
Encourages critical thinking and analysis.
Dr Alisa Boucsein is a Research Fellow in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago. She holds a Dr. rer. nat. qualification from Germany, equivalent to a PhD, with her doctoral research focused on type 2 diabetes. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 13 while living in Germany, Boucsein brings personal experience to her professional work in diabetes management. As a Postdoctoral Fellow and Clinical Study Coordinator in the Department of Women's and Children's Health, she is a key member of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Group, where she investigates new technologies to improve glycaemic outcomes and equity in type 1 diabetes care, particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples in New Zealand.
Boucsein's research centers on automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and their implementation in youth and high-risk populations with type 1 diabetes. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including 'Extended use of automated insulin delivery in young people with type 1 diabetes and elevated HbA1c: 52-week outcomes of the CO-PILOT Trial' (Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, 2026), 'Accelerating care, capacity and equity in automated insulin delivery systems for New Zealanders with type 1 diabetes: The ACCESS-AID study protocol' (Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders, 2026), 'Experiences with Simplera sync™ all-in-one sensors and extended wear infusion sets in adolescents and young adults using the MiniMed™ 780G' (Diabetic Medicine, 2025), and 'Continuous glucose monitoring remote monitoring does not meet the needs of all adult users: A qualitative study of adults with type 1 diabetes who do not use remote monitoring' (Diabetic Medicine, 2025). Her studies, such as the CO-PILOT Trial and ACCESS-AID, demonstrate sustained improvements in glucose control, psychosocial outcomes, and equitable access to AID technologies, contributing to reduced risks of long-term complications like eye, kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke.