© USC Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute 2025. All rights reserved.
Established in 2012, the Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute was started through a generous $3M gift from the estate of Mr. Clifton Stewart, whose interest in diabetes and cancer prevention built the USC Clifton-Stewart Diabetes Research Laboratory.
In addition, generous funds from the Robert C. & Veronica Atkins Foundation have placed the DORI well on its way to becoming a leader in the field of diabetes and obesity research, treatment, and prevention.
Our Story – Funding Novel Research
DORI was developed alongside a team of experts in population research, clinical research, mHealth & early life research. Currently, DORI includes a research base of 76 investigators and $45.7M in research funding in direct costs/year (87% NIH/Federal funding) in obesity, nutrition, and diabetes.
The goal of DORI continues to focus on studying diverse and high-risk patients and communities to understand ethnic and income disparities in obesity and diabetes, how these disparities link to disease and how they emerge during critical periods of the life and development.
This is best represented by DORI’s novel research in areas such as, the basic science of adipose tissue, beta-cell biology & appetite regulation, nutrition science, health outcome and implementation science, digital health technologies.
Investigators and staff at DORI work to develop stronger ties with community health organizations and synergize efforts to strengthen clinical options for all people.
Over the past eight years DORI has impacted many areas of scientific research, campus life and healthcare policy. DORI has built a vibrant research environment built around robust collaborations and Core facilities; propel Keck School of Medicine into a topflight medical school. An extension of this vibrant collaborative research environment across the USC with the establishment of a unified vision and approach for obesity and diabetes research and education.
The institute is dedicated to assisting and strengthening efforts to develop effective strategies (e.g. monitoring patients, building policies, and creating interventions) to ultimately stop diabetes and its associated medical complications from impacting the health of society.
Your donation supports scientists, funds cutting edge research, and the training and education of students and young researchers. Any donation amount can provide seed funding in order to obtain NIH funding, bridge NIH funding gaps, or recruit world-class faculty.
© USC Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute 2025. All rights reserved.