Developing Pediatric Diabetes Investigators for the Future

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SUMMARY ABSTRACT This application is a proposal for a career development program for pediatric endocrinologists, designed to provide multidisciplinary training in diabetes research at The Barbara Davis Center (BDC), The University of Colorado School of Medicine (UC SOM) and the wider Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC). The proposal’s rationale is: 1) there is a critical nationwide shortage of pediatric endocrinologists trained and experienced in T1D and T2D research 2) diabetes is an increasingly significant healthcare problem in the pediatric population with devastating consequences from a personal and health economics viewpoint 3) current rapid advances in diabetes investigation calls for an increased pool of physician scientists trained in clinical, biochemical, epidemiological, and behavioral research to carry out basic and translational research in pediatric T1D and T2D to bring advances in diabetes research to the clinical arena. The BDC has an extensive and proven record in research training of young investigators. The BDC and AMC have a well-established network of investigators working in the epidemiology, new diabetes technology, immuno-biology, genetics, and molecular biology of T1D diabetes, as well as the abnormal pathophysiology of T2D. This network of experienced mentors is ideally suited to develop the next generation of pediatric endocrinologists into independent diabetes investigators in high impact T1D and T2D research. Areas of research focus within The BDC include islet cell development, genetics, molecular biology, immunology and the autoimmunity, prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes, and the epidemiology, prevention and improved treatment, including new technology advancement, of T1D and T2D. These areas of research are urgently needed and have been identified as important to the national public health to improve diabetes treatment in the US. This application is enhanced by the NIH supported Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI), Pediatric and Adult Clinical Translational Research Centers, as well as a strong Masters of Science in Public Health and in Clinical Science and PhD programs in the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH) and the CCTSI. This application has the support of the Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, The CSPH, and Children’s Hospital Colorado. The ability to provide excellent didactic coursework in statistics, epidemiology, research methods, ethics of human research, medical writing, biochemistry, pharmacokinetics, molecular and developmental biology, as well as human medical and molecular genetics through the CCTSI, the BDC and the CSPH combined with a strong mentoring faculty at the BDC, UCSOM and CSPH will allow us to provide the career development for pediatric endocrinologists producing independent investigators, capable of competing for funding in high quality diabetes research. Other programs within AMC that are supportive of this program include the Program in Human Genetics, the Immune Tolerance Network, the Autoimmune Prevention Center and Children’s Hospital Research Institute.