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).

Eligibility

Applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• Must possess 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 M.D., D.O., D.M.D., D.D.S., D.P.H., Pharm.D., as well as Ph.D. in clinically relevant fields, such as biostatistics, epidemiology, behavioral science, or nursing.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
• Must be an early-career postdoctoral scholar committed to advanced training and a career in translational science research aligned with the CTSA Program goals of advancing therapeutics (drugs, devices, and preventives), clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications to improve health.
• May not simultaneously submit or have pending an application for any other Public Health Sciences mentored career development award (e.g., K07, K08, K22 or K23) that duplicates any of the provisions of the K component. 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-Public Health Sciences 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. Scholars may have had support on an NRSA grant (F or T) or NIH small grant (R03). Appointed Scholars are encouraged to apply for individual mentored K awards (e.g. K07, K08, K22, K23) and independent awards (R01, R03, R21); if successful, scholars may be required to reduce effort on the mentored career award to a minimum of six-person months and hold concurrent support from their mentored career award and a competing Public Health Sciences research grant on which they are the PD/PI or component lead or terminate the KL2 appointment depending on program requirements (See NIH notice NOT-OD-08-065).
• Must commit to a two-year program. 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).

Application and Selection Process

• The UR CTSI will release a request for applications once each program year.
  • View the 2021 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

• Friday, October 8, 2021, 5:00 pm (ET) - Submit Letter of Intent
• Friday, November 12, 2021, 5:00 pm (ET) - Submit application packet
• Friday, February 18, 2022 - Notification of recipient(s)
• July 1, 2022 - 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

Ian Cero, Ph.D.
Network health intervention for adolescents hospitalized for suicide attempts
Funded in 2021

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

Daniel LaChant, D.O.
Cardiac expenditure is a novel digital biomarker in PAH
Funded in 2021

Nicole Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.
Computational measurement tools for in-vivo non-invasive determination of small intestine function
Funded in 2021

Past Scholars/Projects