Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism at the University of Minnesota is uniquely poised to become a premier research institute that is focused on advancing knowledge of the pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications through cutting edge research.
The mission of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (IDOM) is to enhance research quality by growing multidisciplinary collaborations in diabetes research by creating a rich environment that unites diabetes investigators through enrichment and training opportunities, to provide access to pilot funds, and to make cost-effective animal physiology services available to members of the IDOM. Our goal is to create the environment and infrastructure necessary to support funded diabetes investigators and the integration of their data into our greater understanding of the whole of diabetes.
We are committed to creating a research environment that supports fundamental projects designed to understand the basic biology of the disease and then translating these findings to humans. This commitment will ensure that our basic findings are relevant to the human model and support of the development of new ways to prevent and treat the disease and its complications.
Pilot and Feasibility
2023
Award Announcement for 2023 IDOM Pilot & Feasibility Program
The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism is pleased to announce the 2023 Pilot & Feasibility Grant was awarded to Dr. Igor Nestrasil (PI), Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, and Dr. Hossein Nazari (Co-PI), an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences.
They will receive $50,000 for Year 1 funding of their project entitled, "Early detection and monitoring of neurovascular degeneration in patients with diabetes by quantitative video-ophthalmoscopy and dynamic vessel analysis."
 Dr. Igor Nestrasil |
 Dr. Hossein Nazari |
2022
2022 Collaborative Iowa-Minnesota Pilot and Feasibility Grant is awarded to Drs. Ashutosh Mangalam, Hans-Joachim Lehmler, and Christina Camell for their project entitled "Environmental toxicant glyphosate synergizes with Western diet to induced obesity by increasing the gut microbial dysbiosis and adipose tissue inflammation”.
2022 University of Minnesota Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Pilot and Feasibility Grants were awarded to Dr. Alessandro Bartolomucci for his project entitled "Neuron-microglia communication mediated by the neuropeptide TLQP-21 and the Complement 3a Receptor 1: role in energy balance and obesity" and Dr. Amir Moheet for his project entitled "Efficacy and safety of SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin therapy in overweight and obese subjects with cystic fibrosis-related diabetes: a pilot study
2021
The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism is pleased to announce that Dr. Lisa Chow, from the Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, along with Co-PI, Dr. Rui Zhang, from the Institute for Health Informatics and the Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, are awarded $50,000 for FY22. Their project: "Use of a Mobile Food Record, Enhanced by a Novel Artificial Intelligence-Based Informatics Framework, to Expand Capture of Dietary Intake" Congratulations to our 2021 UMN/UI Collaborative Pilot & Feasibility (P&F) Grant Award Recipients!
2020
The first cycle of the IDOM P&F program was recently completed.
David Bernlohr from BMBB was awarded $50,000 for each of the next two years to complete the work described in his application, “Adipose Senescence and Type 2 Diabetes".
Doug Mashek, from BMBB and the Department of Medicine, along with Eric Taylor from the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Iowa were recipients of the collaborative award designed to support work lead by investigators at both UMN and UI. Their project, “Defining the role of lipid droplet-mitochondria interactions in spatiotemporal regulation of energy metabolism”, will be performed with the support of $100,000 funds over two years from the IDOM and $100,000 over two years from FOEDRC at the UI.
IDOM Equipment Fund
IDOM will consider requests to provide funds for the purchase of new multi-user equipment that will be utilized by two or more members of IDOM. The limit for IDOM supported equipment purchases is $10,000 but in unique circumstances greater levels of support may be considered. Request to provide funds to support service contracts of existing equipment are discouraged. Applications will be reviewed by the IDOM Executive Committee on a rolling basis and generally be completed within 3 weeks of receipt of application. For more information, please view the IDOM Equipment Fund.
Individuals applying for membership should submit a current CV and a cover letter to seaqu001@umn.edu with the subject IDOM membership request. The cover letter should include:
- Why the investigator wants to join the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- What expertise and research interests he/she brings, and
- An idea of the collaboration or research in which he/she would like to engage
The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (IDOM) provides various core services:
- The Physiology Core is designed to serve the bio-sciences to integrate disciplines by offering the opportunity for investigators to use highly specialized equipment to conduct their research and have access to highly skilled services and surgeries. The Physiology Core facility offers a wide range of mice cardio-metabolic physiology services in our state-of-the-art CCRB and Jackson Hall (JH) facilities (JH only for surgery).
- Metabolomics & Bioenergetics Core Services: IDOM’s Metabolomics and Bioenergetics Core is establishing a new internal grant program for IDOM members to utilize core services. This internal grant will provide funds to Assistant Professors to cover 50% of cost up to $10k; 30% of cost up to $10k to Associate Professors; and, 15% of cost up to $10k to Professors. The services available broadly cover metabolic profiling (Biocrates Platform), targeted metabolomics, and oxygen consumption measurements. A full listing of available analyses and further details can be found in the links below and will be discussed through consultation. To set up a consultation, please click this link.
- Biocrates Analysis: please coordinate these services through the Center for Metabolomics and Proteomics (CMSP) core facility & locate the ‘Services Tab’ on the CMSP page. When ready, send the bill to Chris Ebner at charo@umn.edu.
Post-Doctoral Training
In existence since 1977, the post-doctoral training program in diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism at the University of Minnesota has prepared MDs and PhDs for successful research careers in academic medicine. This preparation has centered upon the critical interaction between the trainee and the research mentor.
All mentors in this program have national or international reputations in their respective areas and have strong track records in mentoring. Our faculty have expertise in cellular metabolism and genetics; endocrinology and signaling; neurobiology and appetite regulation of obesity; stem cell biology, autoimmunity, and β-cell biology; and clinical aspects of endocrine disease.
Trainees enter the program after they have either completed a residency program in internal medicine or received a PhD in a biological science at a major research University. Graduates of the program are established at Universities and research institutions worldwide.
Upcoming Seminars and Enrichment Activities
- University of Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center Frontiers in Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism Lecture Series
Mondays at 1 PM
Members
Past IDOM-Sponsored Events
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Save-the-Date: 5th Big Ten Academic Alliance Lipid Symposium will be held on October 27, 2023 at the University of Iowa. Event details and registration
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Save-the-Date: 8th International Cell Senescence Association (ICSA) Conference will be held October 24-27, 2023 at the Graduate Hotel in Minneapolis, hosted by the Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism (iBAM) at the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging. Please consider submitting an abstract for oral and/or poster presentation for the 8th International Cell Senescence Association (ICSA) Conference. The two and a half day meeting will have sessions on senescent cell gene sets, technology for spatial mapping of senescent cells, beneficial versus detrimental senescent cells, novel senolytics, senescence and the immune system, senescence and diseases, clinical trials and more. More information regarding ICSA is available here: https://www.cellsenescence.info/
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On October 5, 2023, IDOM and the Diabetes T32 Research Training Program Co-Sponsored the Endocrine Citywide Conference - Guest Speaker: Satchin Panda, PhD, Professor, Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Sciences presenting "Optimum Circadian Rhythm and Time-Restricted Eating for Health Lifespan".
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The Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology's seminar on Thursday, 9/28/23 welcomes Randy J. Seeley, PhD, Henry King Ransom Endowed Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, giving a talk entitled "What bariatric surgery teaches us about the role of the gut in metabolic disease." This IBP seminar will be held in-person at CCRB 1-125 from noon-1 PM.
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UMN Diabetes Research Day, Friday, June 2, 2023.
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Integrative Biology & Physiology (IBP) 6th Annual Undergraduate Symposium: A Celebration of Research & Scholarship will be held in-person on April 26, 2023, 9:45 AM to Noon in CCRB 1-125/CCRB Atrium. Scholars will present their projects via poster and oral presentations. For more information about the event, contact Andrew Johnson at joh07644@umn.edu.
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15th Annual Midwest Islet Club, Minneapolis, MN, May 24-25, 2023 sponsored by IDOM. Event Flyer | Save the Date
- The Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics and the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism proudly sponsor the Goldberg Lecture: "Adventures in Adipose Biology" presented by Dr. Evan D. Rosen on March 15, 2023, 4 PM, 2-137 Jackson Hall and via Zoom. Event Flyer
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Citywide Conference, March 30, 2023: Presentation by Rachel J. Perry, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cellular & Molecular Physiology and Internal Medicine (Endocrinology), Yale School of Medicine, entitled "Bench to Bedside: Identifying New Metabolic Vulnerabilities in Renal Cell Carcinoma.
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2023 Pilot & Feasibility Program- Award Announcement 🗎