The National Institute of Health (NIH), USA has awarded a training grant to the tune of US$ 150,000 jointly to Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) and the University of Alabama, Birmingham. The grant, first of its kind for any diabetic centre in India, would encourage capacity building in India to develop strategies for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, according to Dr. V. Mohan, President, MDRF.

The grant has been awarded for a period of three years. Under this programme, four research scientists from MDRF would undergo training at the University of Alabama in various research techniques, every September. In March a team of top scientists and researchers from USA would spend two weeks at MDRF conducting a workshop on diabetes and cardiovascular epidemiology.