholar

Assoc. Professor Badariah Ahmad is a senior lecturer at Monash University Malaysia specializing in diabetes, diabetes education, metabolic syndrome, and self-care practices. Her research focuses on diabetes management particularly in indigenous and multi-ethnic Southeast Asian populations. She combines translational research and digital health innovations to address cardio-metabolic health risks and improve patient outcomes.

Key Publications

2015 82 citations
Cardio-metabolic health risks in indigenous populations of Southeast Asia and the influence of urbanization
2018 67 citations
Tocotrienol-rich vitamin E from palm oil (tocovid) and its effects in diabetes and diabetic nephropathy: a pilot phase II clinical trial
2020 44 citations
The effects of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E (Tocovid) on diabetic neuropathy: a phase II randomized controlled trial
2021 41 citations
A phase IIb randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E on diabetic kidney disease
2014 37 citations
A pilot study: the development of a culturally tailored Malaysian Diabetes Education Module (MY-DEMO) based on the Health Belief Model

Research Contributions

Studied cardio-metabolic health risks in indigenous Southeast Asian populations and the impact of urbanization.
Provides insight into health disparities and aids in targeted public health interventions for indigenous communities.
Conducted clinical trials on the effects of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E on diabetic complications such as nephropathy and neuropathy.
Offers potential therapeutic advances and alternative treatments for managing diabetes-related complications.
Developed culturally tailored diabetes education modules based on established health behavior models.
Enhances effectiveness of diabetes education by addressing cultural contexts, improving patient self-care and management.
Investigated acceptance and use of digital health technologies for managing non-communicable diseases among older adults.
Supports design and implementation of digital health interventions to improve chronic disease management in aging populations.

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