Professor Merlin Thomas MBChB, PhD, FRACP is a physician scientist in the Department of Diabetes, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. His research has been widely published with two hundred and seventy papers in peer-reviewed journals and books including 'The Longevity List' and 'Fast Living, Slow Ageing'. His ongoing research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of vascular damage in diabetes and ageing, towards the development of novel therapeutic interventions.