There is an ongoing need to train a cadre of physician and PhD investigators who will devote a significant component of their professional activity to understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of obesity, diabetes and its many complications. This application represents the first competitive renewal application for the Interdisciplinary Training Program in Metabolism at the University of Utah School of Medicine. We are requesting support for two postdoctoral positions and three predoctoral positions in this renewal application. This program continues to build on unique strengths in metabolism research at the University of Utah that spans basic and mechanistic investigation across a range of model organisms to translational studies in humans. The newly established Diabetes and Metabolism Center (DMC) at the University of Utah is the foundation of this training program as and supports recruitment, retention, and collaboration of innovative faculty focused on diabetes, obesity and metabolism. Key elements in this training program include 1) strong mentor-based training in basic and clinical investigation, 2) rigorous didactic curriculum including a core curriculum in metabolism as well as specific training in research methodologies and grant writing, 3) a lecture series focused on metabolism with internal and external speakers, 4) tailored career mentoring with individual development plans to ensure a successful transition to the next stage of their career, and 4) presentation and outreach opportunities to develop communication skills. The training faculty comprises 33 DMC faculty members with stable extramural funding and dynamic research programs from seven departments within the School of Medicine and six divisions within the Department of Internal Medicine. Clinically qualified trainees are recruited from fellowship training programs in Endocrinology and Cardiology, and PhD postdocs are recruited nationally. Predoctoral candidates are recruited from the combined programs in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Utah. The training program is administered through the Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, and will be overseen by an executive committee comprising the two Co-Principal Investigators and three Co-Directors, all of whom are investigators with strong track records of and uncompromising commitment to mentoring trainees.
The basis for this program's existence and continuation is the critical need for well-trained investigators in the field of obesity-related metabolic disorders. There are too few rigorously trained diabetes and metabolism investigators to combat the diabetes epidemic. The University of Utah has successfully trained many investigators focused on diabetes, obesity, and metabolism and is well equipped to continue this success through this training program
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