Creating diverse communities in support of diabetes and metabolism research
NIH
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
Project Summary/Abstract Career development in addition to mentorship, sponsorship and allyship are key aspects needed for trainees as they navigate through training and in their future careers. This K26 application seeks to directly support Dr. Singer’s effort to engage in direct research mentorship as well as developing and supporting a mentorship and learning community for trainees engaged in diabetes, obesity and metabolism research. Dr. Singer’s research in equity and career development along with engaged roles in diversity, equity and inclusion and graduate and faculty development uniquely poise her engage in the aims of this proposal. Aim 1 – Mentoring scientists to perform mechanistic research investigating sex differences in meta-inflammation and understand mechanisms of myeloid inflammation in adolescent metabolic disease. Dr. Singer will focus on recruiting and mentoring at least two graduate students or postdoctoral researchers within her laboratory, with additional support for equitable recruiting and focus on trainee career development. Aim 2 – Supporting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in a learning community within the pipeline of NIDDK supported research efforts. The University of Michigan Diabetes Research Center and Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center provide opportunities for trainee engagement and encompass a large, diverse group of trainees. With this community we are poised to create a learning community with peer mentorship. This award will support Dr. Singer’s continued development as a mentor and leader, supporting trainees from diverse backgrounds including under-represented groups. Creating this supportive training embedded in a targeted research area has the potential for long-lasting and sustained career development of cohorts impacting diabetes and obesity. Hence this support will go beyond the mentoring of individuals to developing future opportunities and leaders in the field. Project Narrative The goal of this application is to support Dr. Singer's efforts and career development as a mentor to early career researchers through both individualized training and a cohort focused training program. She will develop the diabetes and obesity focused investigator pipeline with directed mentoring in her laboratory-based research focusing on sex differences in meta-inflammation and studies of meta-inflammatory monocytes in adolescent insulin resistance. The impact of this mentoring plan is broadened by bringing focused training on diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership and career development, and peer mentorship to cohorts of graduate and post-doctoral trainees in diabetes, obesity and metabolism research to build networks that support future leaders in the field.
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