Dr. Hui Shao on the Future of GLP-1 Therapies for Type 1 Diabetes and AI as a Catalyst for Breakthroughs

Professor Hui Shao, associate professor of Global Health at Emory and core member of the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center (EGDRC), works at the intersection of economics, artificial intelligence, and chronic disease research. His work explores how data-driven insights can advance precision medicine and public health policy. Rather than confining himself to a single methodological lane, Shao describes his work as using advanced AI and machine learning techniques to draw out actionable insights from large-scale data.

Shao’s journey to Emory was shaped by a growing commitment to diabetes research. After earning his PhD from Tulane University, he joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Diabetes Translation.

“Before CDC, I saw myself as a health economist in general,” Shao explains. “But those two years really shaped my research area.” From that point forward, diabetes became a central part of his work.

After CDC, Shao spent three years at the University of Florida, where he built collaborative relationships with leading diabetes researchers across the country, including several affiliated with EGDRC. Over time, those collaborations sparked a realization.

“Instead of collaborating from afar,” he recalls, “why not just directly join EGDRC?” That decision ultimately brought him to Emory, drawn specifically by the center’s expertise, shared commitment, and network.

For Shao, collaboration at EGDRC has impacted his work rapidly and immensely.

“In less than three years, I’ve met so many amazing researchers,” said Shao, pointing to EGDRC leadership and fellow mid-career faculty alike. “I’m inspired by them on a daily basis, not just by new knowledge, but by new ways of doing research.”

Building a Data-Driven Research Lab

Shao is the Director of the Emory AI & Causal Lab, a newly launched lab at the Rollins School of Public Health supported by EGDRC. The lab integrates artificial intelligence, causal inference, and advanced data science to address high-impact questions in precision medicine and public health, with a focus on diabetes and multimorbidity.

With more than 10 full-time staff and support from new NIH and CDC funding, the rapidly growing team provides advanced analytic and methodological expertise to investigators across Emory.

Beyond observational studies, the lab is currently developing algorithms for disease screening and identifying individuals most likely to benefit from interventions such as GLP-1 therapies or diabetes prevention programs.

Investigating GLP-1 Therapies in Type 1 Diabetes

One of Shao’s most recent and high-impact research efforts focuses on the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in people with type 1 diabetes, a population with historically limited treatment options beyond insulin.

While GLP-1 therapies have transformed care for type 2 diabetes, they have not been tested in randomized controlled trials for type 1 diabetes. This absence of evidence, Shao argues, represents a major missed opportunity.

“On one hand, we have these amazing new treatments that are widely recommended,” he says. “On the other hand, there is very limited evidence about whether they work for the type 1 diabetes population, and more importantly, if it is safe for them to use these medications.”

In 2023, Dr. Shao visited the Eli Lily Head Quarter.

In a recent JAMA publication, Shao and his team working with collaborators including Dr. Piaopiao Li and Dr. Francisco Pasquel, analyzed data from a nationally representative dataset to examine whether clinicians were already prescribing GLP-1 therapies off-label to patients with type 1 diabetes. The answer was clear: many were.

The findings revealed both promise and risk. Patients appeared to benefit from improved glycemic control and weight management but concerns about safety such as increased risk of ketoacidosis and gastrointestinal side effects remain largely undocumented in a systematic way.

To address this gap, Shao and Pasquel secured funding from Breakthrough T1D to conduct a large real-world study emulating a randomized controlled trial. Over the next two years, Shao’s lab will use expansive datasets and advanced analytics to quantify both the benefits and risks of GLP-1 use in the type 1 diabetes population.

“The aim is not only to assess outcomes, but to determine who benefits most, who faces greater risk, and where clinical lines should be drawn to guide safer, more effective prescribing.”

AI is the Path Forward

When asked what advice he would give students and postdocs entering global health or chronic disease research, Shao believes no matter the discipline students and researchers alike should dive into AI.

“Get into AI as soon as possible,” he says. “The world is rapidly changing. A lot of what you learn in school can expire overnight. What doesn’t expire is the capability to use AI tools to do what you want to do.”

From predictive analytics to large language models, Shao encourages emerging researchers to embrace AI not as a niche skill, but as a foundational one.

“Don’t be a stranger to AI,” he advises. “Try to master it. That’s what you’ll be working with in the very near future.”

Through his work at Emory and EGDRC, Professor Hui Shao is doing just that, harnessing data, technology, and collaboration to push diabetes research toward a more precise, accessible, and impactful future.