Diabetes Research Training Program

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1 PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT 2 3 There is a drastic need to devise better approaches to prevent, treat, and ultimately reverse diabetes, which 4 requires constant training of skilled cohorts of investigators. The new Diabetes Research Training Program at 5 the University of Iowa is positioned to mentor and launch the next generation of investigators who will address 6 this critical need and focus their scientific efforts on diabetes. We are seeking support for 6 postdoctoral 7 positions. Both physician and PhD scientists will be trained and most will be appointed to the program for 2 8 years. There exist no other diabetes research training opportunities in the state. The program is built on the 9 myriad strengths of the University of Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC), 10 which is driving innovative strategies aimed at further understanding the pathophysiology of diabetes and its 11 complications and at devising novel preventative and curative strategies. Training in basic and clinical scientific 12 investigation will be backed by a core curriculum in diabetes, metabolism, grant writing, and research ethics. 13 Trainees involved in clinical and/or translational diabetes research will enroll and complete a Master of Science 14 in Translational Biomedicine. Trainees will receive tailored career mentoring to ensure a successful transition to 15 the next stage of their career. The Center is infused with an integrative spirit, and synergistic scientific 16 collaborations across scientific realms will be promoted. Mentored research opportunities available in the 17 Program span basic and mechanistic investigation across a very broad range of model organisms to 18 translational studies in humans. The Program mentors comprise 37 diverse but interactive FOEDRC faculty 19 with vigorous diabetes research programs, stable extramural funding, robust training records. They span 8 20 departments and 9 clinical divisions. Training will take advantage of existing synergies with collaborating 21 centers. Recruitment of outstanding trainees will be secured by the broad reach of the FOEDRC. Qualified 22 physician scientist trainees will be recruited from the Physician Scientist Training Pathway and from allied 23 clinical fellowship training programs in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. PhD scientist trainees will be selected 24 from national pools recruited into Program mentors labs. The training program will be administered through the 25 FOEDRC, and will be overseen by an executive committee comprising 2 co-principal investigators and 4 co- 26 directors, all of whom are seasoned investigators with uncompromising commitment to mentoring trainees.