Rate My Professor Mona Elbalshy

Dr. Mona Elbalshy is a trained endocrinologist and PhD candidate in the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University of Otago’s Dunedin School of Medicine. She earned her primary medical qualification and a Master's degree from Benha University in Egypt, followed by a graduate diploma in Human Nutrition and a Master of Science from the University of Otago in 2018. Her MSc thesis investigated the effects of wholegrain particle size and gelatinisation on glycemic responses in patients with diabetes mellitus. Before pursuing doctoral studies, she served as a registrar at Benha University Hospital in Egypt for six years, where she received advanced training in endocrinology. Upon relocating to New Zealand, she integrated clinical diabetes care with research aimed at enhancing management for children with type 1 diabetes.

Under the supervision of Associate Professors Ben Wheeler and Barbara Galland at the Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre, her PhD explores the role of innovative technologies in type 1 diabetes management. She leads the MiaoMiao study, a randomised controlled crossover trial assessing a low-cost third-party device that transforms the Abbott Freestyle Libre into a real-time continuous glucose monitor for children aged 2-13 with type 1 diabetes, evaluating its functionality, safety, and cost-effectiveness, which could save families $2,000-5,000 per year. In 2020, she was awarded a $65,000 Freemasons Child Health Fellowship to fund this research. Key publications include 'The MiaoMiao study: can do-it-yourself continuous glucose monitoring improve glycaemic and psychosocial outcomes in young children with type 1 diabetes?' (2020), 'Effect of divergent continuous glucose monitoring technologies on hypoglycaemia in adults with type 1 diabetes: A post hoc analysis' (2022), 'The Effect of Do-It-Yourself Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring on Glycaemia and Psychosocial Outcomes: The SMARTwatch Trial' (2023), and 'Exploring Parental Experiences of Using a Do-It-Yourself Solution for Continuous Glucose Monitoring' (2020). Her research has garnered over 240 citations, advancing accessible and equitable paediatric diabetes care.