The Yale Diabetes Research Center (Yale DRC) was established in 1993 with the goal of promoting research in diabetes and related metabolic disorders at Yale. The Yale DRC brings together a multidisciplinary group of 97 members and professional supporting staff, new investigators and research trainees from 20 departments and 4 colleges or schools at Yale. The scope of the research activities of the membership is very broad, ranging from basic molecular biology to whole body physiology and the treatment of diabetic patients. The members, however, share a common interest in research that is related to diabetes and disorders of metabolism or is fundamental to understanding its pathogenesis or for the development of new treatment strategies. The design of the Yale DRC is aimed at developing an infrastructure that could serve as a catalyst to stimulate innovative diabetes and metabolic-related research. The cornerstone of the Yale DRC is its five Research Cores that provide funded basic and clinical investigators with the opportunity to more efficiently utilize resources and expand the scope of their research programs. The Clinical Metabolism and the Diabetes Translational Research Cores facilitate metabolic research in patients, whereas the Molecular Genetics Mouse Core, Physiology and Cell Biology Cores that comprise the more basic science focus of the Yale DRC offer investigators the tools to create and test novel animal models starting from the molecule and ending with biological outcomes. The principal functions of the Yale DRC Administrative Core are: 1) Administrative and Financial Management, 2) Provision of Research Support Services, 3) Administration of the Pilot and Feasibility Project Program, 4) Provision of a Scientific Enrichment Program and a Yale DRC Vibrant Program to promote diversity in diabetes research. The overarching goals of the Yale DRC Administrative Core is to enable the Yale DRC to meet its mission to: 1) stimulate multidisciplinary interactions, particularly between basic and clinical scientists at Yale; 2) encourage established Yale investigators not presently working in diabetes-related areas, to bring their expertise to bear on problems relevant to diabetes and metabolism; 3) efficiently organize time consuming and/or costly techniques through Yale DRC Core facilities to enhance the productivity of investigators conducting research in diabetes related areas; 4) promote new research programs through pilot feasibility projects; 5) enhance the quality of research training of future Yale DRC members, and 6) create a stimulating institutional environment that enhances research efforts by its members to develop new strategies to prevent and treat diabetes and related metabolic disorders at the local and national level. Thus, the Yale DRC provides the infrastructure to support a wide spectrum of clinical and basic scientists who are working collaboratively to understand why diabetes develops, and to translate discoveries from ...