Enrichment Program

Abstract/Summary – Enrichment Program The overall goal of the Enrichment Program is to advance basic, clinical and translational research on nutrition and obesity by fostering scientific interchange among MNORC members and promoting training and development of students, fellows and junior investigators. To accomplish this goal, the Enrichment Program will: 1) Enrich the intellectual and educational environment for researchers in obesity and nutrition; 2) Support the development and expansion of the nutrition and obesity researcj through support of educational programs; 3) Engage and promote the advancement of researchers and trainees from a broad range of research areas; 4) Disseminate knowledge to the research community and to the public about the causes, consequences and treatments of obesity. Our primary venue for cross-disciplinary interaction is the annual MNORC symposium and poster session on cutting-edge topics in nutrition and obesity research that have implications for basic, clinical and public health researchers and their trainees across campus. Weekly research seminars on nutrition and obesity topics that attract MNORC members feature in-depth discussions of study design, statistical analysis and interpretation to support rigor and reproducibility in basic and translational research. The Enrichment Program also supports workshops and virtual trainings for MNORC research teams on measurement standardization, study design and best practices for recruitment and retention and data collection protocols in pediatric nutrition and obesity research. In addition, trainees (dietetic interns, medical and graduate students, fellows and allied health professionals) are provided supervised clinical internships in the MNORC Cores and Weight Management Program. Coursework in molecular/biochemical nutrition and nutritional epidemiology and interventions offered through the Department of Nutritional Sciences, in collaboration with Schools of Kinesiology and Medicine, has dramatically expanded opportunities to train future health professionals and nutrition researchers at undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. MNORC investigators routinely present their research in the Nutritional Sciences bi-weekly seminar, open to the entire UM community. New partnerships with area public schools, the SPH Pathways to Public Health program and the Michigan Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (M-SURE) will foster early engagement and training in research for students, supporting mentorship of a future workforce in nutrition and obesity. Enrichment program activities are integrated and coordinated through the Administrative Core, ensuring they support rigor and reproducibility across cores’ services and optimize coordination and interactions among nutrition and obesity researchers and trainees.