Interdisciplinary Bioengineering Research Training in Diabetes

PROJECT SUMMARY Diabetes is a global heath epidemic affecting >500M people worldwide. Even with rigorous management increased risk for diabetic complications remains. Bioengineering approaches are providing innovate technologies that are overcoming the current limitations in diagnostics, treatments and cures for diabetes and complications. However, there is a shortage of a skilled scientific workforce able to work on these developments. The University of Colorado is uniquely capable to host this innovative program - Bioengineering Interdisciplinary Training for Diabetes Research - to train future scientists with the skills and knowledge to solve existing and future problems in diabetes research and clinical care. This includes worldrenowned research and clinical programs in diabetes; exceptional engineering research and training programs; and bioengineering research and training that is fully integrated with the Medical campus. The primary goals for the next phase of this program are: 1 ). To attract high-quality trainees with engineering/quantitative backgrounds; 2). To provide in-depth, multi-disciplinary research training for predoctoral trainees integrating bioengineering and diabetes; and 3). To prepare trainees for transition to individual fellowships and research careers in academia or industry. To achieve these goals, our research training follows 3 core principles: a). That a successful bioengineering career requires an intrinsically multidisciplinary approach, with scientists equipped with skills covering a broad variety of fields; b). That successful training of these scientists will require constant interactions between trainees and crossdisciplinary mentors at all levels of research; and c). That developing such scientists requires an institutional environment with breadth and depth, established interactions between engineering and clinical science, and faculty committed to this training. This innovative research training program combines didactic and hands on coursework, lab-based research, clinical experiences and career skills. Research areas focus on true strengths at the institution in which established interactions between bioengineering and diabetes are present, including biomarkers and therapeutic interventions for diabetes and complications; immune engineering; clinical trials; imaging diagnostics for diabetes and complications; and computational methods for diabetes management and artificial pancreas. We achieved excellent outcomes during the previous funding period, including recruiting high quality trainees; trainees publishing extensively and receiving fellowships; and graduating and continuing into research careers. These outcomes; the depth of expertise in diabetes and engineering research; the significant institutional support; and the extensive facilities available make a compelling argument to continue to fund such a program at the University of Colorado.