Pamela L. Thornton, Ph.D.
- Acting Director: Office of Health & Engagement Research
- Senior Advisor for Community Engagement: Office of the Director
Responsibilities & Activities
As the Acting Director for National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Office of Health and Engagement Research (OHER), Office of the Director, I lead the coordination of institute-wide activities to address the burden of NIDDK mission-related diseases and disorders. OHER helps implement the Institute’s Strategic Plan for Research to address NIDDK diseases and conditions. OHER also coordinates with NIDDK program staff in developing and evaluating workforce development initiatives designed to train new and young investigators with multidisciplinary backgrounds relevant to advancing biomedical research.
As a Senior Advisor for the Office of the Director, NIDDK, I also lead engagement initiatives to better partner with communities and researchers to address some of the most chronic, common, consequently, and costly conditions within NIDDK’s mission.
Research Programs
Clinical Research in Type 2 Diabetes
Progression and treatment of type 2 diabetes in children and adults.
Diabetes Centers
Enhancing and extending the effectiveness of diabetes research by encouraging collaboration among investigators from relevant disciplines.
Diabetes: Treatment, Prevention, & Complications
The Diabetes: Treatment, Prevention, and Complications Program supports both basic and clinical studies aimed at addressing the prevention, treatment and pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes across the lifespan.
Select Experience
Program Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences; National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2013-2016
Principal, Healthcare and Public Health, U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs Portfolios, The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA, 2007-2013
Senior Research Associate, Joint Center Health Policy Institute, Washington, DC, 2006-2007
Postdoctoral Fellow, W.K. Kellogg Foundation Health Disparities Scholars Program, The University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor, MI, 2003-2005
Adjunct Faculty and Lecturer Human Behavior; Evaluation Research Methods, University of Maryland, Baltimore MD, 2006-2012
Ph.D., University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work, 2003
M.S.W., Catholic University of America School of Social Services, 1998
B.S., Howard University, 1993