# Graduate Training in Nutrition

> **NIH NIH T32** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $319,578

## Abstract

We are requesting continued funding of our T32 training grant DK007647 “Graduate Training in Nutrition” to
support our predoctoral program in Nutritional and Metabolic Biology. The overall goal of our program is to
train individuals to become leading investigators in the field of nutritional sciences who will contribute
substantially to modern biomedical research. The program is housed in the Institute of Human Nutrition at
Columbia University Irving Medical Center. It is directed by Dr. Debra J. Wolgemuth (PI) and Co-Directors
(Co-PIs) Drs. Anthony W. Ferrante and Lori M. Zeltser. This training program is broadly focused on the
nutritional and metabolic sciences. The required didactic training consists of graduate level basic science and
nutrition courses, and all PhD students participate in the Doctoral Seminar and Reviews in Nutrition course
throughout their residence in the training program. All the training faculty have laboratory-based basic science
research programs focused on nutrients or nutrition-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity, or
cardiometabolic disease. Although training focused on basic nutritional research, the program also provides a
broad education in clinical and public health nutrition.
The program consists of a highly structured didactic component and a mentored research component. Support
from this grant was the key ingredient that allowed this training program in nutrition to grow from 6 PhD
students and 11 faculty in 1989 to its present steady-state size of ~30 PhD students and 38 faculty. For the
previous grant period, we received support for 6 Ph.D. students per year. Because of the growth and
achievements of our training program, we are requesting continued support for 6 PhD students per year in this
renewal application.
The initial stages of the program provide comprehensive, structured training in modern biomedical research
with a focus on nutrition and nutrition-related questions. Next, trainees are provided with rigorous mentored
research training. This research training takes place in the research groups of one of the productive and well-
funded independent scientists who comprise the training faculty. The data and narrative provided within this
application demonstrate that we are very successfully training individuals committed to careers in research,
teaching, and related professions with the fundamental knowledge, skills, and experience that are needed for
developing successful, independent nutritional sciences research careers in the 21st Century.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10887599
- **Project number:** 5T32DK007647-35
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Anthony W Ferrante
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $319,578
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1990-09-15 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10887599

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10887599, Graduate Training in Nutrition (5T32DK007647-35). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10887599. Licensed CC0.

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