# Creating diverse communities in support of diabetes and metabolism research

> **NIH NIH K26** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $78,468

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Career development in addition to mentorship, sponsorship and allyship are key aspects needed for trainees
as they navigate through training and in their future careers. This K26 application seeks to directly support Dr.
Singer’s effort to engage in direct research mentorship as well as developing and supporting a mentorship and
learning community for trainees engaged in diabetes, obesity and metabolism research. Dr. Singer’s research
in equity and career development along with engaged roles in diversity, equity and inclusion and graduate and
faculty development uniquely poise her engage in the aims of this proposal. Aim 1 – Mentoring scientists to
perform mechanistic research investigating sex differences in meta-inflammation and understand
mechanisms of myeloid inflammation in adolescent metabolic disease. Dr. Singer will focus on recruiting
and mentoring at least two graduate students or postdoctoral researchers within her laboratory, with additional
support for equitable recruiting and focus on trainee career development. Aim 2 – Supporting graduate
students and postdoctoral fellows in a learning community within the pipeline of NIDDK supported
research efforts. The University of Michigan Diabetes Research Center and Michigan Nutrition Obesity
Research Center provide opportunities for trainee engagement and encompass a large, diverse group of
trainees. With this community we are poised to create a learning community with peer mentorship. This award
will support Dr. Singer’s continued development as a mentor and leader, supporting trainees from diverse
backgrounds including under-represented groups. Creating this supportive training embedded in a targeted
research area has the potential for long-lasting and sustained career development of cohorts impacting
diabetes and obesity. Hence this support will go beyond the mentoring of individuals to developing future
opportunities and leaders in the field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10918251
- **Project number:** 5K26DK138307-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Kanakadurga Singer
- **Activity code:** K26 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $78,468
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10918251

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10918251, Creating diverse communities in support of diabetes and metabolism research (5K26DK138307-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10918251. Licensed CC0.

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