Training Grant in Diabetes for Pediatric Endocrinologis*

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This training application is directed at increasing the work force of pediatric endocrinologists entering the field of biomedical and behavioral research in diabetes. In these applications, each year, we plan to provide diabetes research training for two pediatric endocrine fellows and to foster the academic growth in the area of pediatric diabetes research of three recent graduates of pediatric endocrine training programs. The Joslin Diabetes Center is ideally suited to offer this integrated program for career development. Our applications for T32 and KI2 training programs will be based at the Joslin Diabetes Center with faculty mentors from Joslin and The Children's Hospital in Boston. Our program provides multi-disciplinary training in diabetes research for post-doctoral fellows and for junior faculty. We believe our commitment to diabetes research is evident in our long track record of mentoring pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, as well as junior faculty to enter academic medicine. The rational for the current application includes: 1. Diabetes in childhood is increasing due to the epidemic of childhood obesity and the increasing rate of type 2 diabetes in youth; 2. There is an increased occurrence of type 1 diabetes in young children; 3. There are new research tools that demand adequate study and evaluation in the pediatric population; and 4. There is a critical shortage of pediatric endocrinologists trained and committed to diabetes research. The Joslin Diabetes Center, given its long history of diabetes research, its breadth of research activities, history of mentoring fellows and junior faculty coupled with the richness of The Combined Joslin/Children's Training Program in Pediatric Endocrinology, provides a unique training environment for researchers to become committed to the problem of diabetes. Principal Investigator Dr. Joseph Majzoub and Program Director Dr. Lori Laffel, supported by an Executive Committee, are in a unique position to orchestrate this endeavor. Training is enhanced by Joslin's NIH supported Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center, The Children's Hospital General Clinical Research Center, the Joslin/BIDMC General Clinical Research Center, as well as strong ties with the Harvard Medical School. We have demonstrated the ability to attract highly qualified candidates to our training program and look forward to meeting the challenge of training and developing successful pediatric endocrinologists in diabetes research.