Professor Paul J Thornalley received his BSc Chemistry from the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, in 1979 and D Phil Biochemistry in 1982 from University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. He was Scientific Director, Diabetes Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar. Qatar, from 2018 – 2023 and Adjunct Professor, College of Health & Life Sciences, HBKU, Doha, Qatar, from 2023 – 2025.

He is a leading researcher and advocate in studies of the pathogenesis associated with hyperglycemia and also the reactive glucose-derived metabolite, methylglyoxal, and its metabolism by glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) of the glyoxalase system – in which he is considered founding investigator. He recently developed the “Hexokinase-linked glycolytic overload and unscheduled glycolysis” hypothesis of hyperglycemia-induced impaired incretin effect and pathogenesis in hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance, beta-cell glucotoxicity, type 2 diabetes and diabetic vascular complications. He also identified increased methylglyoxal as a major physiological activator of the unfolded protein response. He originated the strategy for development of small molecule inducers of Glo1 expression or “Glo1 inducer” therapeutics for treatment of insulin resistance and microvascular complications of diabetes. This was proven effective in correcting insulin resistance in subjects living with overweight and obesity in clinical trial. He is founder and Chair of the Reactive Metabolites in Diabetes Study Group, 2014 – date. He has 586 research publications with over 46,000 citations; h-index 112 (Google Scholar) and in the top 1% of scientists globally by citation number (AD Scientific index).