A key priority of the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence (DOCE) is to train the next generation of researchers who will advance understanding of the causes and consequences of diabetes, obesity and related metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Training programs within the DOCE are supported by two NIH T32 Research Training Grants awarded to faculty in the Department of Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, and they draw upon extraordinary institutional strengths, including breadth in both medicine and science and a friendly and supportive environment that values diversity and emphasizes mentorship.
To further our research training mission, the DOCE conducts two research training conferences each week, in which students and fellows have the opportunity to present their work and ideas to a large group consisting of scientific peers and mentors, for evaluation and feedback. One of these conferences is conducted jointly with metabolism researchers from the Seattle Veterans Affairs Hospital.
Mandatory ‘in-house’ grant review constitutes another key component of the DOCE research training program. Through this process, all research grant proposals from DOCE faculty and trainees are reviewed by two local faculty members in advance of the submission date. Thus, applicants receive critical feedback to help them optimize the competitiveness of their proposals before they are submitted for formal review, while also learning fundamentals of grantsmanship.