Career Development K Award

The UR CTSI Career Development Award (KL2) provides two years of support for the early career development of multidisciplinary clinical and translational scientists. The program fosters transition of KL2 scholars to an independent career as a clinical and translational investigator, generally by means of an individual K- or R-award.

• About the Program
• Eligibility
• Apply
• Current Scholars/Projects
• Past Scholars/Projects

The Program

Career Development Award scholars will be expected to develop and implement a research experience supervised by a primary mentor and mentor team. The research project should be designed as a pilot project to set the stage for an individual K-award application, or in exceptional circumstances, establish a foundation for a subsequent individual R-award application. The program has three training pathways that capitalize on institutional strengths. Prospective scholars may choose, but are not required, to take advantage of one of the three, and are also free to propose their own training pathway.

Programmatic Elements

• Core curriculum
• Mentored research project
• Team science training
• Mentor/protégé support and training

Individualized Elements

• Training pathways
  • Experimental Therapeutics
  • Digital Health
  • Health Equity-Focused Dissemination and Implementation
• Degree and certificate programs
• Elective coursework
• Extra-curricular activities
• Hands-on team science experiences

Requirements

Career Development Award scholars must:

• Define and participate in a clinical or translational research project.
• Identify a multidisciplinary mentor team with extensive clinical or translational research experience where one of the members is willing to serve as the primary mentor.
• Commit to a two-year program.
• Devote at least 75 percent of their full-time professional effort to the program (note: scholars in certain clinical specialties may commit less than 75 percent effort—but no less than 50 percent effort—if sufficiently justified by the need to maintain critical clinical skills).

Program Director

Thu H. Le, MD, FAHA

Dr. Le joined as director and principal investigator of the UR CTSI Career Development Award program in July 2023. She is a professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Nephrology. Her clinical practice focuses on the care of patients with hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Dr. Le applies her knowledge and extensive research experience in renal physiology to her clinical practice. She has an active research program in mechanisms of hypertension and genetics of chronic kidney disease.

Eligibility

Applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• A doctoral-level degree in a health discipline that can be applied to clinical or translational research. These degrees include, but are not limited to MD, DO, DMD, DDS, DPH, PharmD, as well as PhDs in a clinically relevant field, such as biostatistics, epidemiology, behavioral science, and nursing.
• US citizen or permanent resident. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
• Must be an early-stage investigator committed to advanced training and a career in translational science research aligned with the CTSA Programs goals of advancing therapeutics (drugs, devices, and preventives), clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications to improve health
• Scholars may have had support on a NRSA grant (F or T) or NIH small grant (R03).
• Commitment to a two-year program within the stated award period. During this time, at least 75 percent of the KL2 Scholar’s full-time professional effort must be devoted to the program. The remainder of time may be devoted to developing other clinical or academic pursuits that are consistent with the objectives of developing a career as an independent clinical or translational researcher. Certain clinical specialties may have less than 75 percent effort -- but no less than 50 percent effort -- if sufficiently justified (e.g. surgical specialties requiring 50 percent direct patient care time to keep up surgical skills).
• The financial year for Year 1 of funding begins July 1, 2023 and ends June 30, 2024; funding for Year 2 begins on July 1, 2024 and ends on June 30, 2025.  KL2 program appointment start and end dates must coincide with these dates to receive NIH funding – and they cannot be extended.

Exclusions:

• At the time of application, scholars must NOT have pending an application for any other PHS mentored career development award (e.g. K07, K08, K22, K23) that duplicates any of the provisions of the KL2. A KL2 scholar candidate who is already in the process of applying for an independent mentored career development grant, a P01 grant, or R01 grant is likely too senior for the KL2 award.  
• Former or current PDs/PIs on any NIH research project grant [this does not include NIH small grants (R03), exploratory Developmental (R21) or SBIR, STTR (R43, R44 grants)] or equivalent non-PHS peer reviewed grants that are over $100,000 direct costs per year, or project leaders on sub-projects of Program project (P01) or center grants (P50) are NOT eligible to participate as Scholars.

Application and Selection Process

• The UR CTSI will release a request for applications once each program year.
  • View the 2023 Request for Applications.
• Applicants electronically submit a seven-page application and other supporting information.
• After initial review by a selection committee, applicants may be asked to respond in writing to questions regarding their application.
• The selection committee will then recommend awardees to the KL2 Steering Committee.
• Applications will be ranked on the basis of the candidate’s training environment, career development plans and project proposal.

Application Timeline

• Monday, September 28, 2023, 5:00 pm (ET) - Submit Letter of Intent
• Monday, October 23, 2023, 5:00 pm (ET) - Submit application packet
• Friday, January 26, 2024 - Notification of recipient(s)
• July 1, 2024 - Start of the award 

If you have additional questions about the program, please contact the UR CTSI Research Education Team.

Current Scholars/Projects

Aileen Aldalur, Ph.D.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for treatment seeking with Deaf individuals
Funded in 2022

Nathaniel Bayer, M.D.
Caregiver Support Intervention for Families of Children with Medical Complexity
Funded in 2023

Ajay Dhakal, M.B.B.S.
Testing treatments for breast cancer with brain metastases
Funded in 2022

Adam Dziorny, M.D., Ph.D.
An integrated approach to personalized and shareable clinical decision support
Funded in 2022

Frank Garcea, Ph.D.
High Definition Fiber Tracking for Neurosurgical Planning
Funded in 2022

Ashley Jenkins, M.D.
Adapting Individualized Care Plans to Improve Inpatient Vaso-Occlusive Episode Care for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease
Funded in 2023

Emily Knight, M.D., Ph.D.
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Speech-in-noise Processing Difficulty in Autism
Funded in 2023

Doran Mix, M.D.
Natural History of Human Aortic Dissections Mechanics Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Funded 2023

Past Scholars/Projects