Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research

Project Summary/Abstract - Overall
The Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research (MCDTR) supports 110 current members,
regional, national, and international collaborators, and aims to engage and support new members in multiple
disciplines to conduct T2-T4 diabetes research with a specific emphasis on novel approaches to measure and
improve health equity. Over past years, the MCDTR has expanded its research base focused on community
and health system interventions that span T2-T4 translation. There is a great need now to support new
research evaluating novel approaches to improve health equity in diabetes prevention and management and to
incorporate rigorous measurement of and innovative strategies to improve health equity within all our
members' research. We aim to promote research that supports the development, implementation, evaluation,
and dissemination of effective interventions, programs, and policies that improve health outcomes and equity.
The MCDTR will:1) Raise awareness of and interest in T2-T4 translational research in diabetes and create an
environment that supports important and innovative research; 2) Foster and help sustain multidisciplinary,
novel, and cross-sectoral collaborations, including with multiple health and social service organizations where
appropriate to advance emerging scientific areas of translational and health equity research; 3) Provide core
services to support members’ research programs using best practices in translational and health equity
research; 4) Through enrichment, pilot and feasibility grant, and other programs, attract, develop, and support
early and other researchers to conduct research that improves diabetes prevention, treatment, population
health, and health equity.
The Center supports four cores. The Administration Core maintains the Research Base and is responsible
for the MCDTR's direction, functioning, finances, and web site. It administers the Pilot and Feasibility Study
Grants Program, the Enrichment Program, and the Cross-Sectoral Collaborations initiative that fosters and
sustains partnerships between MCDTR investigators and multiple sectoral partners that span local and state
health departments, federally qualified health centers, and community organizations. The Evaluation Methods
and Intervention Strategies Core focuses on cutting-edge design and analysis methods and technology-based
approaches to intervention delivery, cross-sectoral communication, and outreach to improve access of and
ongoing support to populations facing health disparities. The Addressing Social and Behavioral Determinants
of Health Core provides expertise on state-of-the art approaches to identify, measure, and meet unmet socio-
economic needs and design interventions and policies that effectively address both social and behavioral
determinants of improved diabetes and population health outcomes. The Leveraging Community, Family, and
Peer Support Core helps investigators design and evaluate novel intervention approaches that effectively
mobilize and evaluate different types and combinations of community, family, and peer support to both address
social needs and support healthy behaviors to improve diabetes prevention, management, and equity.