The Diabetic Foot Research Group (DFRG) at the University of Malta is a multi-disciplinary group of researchers with special interest in the diabetic foot. The key strength of this group is that it is cross-faculty, with investigators and collaborators from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Engineering, all based at the University of Malta, in collaboration with the Faculty of Health at Staffordshire University, United Kingdom.

The main aim of this group is to identify, encourage and conduct research in order to promulgate knowledge to practitioners, scientists and patients alike.

All research will be conducted using state-of the art equipment currently available in fully-equipped laboratories throughout the faculties concerned.

Wide-ranging areas of research currently being investigated for the possibility of future projects include:

• The use of Thermography in the high-risk foot
• Effectiveness of Computer Designed and Manufactured Orthoses in Off-loading the diabetic foot
• Evaluation of innovative diabetic patient education methods
• Gait analysis of the diabetic foot.

The Group has embarked on a research project entitled 'Thermal imaging for peripheral vascular disease monitoring in diabetics (TIPMID)' following a substantial research grant allocation from the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST). The aim of this project is to investigate the utilization of Thermography as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in order to assess vascular perfusion in the high risk foot.

The Chair, Prof. Alfred Gatt, together with committee members, meet on a regular basis to conduct the business of the group.