# Obesity & Gastrointestinal Surgery Research Training Program

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $307,020

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT
Overview: Obesity and gastrointestinal diseases are among the most common indications for surgery (e.g.,
bariatric surgery, gastroesophageal reflux, hernias, diverticulitis, etc…). However, there are considerably fewer
scientists studying these topics compared to other clinical areas (e.g., surgical oncology, vascular surgery,
transplantation), particularly among surgeon-scientists. This T32 grant, “Obesity & Gastrointestinal Surgery
Scientist Training Program” will integrate all aspects of obesity and gastrointestinal surgery research at the
University of Michigan – from “bench to beside, and practice to policy”— allowing us to address fundamental
questions in a multidisciplinary way1–7. This program will improve surgical research by integrating these various
scientific disciplines to produce significant cross-fertilization among scientists, clinicians, and health service
investigators on this critical topic. Enhanced training will increase the number of surgical investigators using
sophisticated approaches to these large-scale problems associated with surgical approaches to treat obesity and
gastrointestinal diseases. The University of Michigan is in a unique position to conduct post-doctoral T32
training program in obesity & gastrointestinal surgery that includes both basic mechanistic science and
clinical outcomes research. In additional to our existing strengths in obesity, metabolism, and outcomes
research, much of this work led by Randy Seeley, PhD, we believe the University of Michigan has an
unprecedented critical mass of scientists focusing on the intersection of obesity with gastrointestinal surgery.
Moreover, the University of Michigan is a national center of excellence in surgical outcomes and health services
research with a robust profile of work funded by NIH, AHRQ and PCORI. Justin B. Dimick, MD, MPH, the chair of
the Department of Surgery, leads this area of excellence, which includes the Center for Healthcare Outcomes &
Policy, the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative (MBSC), and the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative
(MSQC), statewide clinical data registry and quality improvement programs focused on obesity and gastrointestinal
surgery, respectively. There are numerous scientific training programs that focus on research on obesity and
gastrointestinal diseases. However, there are no programs specifically dedicated to preparing scientists and
surgeon-scientists for a career dedicated to studying surgery for obesity and gastrointestinal surgery, and
the intersection of these two important disease areas. Although this proposal will train both surgeon- scientists
and non-surgeon scientists (i.e., PhDs and non-surgery clinician scientists), there is an acute need for more
surgeon scientists in these fields. It is important to have scientifically trained surgeons who can ask important
questions and conduct meaningful research. Specifically, more obesity & gastrointestinal surgery scientists are
need...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10817696
- **Project number:** 5T32DK108740-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Justin Brigham Dimick
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $307,020
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-01 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10817696

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10817696, Obesity & Gastrointestinal Surgery Research Training Program (5T32DK108740-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10817696. Licensed CC0.

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