Pia Leete

Dr. Pia Leete is a Diabetes UK RD Lawrence Scholar and Senior Independent Research Fellow at the University of Exeter Medical School within the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences. She leads the Leete Lab as part of the Islet Biology Exeter (IBEx) research group, focusing on immunopathological heterogeneity in type 1 diabetes.

Her educational background includes a 1st class BSc in Human Bioscience from Plymouth University and a PhD from the University of Exeter Medical School investigating pancreatic pathology in type 1 diabetes. She holds Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (FHEA) status.

Dr. Leete's research centers on characterizing how immune invasion patterns and beta-cell behavior differ across type 1 diabetes patients using rare pancreatic samples from global biobanks (JDRF network, Exeter Archival Biobank, and Norway's Detection of Virus in Diabetes Study). Her work combines advanced histology, imaging techniques, and mathematical modeling to identify distinct disease manifestations—particularly the contrast between highly inflamed islets with rapid beta-cell loss versus quiescent islets retaining beta-cells in older-diagnosed patients—which suggests potential diabetes endotypes requiring tailored therapies.

Her scientific contributions are recognized through the prestigious RD Lawrence Fellowship (2023-2027), FHEA Fellowship, 11 University of Exeter Above and Beyond Awards, and University of Plymouth's Excellence in Biology award.

Dr. Leete has secured major funding from Diabetes UK (including project grants and early career fellowships) and the Exeter Centre of Excellence in Diabetes E3 fund. She established the RILD imaging facility and bioimaging forum, recruited specialist image analysts, and actively serves as an EDI ally, wellbeing champion, and menopause advocate. Her lab operates within the IBEx team at the RILD building, collaborating across disciplines to understand pancreatic endocrine cell biology and develop strategies for diabetes prevention and cure.