News Around NIDDK

Recent college graduates explore careers in science at NIDDK

By Rebekah Mikeasky

For some undergraduate students, navigating professional life after college can feel daunting, especially if they lack the work experience and mentorship that can be helpful in choosing a career path. Even for students pursuing fields in science, deciding which direction to take can be challenging. The NIDDK Distinguished Postbaccalaureate Scholars Program (DPSP) aims to ease that transition by helping trainees explore and build their careers while working with NIDDK scientists.

Launched in 2022, DPSP gives recent college graduates an opportunity to pursue full-time research for one to two years at NIDDK’s Bethesda, Maryland, or Phoenix, Arizona, locations, while supporting and promoting a diverse, inclusive environment. Accepted applicants are provided one-on-one career mentoring with members of the Fellowship Office and NIDDK investigators.

“We meet regularly with the trainees in our cohort to discuss what they need to do to pursue the next step of their scientific career, whether that’s an M.D., a Ph.D., or a policy-related career,” said Dr. Angel de la Cruz Landrau, director of the Fellowship Office.

Conducting research and receiving mentorship from NIDDK investigators gives trainees the opportunity to reflect on their career interests. Dr. Susan Buchanan, deputy scientific director of NIDDK’s Division of Intramural Research, chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and DPSP mentor, recalled, “One trainee in our program originally wanted to pursue an M.D., but, because of her experience with DPSP, changed her mind and decided to do an M.D.-Ph.D. instead.”

For Ashley Bolds, a member of the 2023 cohort, DPSP has been instrumental in shaping her career trajectory. “During my first year, I wasn’t sure if I would apply to medical school. I felt overwhelmed and stressed with the process, but I went to the Fellowship Office, spoke to the staff, and together, we came up with a plan on how to effectively study for the MCAT. It was incredibly helpful,” Bolds said. Currently, Bolds is studying mice as a sepsis model for human disease while working in the lab of Dr. Robert A. Star, director of NIDDK’s Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases and a section chief in the Kidney Diseases Branch.

DPSP participants are matched with a mentor or research group after being accepted to the program. The application period opens annually in September, with between five to eight applicants accepted each year. As one part of DPSP’s application process, candidates must submit a statement describing their understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) issues in academia, their philosophy to promote DEIA in scientific fields, and their past involvement in at least one DEIA initiative. This component aligns with NIDDK’s longstanding commitment to uphold DEIA principles, with the understanding that diversity fosters scientific discovery and innovation.

Bringing DEIA-oriented trainees and principal investigators together, DPSP seeks to cultivate a supportive environment where trainees from different backgrounds can share their experiences and acquire new perspectives on science. The support and attention Bolds has received from her cohort, as well as her mentors and Fellowship Office staff, are her favorite part of the program.

“We can discuss our challenges and needs openly and know that someone has our best interests at heart,” she said. “DPSP has really helped me understand what each career path looks like. With the leadership skills I have gained through DPSP, I feel no matter where I end up – I have the skills to carry me forward.”

As a DPSP mentor, Buchanan shares Bolds’ enthusiasm. “Working with such a talented group of young people from so many different backgrounds makes you confident the future of science and medicine will be great,” she said.

Visit the NIDDK Distinguished Postbaccalaureate Scholars Program page for more information, including frequently asked questions and a list of participating mentors in 2025.

NIDDK kicks off 75th anniversary

NIDDK is embarking on a year-long commemoration of the Institute’s 75th anniversary in 2025, marking decades of advancing scientific knowledge and improving public health.

“I am excited to celebrate NIDDK’s 75th anniversary and the many people who’ve made possible our contributions to science, research, and health,” noted NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers in his anniversary message.

To honor this milestone, NIDDK is launching a video series highlighting the Institute’s impact on public health. The first video premiered at the September NIDDK Advisory Council meeting and is available on YouTube. Videos featuring NIDDK’s intramural and extramural research programs will release next year.

Throughout 2025, NIDDK will reflect on its accomplishments while looking ahead to future innovations. We invite you to learn about the Institute’s rich history and ongoing commitment to advancing research and health for all.

The 75th anniversary webpage will serve as central hub for information about the commemoration, including upcoming events, related publications, and historical highlights. Be sure to visit regularly for updates.

Emerging NIDDK grantees share their diabetes and obesity research

Left to right: Dr. William Cefalu, Director of the NIDDK Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, NIDDK; Dr. Evanna Mills; Dr. Eldin Jašarević; Dr. Claire Crew; Dr. C. Ronald Kahn; and Dr. Rafael Arrojo e Drigo.

At the Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 2024) in June, NIDDK hosted an early-career investigator symposium to showcase emerging leaders and rising stars who are working on discovering new pathways of inter-organ communications in diabetes and obesity research. The session was chaired by Dr. C. Ronald Kahn of the Joslin Diabetes Center and featured presentations on various topics related to tissue cross-talk, including extracellular vesicles, metabolites, gut microbiota-derived signals, and mitochondria transfers. Presenters included four assistant professors who have all received career development (K) and/or Research (R) or equivalent awards from NIH: Dr. Rafael Arrojo e Drigo, Vanderbilt University; Dr. Clair Crewe, Washington University in St. Louis; Dr. Evanna Mills, Harvard University; and Dr. Eldin Jašarevic, University of Pittsburgh Magee-Women’s Research Institute.

Early and midcareer investigators present on new methods for social support in diabetes management

Left to right: Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, NIDDK Director; Dr. Teaniese Davis; Dr. Miranda Broadney, NIDDK Program Director; Dr. Lindsay Mayberry; Dr. William Cefalu, NIDDK Director of the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases; Dr. Daniel Tilden; Dr. Maureen Monaghan Center, NIDDK Program Director; Dr. Brittany Smalls.

NIDDK hosted a symposium featuring early and midcareer career investigators at the 84th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in June. The symposium focused on innovative methods and interventions aimed at leveraging social support to improve diabetes self-management and health outcomes. The investigators, listed below, received NIH funding from a variety of sources include the NIDDK DiabDocs K12 Physician Scientist Development Program, K26 Midcareer Investigators Award, and Early Stage Investigator research project grant program (R01).

• Dr. Daniel Tilden, assistant professor, University of Kansas Medical Center, presented on a novel assessment technique for caregiver-adolescent interactions and associations with psychosocial outcomes among adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
• Dr. Brittany Smalls, associate professor, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, presented on the evaluation of social network structures in rural-dwelling older adults with type 2 diabetes.
• Dr. Teaniese Davis, research investigator, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, presented on her ongoing work to adapt a peer intervention to improve diabetes distress among Black young adults.
• Dr. Lindsay Mayberry, associate professor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, presented the primary outcomes of a mobile health intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes and their support partners.

The symposium supports the NIDDK Strategic Plan for Research, which highlights the need for interdisciplinary research on how biological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors interact to affect human health. This work also extends NIDDK’s interest in evaluating social networks following the 2022 workshop addressing the social component of diabetes health disparities.

Genomics and health equity highlighted in NIDDK-hosted Juneteenth webinar

In celebration of the Juneteenth holiday, NIDDK hosted a virtual fireside chat led by NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers with experts in the fields of genomics. Rodgers, Dr. Neil Powe, chief of medicine at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and Vence Bonham, acting deputy director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, discussed the importance of genomics and population descriptors in health equity research and how genomics can be used to address and achieve health equity.

The webinar was part of 19 days of events and activities fostering a sense of safety, belonging, and well-being at NIH, organized through 8 Changes for Racial Equity (8CRE). A recording is available on YouTube.

NIDDK training program unlocks potential of young scientists

By Stephanie Thornton

More than 90 aspiring scientists gathered at NIH for a two-day symposium in July, putting the talent of the next generation of medical researchers on full display. The event was for undergraduate participants in NIDDK’s Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential, or STEP-UP, a summer internship open to high school and undergraduate students. STEP-UP provides mentored, research training that culminates in a summer symposium at NIH, where participants present their research, attend professional development workshops, and network with peers and NIDDK staff.

Highlighted at this year’s symposium was the return of 22 STEP-UP alumni, who acted as role models to current students, providing advice on navigating their academic and career journeys. Sharing their own professional achievements, the alumni exemplified the value of early training programs like STEP-UP.

“We’re heartened to know NIDDK’s investments in training opportunities for high school and undergraduate students are paying off,” said NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin Rodgers, who gave opening remarks at the event.

Nathalie Fuentes

Many STEP-UP alumni pay it forward by being mentors to current program participants. Dr. Nathalie Fuentes, a five-time STEP-UP alumna who attended the symposium, mentors STEP-UP students every summer. She has had more than 10 mentees, some of whom are already in Ph.D., pharmacy, or medical school programs.

“My students are my pride and joy. They reflect who I am. I always say every time that I mentor a student, when they do well, I do well,” said Fuentes, who is now a senior scientist in biopharmaceutical development at AstraZeneca. Fuentes is also very grateful to her own STEP-UP mentors. “Thanks to them, I learned what research was all about,” she said.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Fuentes joined STEP-UP in high school. Her public school did not have a science lab, but she was able to get authentic scientific research experience through STEP-UP at the Medical Sciences Campus at the University of Puerto Rico.

“Doing STEP-UP close to home was one of the reasons I applied in the first place. I don't come from a lot of resources,” explained Fuentes.

STEP-UP is designed to provide opportunities to students regardless of their zip code. By working with coordinating centers throughout the United States and its Pacific territories, STEP-UP enables students to gain valuable research experience in modern laboratories without having to travel far from home.

For STEP-UP alumna Mata’uitafa Temukisa Solomona-Faiai, growing up in Leone, American Samoa, meant having limited access to state-of-the-art research facilities – until she discovered STEP-UP. Because NIDDK has built STEP-UP labs at sites throughout the Pacific Islands, Solomona-Faiai was able to participate in the program twice while attending Leone High School, and twice while earning a Bachelor of Science at Chaminade University of Honolulu. After getting her Master of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Solomona-Faiai returned to American Samoa and served for two years as an epidemiologist for the American Samoa Department of Health—and mentored high school STEP-UP students.Mata’uitafa Temukisa Solomona-Faiai

“It is such an honor for me to give back to STEP-UP,” said Solomona-Faiai, now in her second year as a high school STEP-UP mentor.

As a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate at the Yale School of Public Health, Solomona-Faiai now studies the cardiometabolic health of adolescents in American Samoa and its risk factors. At the STEP-UP symposium, she presented her dissertation research plan on how factors such as diet, physical activity, depression, and body image affect obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Her research is personal to her, because adolescents in American Samoa are disproportionately affected by cardiometabolic outcomes, and she knows what it is like to be an adolescent there. Her own mother, who recently passed away, was diagnosed with heart disease and diabetes at a young age. “STEP-UP was my vehicle,” Solomona-Faiai said.

Another STEP-UP alumnus presenting research at the symposium was Jude Tunyi, whose interest in science and medicine began as a child in Cameroon. He recalled the poor access to medical care there and standing in long lines to see the only doctor in town. After his family moved to the United States, he was struck by how easily they could visit a doctor. Volunteering in a hospital during high school and seeing the care the doctors and nurses provided further inspired his interest in medicine.

“It wasn't until STEP-UP that I started doing research and wondered if a pathway existed that involves both medicine and research. And lo and behold, I'm currently doing a dual degree with hopes to become a physician-scientist,” Tunyi said. He is earning a medical degree at Ohio State College of Medicine, and a Ph.D. through the NIH OxCam program, where training is split between NIH and Oxford University.Jude Tunyi

Tunyi participated in STEP-UP as an undergraduate at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he worked on building computational models that can lead to longer-lasting insulin. After STEP-UP, he completed a two-year postbaccalaureate program at the NIH.

Since 2000, more than 1,300 high school and 1,000 undergraduate students have participated in STEP-UP. Like Fuentes, Solomona-Faiai, and Tunyi, many have gone on to pursue advanced (master’s, Ph.D., or M.D.) degrees or continued to participate in research projects. Applications to STEP-UP are due in February each year, and students from diverse backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply.

“NIDDK already supports many of the best minds in research and constantly strives to develop new scientific talent,” said Rodgers. “The success stories of our STEP-UP alumni reaffirm our longstanding commitment to providing training programs to help build and foster a robust scientific workforce.”

Getting to Know: Dr. Carole A. Bewley

Dr. Carole A. Bewley is chief of NIDDK’s Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and section chief of the Natural Products Chemistry Section. Her research focuses on the discovery and development of biologically active natural products (secondary molecules produced from organisms, such as plants, that affect biological processes) to prevent bacterial and viral infection. She spoke with Rebekah Mikeasky about her research interests and what she likes to do in her spare time.

How did you become interested in bioorganic chemistry and natural molecules?

I have always been fascinated with marine environments. When I started scuba diving, I traveled to and dove in many different locations throughout the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea. Those marine environments are extremely dense with life. The diversity of the biology and ecology taking place on the reefs is astounding. So, I became interested in why some organisms lived happily among their neighbors, and others seemed to be protected and were devoid of any fouling. I started thinking about the chemistry going on in those organisms, which influenced my research interests. After completing undergrad, I attended Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which is part of the University of California, San Diego, where I pursued my doctoral degree in Marine Natural Products.

What led you to the NIH?

My research interests ended up leading me to the NIH. After completing my degree at Scripps, I wanted to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in structural biology. At the time, I was doing research involving nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) on natural products, and I learned NIDDK researchers were also conducting cutting-edge NMR research on macromolecules. I was especially interested in the intermolecular interaction studies that groups at the NIH were pursuing and became an NIDDK fellow because of it.

What do you enjoy the most about working at the NIH?

At every level, from the most senior accomplished researchers down to the high school and undergraduate students, the people at NIH are truly special. There’s a culture of generosity and mentorship here at all levels that makes it a great environment to work in. Everyone’s willingness to share and mentor across generational lines and career levels really helps everyone do the best science they can and helps so many trainees advance their careers. Beyond the people, the research infrastructure and resources present at the NIH are incredible. Here we are given the freedom to evolve our research interests and explore every aspect of where our findings might lead us.

What are your hopes for the future of bioorganic and natural molecule research?

Bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology have had a great impact at the NIH over many decades. Chemists are unique because they specialize in the discovery, creation, and invention of novel small molecules. Using organic or chemoenzymatic synthesis we optimize the properties of new molecules that serve as chemical tools for understanding biological processes, as well as therapeutics and vaccines to treat a variety of diseases. The synthetic routes developed to create novel molecules also have applications in pharma and biotech. The various technologies used in chemical biology and across the physical and life sciences are advancing at an extremely fast pace today. I am confident the fields of bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology will continue to make impactful contributions that will improve our ability to both diagnose and treat many different human diseases.

What advice do you have for people who have just started their research careers?

Try to find the best mentors you can – this holds true whether you’re going into industry, policy, or an academic career. In building your career I think it’s important to surround yourself with people you like to work with, people who think differently than you, and people whom you can seek guidance from. Do your best to immerse yourself with researchers of different paradigms and fields of study, so that you continue to grow as a scientist and mentor. It’s also important to always ask tons of questions. Stay curious and work hard!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend a lot of my free time acting as a steward for our land that has been planted and rejuvenated with native species. It’s a lot of large-scale, hands-on work with plants and meadows, and I find it enjoyable. I also train my border collies in dog agility and do strength training to keep active. Though it could be considered work, I always enjoy going to meetings and learning about new types of research that are outside my own general knowledge and research areas.

Fellow Spotlight: Dr. Victoria (Tori) Klein

Name: Victoria (Tori) Klein

Hometown: Golden, Colorado

Current position: Nancy Nossal Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Natural Product Chemistry Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry

What inspired you to pursue a research career?

I was a naturally curious kid. Thanks to the support of my parents, I spent much of my time exploring nature, visiting aquariums and science museums, and constantly asking questions. These experiences convinced me that I wanted to be a scientist, and by middle school, I was convinced that marine biologist was the career for me. Though my career goals started to shift from dolphin trainer to more academic pursuits in high school, it was during my undergraduate years at Oregon State University that I found a passion for research. In my senior year, I took a marine biology course that combined field research, laboratory studies, and classroom lectures. We learned about how compounds found in marine organisms, also known as natural products, were being used to treat cancer. I was immediately hooked. I loved that this type of research combined chemistry and biology, and the results could be directly applied to improve human health. By this point, I was also enjoying doing research for my senior thesis and started to consider a Ph.D. This brought me to the University of California, Santa Cruz where I studied drug discovery with Dr. Scott Lokey, with a focus on natural products as cancer therapeutics. Now as a postdoctoral research fellow at the NIH, I finally get to combine all my interests as I study how marine natural products can be used to treat diseases. Throughout the years, I’ve had incredible teachers and mentors who fostered my curiosity and encouraged me to pursue a research career.

What public health problem do you ultimately hope to solve with your research?

The world is facing an antibiotic resistance crisis. In fact, resistance has been observed for most, if not all, antibiotics in clinical use. This means that infections that were once easy to treat are once again becoming deadly. The focus of my research is to develop novel classes of antibiotics sourced from marine organisms. Specifically, I extract compounds from marine sponges and determine their ability to kill the bacteria that commonly cause multidrug-resistant infections. I further investigate these antibacterial compounds to identify their mechanism of action with the goal of developing a new class of antibiotics to which bacteria are not yet resistant. Ultimately, I hope this work informs future antibiotic drug development and optimization to help combat this urgent public health problem.