# Research Training Program in Metabolism, Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2021 · $309,773

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The problems of obesity and type 2 diabetes are some of the most common conditions affecting Americans.
There is a critical need to train the next generation of MD and PhD investigators who will address these public
health challenges with innovations in basic, clinical and translational sciences. We believe that the University of
Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus (UCAMC) is well positioned to provide the training needed to produce the
next generation of scientists addressing these areas. We are seeking support for 6 positions (3 post-doctoral
trainees to be supported for 2 years each) in the new Research Training Program in Metabolism, Obesity and
Type 2 Diabetes (RTPMOD) at the UCAMC. The strength of the proposed RTPMOD lies the outstanding faculty,
state of the art facilities and programs at the UCAMC and a robust pipeline of applicants. The 16 members of
the Training Faculty are productive well-funded investigators many of whom are nationally recognized leaders
in their fields of study who collectively have $12,710,098 in current research funding (direct costs current year).
A number of affiliate and junior faculty mentors have been identified to ensure a rich training environment and a
robust pipeline of future mentors for the program. The UCAMC is host to the Colorado Clinical Translational
Science Institute, the Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the Anschutz Health & Wellness Center
to name just a few of the resources that will support the proposed training. Over the last 10 years RTPMOD
faculty have trained 93 post-doctoral fellows (current and past). Of those who completed training, 62% hold
faculty positions, with 36 Assistant, 4 Associate and 2 full Professors. Over the last 5 years, we have trained 42
training grant eligible post-doctoral fellows (current and past). Of those who have completed training, 83% are
currently in a research related or research intensive positions. Of the 42 training grant eligible trainees, 41%
received K or equivalent (VA, ACS) awards and 14% are Co-Investigators on R level or equivalent awards.
Applicants for the RTPMOD will come from a range of clinical fellowship programs at UCAMC, our new clinical
Obesity Medicine Fellowship, and the Physician Scientist Training Program track within our Internal Medicine
Training Program. PhD applicants will come from local and national recruitment efforts. MD and PhD applicants
will be selected though a rigorous recruitment process to identify those with the greatest promise to pursue an
independent research career. In addition to an intensive mentored research experience, trainees will gain formal
training in metabolism, obesity and type 2 diabetes and team science. The program will be administered by an
experienced Program Director supported by an Executive Committee with input from a committee to support the
recruitment and retention of trainees from under-represented minorities and an independent Institutional
Advisory Board. I...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10149303
- **Project number:** 5T32DK120521-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** DANIEL Holland BESSESEN
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $309,773
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10149303

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10149303, Research Training Program in Metabolism, Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (5T32DK120521-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10149303. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*