Contact PD/PI: WEK, RONALD C PROJECT SUMMARY The Indiana University Diabetes and Obesity Training Program began in 1999 and has been funded by the NIDDK for twenty years, currently at the level of two pre-doctoral and two post-doctoral trainees per year. In addition, the program supports four medical students each summer who receive short-term training as part of the NIDDK Summer Medical Student Research Program. The goal of the Diabetes and Obesity Training Program is to provide excellent training in research relevant to diabetes, metabolism, and obesity to researchers at an early stage of their careers. This training program is led by two dedicated Co-Directors, Drs. R. Wek and C. Evans-Molina, who are assisted by outstanding Executive and Selection Committees, with oversight and guidance provided by an Advisory Committee of key internal advisors and world-renowned external advisors. Twenty-five faculty preceptors from ten departments and five degree granting programs participate as mentors in the program. This group of faculty has a strong training and research record and receives a total of $22.2M in annual direct research funding, with $5.3M of this support coming from NIDDK R- and K-grants and $0.87M from the JDRF and the ADA. In addition, this outstanding group of faculty has obtained $1.8M of U and P grant support from the NIDDK. Pre-doctoral students in the training program complete a Minor in Diabetes and Obesity, which includes a 2 credit Diabetes and Obesity course. Post-doctoral fellows also take this course. Students and post- doctoral fellows attend and present their research at the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases seminar series and at national meetings such as the ADA Scientific Sessions. To ensure contemporary and well-rounded training, scholars complete courses on the responsible conduct of research and rigor and reproducibility in research. Trainees attend a Grant Writing Workshop, where they develop skills to enable them to successfully apply for future grant funding. Training of scholars is guided by Individualized Development Plans and iterative Program Evaluation. The program is committed to promoting diversity in biomedical sciences and, in the past funding cycle, four of fourteen pre- and post-doctoral trainees and four of twenty one medical students were from historically marginalized backgrounds. By training pre-doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, and medical students in an environment and culture that provides strong multi-disciplinary support for diabetes research and an appreciation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, this program will educate trainees who have a sustained interest in diabetes and who will contribute significantly to the field. The Indiana University School of Medicine is an outstanding forum for such an initiative, as the School has strong traditions in diabetes research and patient care, as well as comprehensive research training. This program will continue to meet a crit...