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
2024
The 2024 cycle of the Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) grant program for studies related to diabetes and obesity is in progress. Funding for one application from a University of Minnesota PI will be awarded up to $50,000 for a single year award to cover direct costs. The awardee will be announced in February 2025.
2023
University of Minnesota Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Pilot and Feasibility Grant was awarded to Drs. Igor Nestrasil (PI) and Hossein Nazari (Co-PI) for their project titled, "Early detection and monitoring of neurovascular degeneration in patients with diabetes by quantitative video-ophthalmoscopy and dynamic vessel analysis."
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected].
Training Opportunities
Diabetes T32 Research Training Program
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.
MN PRIMED
MN PRIMED is financially supported by NIH NIDDK, IBP, BMBB, Department of Surgery, IDOM and the Dean’s Office of University of Minnesota Medical School.
The Mission of the MN Postbaccalaureate Readiness in Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes has three goals: Enhance doctoral readiness by providing meaningful and extraordinary experiences in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (DEM); Provide career development activities and coursework aimed at enhancing research and professional skills; and Facilitate paths to graduate program admission (PhD, MD/PhD).
Thus, the central goal of our program is to enhance the Scholars readiness for graduate school during a two-year postbaccalaureate period. We define readiness along four different Axis: (1) Laboratory Competence; (2) Communication and Tools of Science; (3) Graduate Program Entrance; and (4) Navigating Graduate School and succeeding in Ph.D. programs related to diabetes research.
Seminars and Enrichment Activities
Seminars/Events
-
The Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology's seminar on Thursday, 1/30/25 welcomes Tony Lam, PhD, Professor & Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Diabetes Obesity, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute & University of Toronto, Associate Director of Research, Banting and Best Diabetes Centre, giving a talk entitled "Metabolic impact of the small intestine, kidney and the brain." This IBP seminar will be held in-person from noon-1 pm in CCRB 1-125.
Past IDOM-Sponsored Events
-
5th Big Ten Academic Alliance Lipid Symposium will be held on October 27, 2023 at the University of Iowa. Event details and registration
-
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/
-
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".
-
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.
-
UMN Diabetes Research Day, Friday, June 2, 2023.
-
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 [email protected].
-
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
-
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.
-
April 18, 2024 – IDOM will sponsor this Endocrine Citywide Conference for invited speaker, Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jack, who is the A.C. Mullins Endowed Professor, Chief of Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and the Director of the Clinical Research Center at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
-
Save-the-Date: June 7, 2024, 9 AM to 2 PM – Diabetes Research Day (in-person event) will be co-sponsored by IDOM and UMN DEM T32. This annual event features the Lazarow Lecture with invited speaker, Dr. Philipp Scherer, an internationally recognized expert in adipose tissue biology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Submit an abstract for oral presentation – trainee submissions are especially welcome.
-
March 21, 2024 – IDOM will Co-Sponsor this IBP Seminar for invited speaker, Dr. Lori Sussel, Research Director of the Barbara Davis Diabetes Center (BDC) and Director of the University of Colorado Diabetes Research Center
IDOM Co-sponsored the following:
- The Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology's seminar on Thursday, 3/21/2024 welcomes Dr. Lori Sussel, Research Director, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes at the University of Colorado, giving a talk entitled "“RNA processing regulates pancreatic islet function." This IBP seminar will be held in-person at CCRB 1-125 from noon-1 PM.
- The Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology's seminar on Thursday, 11/4/23 welcomes Dr. Amelia Linnemann, University of Indiana, giving a talk entitled "A Versatile, Portable Intravital Microscopy Platform for Studying Beta-cell Biology In Vivo." This IBP seminar will be held in-person at CCRB 1-125 from noon-1 PM.
- Integrative Biology & Physiology (IBP) 7th Annual Undergraduate Symposium: A Celebration of Research & Scholarship will be held in-person on April 24, 2024, 9:45 AM to Noon in CCRB 1-125/CCRB Atrium. Scholars will present their projects via poster and oral presentations.