# MSRP in Metabolism, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases

> **NIH NIH T35** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2021 · $78,911

## Abstract

This is a competitive renewal of the Medical Student Research Program in Metabolism, Diabetes, Digestive and
Kidney Diseases (MSRP-MDDK) at the University of Utah’s (UU) School of Medicine T35. To meet the healthcare
challenges on which NIDDK focuses, it is essential that we nurture and expand the physician-scientist workforce,
preparing medical students from all areas of the US to become tomorrow’s physician-scientists. The MSRP-
MDDK offers opportunities to students with limited access to research training in the mountain west from the
Schools of Medicine at the Universities of Utah (UU), Nevada at Reno (UNR), and students from the western
Institutional Development Award (IDeA) states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Over the past 2 decades, the UU Health Sciences has built a dynamic research community that addresses the
full range of NIDDK health-related issues, with a particular emphasis on diabetes and metabolism. Faculty
members’ grant-funded research spans the continuum of T0-T4 translational science, is supported by numerous
institutional programs, and faculty have extensive experience in successfully mentoring trainees. Thus, the UU
Health Sciences is an ideal location to offer outstanding short-term research experiences to medical students.
With NIDDK funding, the MSRP-MDDK at the UU was launched in 2015. Since 2015, 58 medical students have
completed the MSRP-MDDK program. While many MSRP-MDDK trainees are still completing their medical
training, our initial cohort of trainees have started post-graduate subspecialty training at prestigious, research
intensive, academic centers. Other indicators of this programs’ success include; a high participation rate (96%),
best poster awarded at student research symposiums, student participation in national research conferences,
numerous abstract and manuscript publications in peer reviewed journals, and matriculation into our MD/PhD
program. From a mentoring perspective, many of our junior faculty, previously considered emerging mentors,
have been promoted to full mentors based on their exceptional academic and research accomplishments.
The goal and objectives of the UU MSRP-MDDK are: Goal: Ignite a life-long interest in conducting research in
metabolism, diabetes, digestion, hematologic or kidney disease while also building students’ skills in creative
and critical thinking. Objective 1 Engage 12 medical students/year in foundational and translational science
discoveries taking place at the UU. Objective 2 Expose trainees to NIDDK-associated research opportunities
spanning the translational research spectrum (T0 to T4). Objective 3 Stimulate the development of trainees’
creative and critical thinking skills. These goals and objectives are achieved through participation in our innovative
10-week summer research program between the students’ first and second years of medical school.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10205910
- **Project number:** 2T35DK103596-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** SIMON J FISHER
- **Activity code:** T35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $78,911
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2015-03-01 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10205910

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10205910, MSRP in Metabolism, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2T35DK103596-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10205910. Licensed CC0.

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