Pamela L. Thornton, Ph.D.

Currently, I serve as the Acting Director for National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Office of Minority Health Research Coordination (OMHRC), Office of the Director, NIDDK to address the burden of diseases and disorders that disproportionately impact the health of minority populations and help implement the Institute’s strategic plan for NIDDK diseases and conditions. OMHRC also coordinates with NIDDK program staff in developing and evaluating initiatives designed to train new and young investigators who are underrepresented in biomedical research.

I also serve as the Senior Advisor for Workforce Diversity and Health Equity Research for the Office of the Director, NIDDK. In this role, I co-led the NIDDK Working Group of Council’s inaugural Health Disparities and Health Equity Research Report planning process and I am leading efforts to implement the Report’s scientific recommendations which include embedding equity-focused principles into the fabric of NIDDK’s research processes. I also co-chair the NIDDK Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Civility (IDEA-C) initiative to advance inclusive excellence in the workforce and the NIDDK scientific mission.

My background includes a focus on scientific workforce development and organizational transformation, addressing the social determinants of health in chronic disease prevention and treatment, dissemination, and implementation science, and promoting health equity in diverse patient communities and healthcare settings.