Dr. Anjali Gopalan, MD, MSHP is a board-certified Internist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Oakland Medical Center and a Research Scientist I (equivalent to Assistant Professor) at the KPNC Division of Research (DOR). With the proposed K23 mentored career development award, Dr. Gopalan will gain the advanced training and expertise necessary to become an independent investigator who can develop and implement tailored interventions for patients with early-onset type 2 diabetes (EOT2D). By focusing on adults with EOT2D, she seeks to address the comparatively poor micro- and macrovascular outcomes in this population that may result partly from inadequate management of hyperglycemia and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Dr. Gopalan?s research premise posits that it is particularly critical for newly diagnosed patients with EOT2D to achieve early disease control, since tighter glycemic control during the year following diagnosis confers long-lasting micro- and macrovascular benefits. In support of the premise, the Research Aims of this K23 are to: 1) use electronic health record [EHR] data to identify EOT2D patient subgroups at highest risk of inadequate early disease control, 2) identify barriers to and facilitators of initial EOT2D management, and 3) examine prospective associations between patient-reported factors (e.g., disease-related distress, health literacy) and inadequate early disease control. The proposed research will be supported by experienced mentors and advisors, as well as advanced training in the following areas: 1) the use of advanced statistical modeling, 2) qualitative data analysis to inform intervention development, 3) the role of social determinants in health, and 4) implementation science. KPNC and DOR are ideal environments for the proposed work. KPNC is an integrated learning healthcare delivery system with a diverse membership of 4.2 million people (>350,000 with diabetes). DOR has a long track record of effectively training early stage investigators and has well-established internal research programs and collaborative relationships with nearby institutions that provide the infrastructure needed for career development. This environment, along with the proposed Research and Training Plans and an outstanding mentorship team, will enable Dr. Gopalan to continue to build the skills and generate the foundational data needed to submit an R01-level proposal during the final years of the proposed award period. In this planned R01, Dr. Gopalan will refine and implement an intervention (with a design based on the results of the three K23 Research Aims) to improve early care for newly diagnosed EOT2D patients and evaluate its impact on early outcomes in this growing, high-risk population. In summary, the proposed K23 award will support the career development of Dr. Gopalan and is vital to her acquiring the skill set and expertise required to become a successful, independent investigator.
Adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age have higher rates of complications than those diagnosed later in life. Given the lasting benefit conferred by early disease control, the initial care provided to this growing, high-risk population is particularly crucial. With this proposed career development award, Dr. Gopalan will acquire the research skills necessary to identify patients at highest risk for inadequate early disease control, define barriers to initial disease management, and develop an intervention designed to improve the care of adults (ages 21-44) with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
