Diabetes Science Project Ideas

If you have diabetes or know someone who does, you may be especially interested in doing a science project that explores a specific angle of diabetes. From the data you may be collecting with your continuous glucose monitor and carb counting to the ways in which factors like exercise affect blood glucose to technology and engineering related to diabetes tools and devices, there are all kinds of exciting projects you can explore.

Science Projects

Food Science, Glucose, and Carbohydrates

Diabetes Project: How Sweet It Is
Diabetes Project: Sugars in a Smoothie
Diabetes Project: Uncovering Hidden Sugar
Diabetes Project: Sweet as Sugar
Use a color-change test to see the concentration of glucose in fruits and juices.
Why do some ingredients cause less of a rise in blood sugar than others?
What does digestion have to do with how much glucose we absorb from different foods?
Adapt this project to compare the impact of different sugar substitutes on blood sugar.

Health and Human Biology

Diabetes Project: Modeling the Odds Autoimmune Disease
Diabetes Project: Exercise
Diabetes Project: Electrolyte Challenge
Diabetes Project: Fitness Trackers and Exercise
Use a model to investigate how a person's genetics affect their chances of getting Type 1 Diabetes.
Investigate how blood glucose levels change with exercise and how the effect may vary person to person.
Electrolytes are important for all athletes. How do different sugar-free electrolyte drinks compare?
Can you create a diabetes-related project based on wearing a fitness tracker?

Engineering, Bioengineering, and Computer Science

Diabetes Project: Artificial Pancreas
Diabetes Project: Program an App
Diabetes Project: Why Aren't All Medicines Pills?
Diabetes Project: Scratch Education
Build a model of an artificial pancreas and explore the challenges involved in this kind of system.
Make it your own! What kind of reminder app might help a person with diabetes?
Use jello shapes to model insulin and explore why some medicines work in pill form and others do not.
Adapt this project to create a game that teaches about diabetes. See also: An Ocean-Friendly Fishing Video Game.

Learn More About Diabetes

Diabetes on the Science Buddies Blog

Diabetes Science News

Diabetes Related Careers