# Obesity Research Center Training Grant

> **NIH NIH T32** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2020 · $227,113

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This T32 post-doctoral training program, now in its 26th year, provides 2-3 years of fellowship designed to
prepare physicians and PhDs for investigative careers in the area of obesity. Of the 24 fellows trained during
the past 15 years, 83% are in research (academic, industry) positions related to obesity and allied disorders.
Our Specific Aim is to train promising young scientists to become independent investigators focusing on
obesity-related issues. Our long-term objective is to increase the investigator pool working on the biology of
obesity and its co-morbidities. This program has important national implications since obesity is now one of the
foremost health problems facing America, imposing growing costs in terms of human suffering, health care and
productivity. There is a critical dearth of well-trained young investigators. We provide a structured curriculum in
the first 2 years, in combination with a research experience emphasizing basic laboratory and/or translational
research. Post-doctoral fellows are appointed at Columbia University, enabling access to a wide array of formal
courses throughout the University. The T32 has specified course requirements that are attuned to the specific
training undertaken and previous experience. Examples have included experimental design and advanced
biostatistics. Fellows participate in seminars of obesity, diabetes, nutrition and other bioscience centers of the
University. Trainees elect to work with a faculty member at Columbia and are incorporated into the
investigative program of mentors at the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center. The faculty's
multidisciplinary nature (physicians, biochemists, cell biologists, pathologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, and
geneticists) allows a multi-disciplinary approach by the trainees. Strong collaborative ties among the training
faculty make this possible. Trainees have access to the entire spectrum of research tools in obesity biology,
ranging from structural/cell biology through clinical investigation. Trainees are (1) physicians who have
completed 3 to 5 years of post-graduate clinical training, (2) recent PhD (or equivalent) recipients in disciplines
including (but not limited) to genetics, biochemistry, nutrition, psychology, physiology, neuroendocrinology,
neuroscience, or pharmacology. Individuals are selected on the basis of their demonstrated competence in
medical and/or graduate school, recommendations of their faculties and consideration of the degree to which
their research interests are congruent with those of the Columbia faculty. All trainees must be pursuing an
investigative career in obesity (including its complications) eating disorders, or appetitive behavior. An
Individual Development Plan is created for each trainee and is monitored by a Scholarly Oversight Committee.
Great effort is expended to maintain minority diversity in the program. Each of the participating faculty
laboratories (n=22) is well equip...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9970458
- **Project number:** 5T32DK007559-30
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** DYMPNA GALLAGHER
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $227,113
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-07-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9970458

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9970458, Obesity Research Center Training Grant (5T32DK007559-30). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9970458. Licensed CC0.

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