Increasing Diversity in the Nutrition, Obesity, and Diabetes Biomedical Workforce: The BRIDGES Consortium

Robert L Newton Jr; Peter T Katzmarzyk; O Kenrik Duru; Anna Lee; Ashley Irwin; Carol M Mangione; Natalia E Morone; Elimelda Moige Ongeri; Saame Raza Shaikh; Fatima Cody Stanford; Takara L Stanley; Kimberly Parker Truesdale; BRIDGES Consortium

doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.12.011

Increasing Diversity in the Nutrition, Obesity, and Diabetes Biomedical Workforce: The BRIDGES Consortium

Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Dec 16:S0002-9165(24)01437-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.12.011. Online ahead of print.

Collaborators

BRIDGES Consortium:
Takara Stanley¹⁰, Natalia Morone¹⁰, Fatima Cody Stanford¹⁰, Matthew Fox¹⁰, Yvette Cozier¹⁰, LaPrincess C Brewer¹⁰, Marissa Hankins¹⁰, Robert L Newton Jr¹¹, Peter T Katzmarzyk¹¹, Corby K Martin¹¹, Ursula White¹¹, Casie Lindsly¹¹, Robbie Beyl¹¹, Kara Denstel¹¹, Obidiugwu K Duru¹², Carol M Mangione¹², Andrea Hevener¹², Tannaz Moin¹², Claudio Villanueva¹², Lauren Wisk¹², Fidelia Sillas¹², Saame Raza Shaikh¹³, Kimberly Truesdale¹³, Marc Cook¹³, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis¹³, Elimelda Moige Ongeri¹³, Michael Olivier¹³, Bryan Batch¹³, David D'Alessio¹³, Jill Keith¹³, Jason O'Briant¹³, Anna Lee¹³, Jessica Han¹³, Tina Brinkley¹³, Rossana Roberts¹³, Abisola Osinuga¹³, Guarav Dave¹³, Ashley Irwin¹³, Erika Rezeli¹³

Affiliations

¹ Population and Public Health Sciences, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Population and Public Health Sciences, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
³ Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
⁴ Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC.
⁵ Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
⁶ Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
⁷ Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.
⁸ Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Weight Center, Department of Medicine-Division of Endocrinology-Neuroendocrine, Department of Pediatrics-Division of Endocrinology, Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Boston, MA.
⁹ Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General for Children and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
¹⁰ Creating Opportunities for Underrepresented Researchers to Achieve Growth and Excellence (COURAGE), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston Medical Center/Boston University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus.
¹¹ The Louisiana Center for Advancing Underrepresented Scientists Careers in Health, Nutrition, Obesity, and Disparities Research (LAUNCHED), Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
¹² Leveraging Institutional Support for Talented, Underrepresented Physicians or Scientists (LIFT-UP), University of California Los Angeles.
¹³ Supporting, Promoting, and Launching the Expansion of Nutrition, Diabetes, and Obesity Researchers in North Carolina (SPLENDOR NC), University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Duke University, Winston Salem State University, Wake Forest University, and North Carolina Central University.

PMID: 39694443
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.12.011

Abstract

Scientists from diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in academia. This lack of diversity impedes scientific discovery and innovation. Underrepresented (UR) scientists tend to conduct research on issues relevant to underrepresented populations, including chronic disease prevention and management, and health disparities. Difficulty in attaining grant funding is a major barrier preventing UR scientists from remaining in academia. Programs designed to provide UR scientists with career development training can help increase the number of UR scientists who obtain grant funding. These programs have shown some level of success, yet none have been specifically designed to target scientists conducting research pertaining to the interests of the National Institute for Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disorders (NIDDK). Herein, the Bringing Resources to Increase Diversity, Growth, Equity, and Scholarship for Obesity, Nutrition, and Diabetes Research (BRIDGES) consortium is described. BRIDGES is the first program that has been funded by the NIDDK designed to increase the success rate of UR scientists competing for and obtaining funding related to nutrition, obesity, and diabetes. Four programs across the country, located in California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Louisiana, were funded in 2022. By design, some programmatic elements are shared across each of the funded programs, including mentoring and a pilot and feasibility funding program. There are also elements that are specific to each individual program. The BRIDGES program is expected to impact a substantial number of UR scientists who are then likely to have an influence on nutrition, obesity, diabetes and health disparities research, shaping NIH priorities, and future scientists conducting NIDDK-related research.

Keywords: Diversity; National Institutes of Health; career development; diabetes; nutrition; obesity; workforce.