PROJECT SUMMARY
Metabolic disease is a massive worldwide health problem as illustrated by the current epidemics in obesity and
type 2 diabetes, which is especially prominent in the United States and showing no sign of abating. As such,
there is an urgent need for metabolism research to face this alarming situation. However, there are relatively
few training programs across the country specifically dedicated to the training of bright young predoctoral
researchers in metabolism at the systemic, cellular and molecular level. To address this need we have set up
the Molecular Metabolism Training Program (MMTP) at the University of Chicago, which incorporates the
Committee on Molecular Metabolism & Nutrition (CMMN) and thus is one of the few graduate programs in the
United States granting a PhD in molecular metabolism. A successful training program in metabolism requires a
multi- and inter-disciplinary approach, made up of researchers with a wide variety of technical skills and
research experience. The MMTP takes advantage of the marvelous and highly interactive biomedical
environment and strong traditions in metabolic and diabetes research at the University of Chicago. The trainers
in the MMTP, in whose laboratories MMTP trainees will conduct their research projects, have primary
appointments across many departments and sections of the Biological Sciences Division, but have a unifying
interest in understanding the causes and potential therapies for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, from molecular,
metabolic and/or immunologic viewpoints. Being interdepartmental, the MMTP pre-doctoral trainees can take
courses and gain experience in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Medicine,
Immunology, Physiology and Neurobiology with a required comprehensive specialized metabolism core-
curriculum. Trainees must also attend metabolism journal clubs, data sessions, seminar series, and an annual
multi-disciplinary retreat. Participation in National and International metabolism, diabetes and/or obesity
scientific meetings is expected. There is strong institutional support, as well as a significant allocation of new
research space and equipment for the MMTP. Many outstanding applicants currently apply to the CMMN and
Biomedical Science Cluster (Immunology, Microbiology and Cancer Biology), and the recruitment success rate
into these programs is high. Pre-doctoral trainees recently graduated from the CMMN have found postdoctoral
positions in foremost academic metabolism research laboratories and some have moved on to establish their
own academic research groups, which we expect to continue under the MMTP. The ultimate goal of the MMTP
is to set up young researchers on the path to become independent academic diabetes research scientists and
mentors themselves – dedicated to excellent scholarship and making breakthrough discoveries in that will lead
to new therapies to better treat, prevent and perhaps even cure these disorders.