Enrichment Program Offerings

The Diabetes Research Center oversees the Diabetes and Metabolism Enrichment Program. This program is jointly sponsored by the Diabetes Research Center, UW Diabetes Institute and Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute, together with participation from other local centers, particularly the Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason and this program comprises:

Diabetes and Metabolism Seminar Series

This seminar series is held during the academic year. Speakers and topics are selected within areas of clinical and basic research reflecting the Diabetes Research Center research base, specifically: pathogenesis of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, islet biology, insulin resistance, body weight regulation and obesity pathogenesis, lipotoxicity and inflammation, lipids and lipoproteins, diabetes complications and atherosclerosis.

The current seminar series schedule is available here. Please contact Enrichment Program Director Rebecca Hull with suggestions for future speakers.

Kroc Scholar Lecture

This is a highlight of the seminar series, and is supported by the Kroc Endowment. This named lectureship provides an annual opportunity for highly recognized outside speaker from around the world to spend two to three days in Seattle, interacting with affiliates of the Diabetes Research Center and other sponsoring institutions. Past Kroc Scholars are listed here.

Annual DRC-NORC Research Retreat

This long-standing day-long retreat is usually held in the fall. The retreat features junior investigators, with speakers including recent recipients of Diabetes Research Center (DRC) and Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) Awards and Diabetes Research Center-administered fellowships (see Funding Opportunities for more information), along with a poster session for fellows and trainees. Diabetes Research Center and Nutrition Obesity Research Center directors present updates for both centers, highlighting new services provided by their biomedical cores. Core directors are on hand to meet with affiliates regarding existing and new projects. The Diabetes Research Center-Nutrition Obesity Research Center Rising Star Lecture showcases an up-and-coming faculty member, who has previously been the recipient of Diabetes Research Center or Nutrition Obesity Research Center pilot funding and has developed a nationally-recognized independent research program. Finally, a visiting Keynote Speaker is featured each year to provide a state-of-the-art lecture in the field of diabetes/obesity research. Past Diabetes Research Center-Nutrition Obesity Research Center Rising Star Lecturers and Keynote Speakers are listed here.

Annual Diabetes and Metabolism Symposium

This annual full-day symposium is the flagship event of the Enrichment Program. The theme of this symposium rotates each year, with emphasis on covering “hot topics” and emerging areas of cutting-edge diabetes research, and on areas of particular interest to our research base. The symposium features platform presentations by local faculty and prominent national/international speakers. The day-long program comprises formal lectures, with sufficient time set aside for questions and active group discussions with each speaker, and features a lunchtime session of short talks by trainees. Visiting speakers usually spend at least one additional day in Seattle, in order to interact with Diabetes Research Center affiliates and those of other sponsoring centers.

Poll Type 1 Diabetes and Immunology Symposium

The Poll Visiting Scholar program is supported by an endowment from Harvey and Judy Poll with the goal of bringing preeminent researchers working in type 1 diabetes to Seattle each year. This program, along with the Benaroya Research Institute, jointly sponsors an annual half-day symposium. This event features three speakers from around the Seattle area, undertaking basic or clinical research in the areas of type 1 diabetes or immunology, followed by the Poll Lecture as the keynote address. Past Poll Lecturers are listed here.