“Our training program is a tremendous opportunity for postdoctoral fellows, whether they’re applying from within the University of Michigan or from outside the university, who are looking for a program that will significantly impact their early careers by providing a solid foundation in basic diabetes research and a network of world-renowned professionals in their area of specialty.” - Ormond MacDougald, PhD, Principal Investigator
The burden of diabetes and its complications underscores the continued need to train the next generation of well-qualified scientists to develop new ideas and novel therapies for the treatment, prevention, and cure of diabetes. The primary goal of the Multidisciplinary Postdoctoral Training Program in Basic Diabetes Research (T32DK101357) is to prepare PhD basic scientists for careers in diabetes research. The training includes multidisciplinary and comprehensive learning experiences, as well as the mentorship and laboratory research experiences required to develop a deep understanding of the molecular aspects of diabetes.
The program is embedded within the rich research environment of the University of Michigan, which includes a highly collegial, interdisciplinary diabetes research community with outstanding core resources to support biomedical research. In addition, Michigan Medicine is continuously ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. For 2021-2022, Michigan Medicine is ranked best in Michigan and 11th in the nation in their 2021-22 Best Hospitals rankings, with the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes ranking at #10 nationally.
This program builds on the unique expertise of preceptors with expertise in six major interest groups:
- Islet biology
- Autoimmune diabetes
- Adipocyte biology
- Hypothalamic regulation of metabolism
- Mechanisms of insulin resistance metabolic control (liver, adipocyte and muscle groups)
- Diabetes complications
These groups represent a spectrum of approaches to studying the pathogenesis of type 1 and 2 diabetes, and each of these areas contains multiple investigators pursuing basic mechanisms with potential translational applicability. Consistent with the multidisciplinary nature of diabetes research, our preceptors are associated with a wide array of federally funded training grants.
