Your experience matters. Living with heart disease, diabetes or obesity gives you a unique and powerful perspective — one that can shape the future of medical research.
At the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, we believe the best science happens when researchers and the people they're working to help are working together. That's why our Community Engagement Group brings together people with lived experience to sit alongside our scientists and help guide the research that could one day change — or save — someone's life.
What is the Community Engagement Group?
It's a group of everyday Australians — people who know firsthand what it means to live with heart disease, diabetes or obesity — who partner with our researchers to make sure the work we do is meaningful, relevant and truly impactful.
You don't need a science degree. You just need your experience.
How you can help
As a member of the Community Engagement Group, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Share your experience to help researchers understand what life with these conditions is really like.
- Review research materials and help translate complex science into plain, accessible language.
- Contribute to studies and healthcare improvement initiatives that reflect real community needs.
- Offer insight into how research can make a genuine difference in people's everyday lives.
- Join the Baker community — with invitations to events, seminars and laboratory tours.
The group meets several times a year, either in person at the Baker Institute or online. Meetings may include laboratory tours, presentations and group discussions. You may also be asked to review documents and provide feedback on research projects.
