Enrichment Program

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The overall goal of the Enrichment Program is to enhance the University of Michigan Center for Gastrointestinal Research (UMCGR) environment by promoting education and fostering research synergy through communication amongst its members. The Enrichment Program also helps provide the UMCGR with an institutional and national identity. The UMCGR educational programs have been a driving force for strengthening the Center research environment since they bring new information and pioneering scientific approaches to UMCGR investigators and provide an outlet for communication of the Center with the greater University of Michigan scientific community. This vocation of the Center is pivotal in developing new research directions by providing extramural speakers and seminars on new technological advances and opportunities. The programs enhance our scientific environment by providing constructive feedback to UMCGR members, and motivate (and support) young investigators to pursue research in digestive, liver and pancreatic diseases. Enrichment activities also provide robust opportunities for UMCGR members to meet and participate in educational activities such as lectures, retreats, and workshops. Trainees of UMCGR members meet regularly at two weekly conferences (GI Basic and Translational Research Conference and Joint Gut Microbiome conference) attended by UMCGR members and investigators from other departments, discussing their work and sharing latest high impact journal articles, as well as didactic academic skills sessions. UMCGR members and their trainees also benefit from extramural networking opportunities through our bimonthly visiting professor series and by receiving valuable input from external senior scientists. In addition, a highly successful annual retreat for Center Investigators, gastrointestinal fellows, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is sponsored by the UMCGR Enrichment Program. This 2 day event begins on the first day with an academic workshop and an educational talk given by our Yamada Lectureship speaker, and the second day mini theme symposium features invited scholar talks, and the keynote Yamada Lectureship presentation. We also have poster sessions highlighting research performed by Center investigators and Pilot Feasibility Studies awardees. Finally, the Enrichment Program has been instrumental in helping to launch the Midwest DDRC Alliance by hosting the first two years of an academic workshop and scientific meeting of faculty and pilot/feasibility recipients of members (University of Michigan, University of Chicago, Mayo, University of Cincinnati, and Washington University) in Ann Arbor in January of 2013 and 2014.