The long term objective of this competitive renewal application is to train exceptional diabetes scientists capable of leveraging the latest research tools to decrease suffering from diabetes. The program trains MD, PhD, and MD PhD scientists for 2 to 3 years through mentored research and structured activities that are seamlessly integrated with basic science departments, clinical departments, and centers in the context of considerable institutional support. Continually evolving in response to self-assessment and external reviews, the training program features strengths that include: A) Research facilities and a research environment encompassing the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (the Washington University CTSA), the NIDDK-supported Diabetes Research Center (DRC) and Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), as well as substantial other resources. B) A required core curriculum in diabetes science in addition to required supplemental courses that include training in Rigor and Reproducibility all provided at no cost to trainees. C) Administrative support to facilitate interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research training. D) Two Program Directors with complementary skill sets, strong records of training scholars, and significant commitment of effort through institutional support. E) 30 preceptors focused on diabetes and related metabolic diseases. Over the past 10 years, this group has trained >270 postdoctorates of whom 86% have continued in research. Each of the mentors participates in one or more components of this training program, and each has external research support (average current year support >$990,000/preceptor). F) Institution of a new mentoring curriculum that has improved mentoring as determined by anonymous surveys. G) Highly competitive pools of PhD and clinical degree trainees. All available postdoctoral positions have been filled over the past 15 years and the program completion rate is 96%. H) Anonymous feedback from current and former trainees indicating increased satisfaction with the training program over the most recent funding period. I) Successful training record in terms of publications (a substantial increase in publications per trainee compared to the previous funding period), competing for grant support, and remaining in research or research-related careers. J) To enhance diversity, institution of a new underrepresented minority (URM) Metabolic Outreach Program allowing URM scientists from the University of Miami to undergo short-term research training at Washington University. One URM MD fellow has completed such training. K) An integrated short-term research program for medical students coordinated through the Washington University DRC. Overall, this training program prepares a diverse group of scientists across the translational spectrum to exert a sustained influence on research in diabetes and related metabolic diseases.
About 30 million Americans have diabetes, another 84 million have prediabetes, and nearly a quarter of health care expenditures are for diabetes and its complications. In addition to economic costs, metabolic diseases like diabetes cause enormous suffering due to heart disease, kidney failure, liver failure, strokes, amputations and many other health problems. This application is relevant to public health because of its overarching goal of training exceptional scientists capable of developing new strategies to decrease the burden of diabetes in the United States.
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