The 2018 renewal of the UW ICTR Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from NIH allowed selection of the newest group of KL2 Scholars (early stage investigators), and TL1 trainees (pre-doctoral students in Clinical Investigation). With appointments beginning this summer, three KL2 scholars joined the program, along with five TL1 trainees.
The full roster of new and existing KL2 scholars and TL1 trainees is found on our Career Development page.
Also new this year was the naming of a TL1 Post-Doctoral Fellow to a new appointment type intended to bridge the transition between traditional clinical fellowships and research faculty positions. Rob Lemanske, ICTR Deputy Executive Director for Workforce Development, comments,
We selected Emma Mohr as our first TL1 Post-Doctoral fellow in this new training pathway. Not only is Emma an exceptionally promising researcher in a clinical area with high translational potential, her career stage is very representative of the junior investigators we hope to support with this new program.
Mohr is a Research Fellow/Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics who is expected to be a strong candidate for a faculty position when her ICTR fellowship is completed.
While the incoming TL1 trainees have increased the total number of participants in the program from 10 to 12, there was no corresponding increase in the number of KL2 scholars. Instead, the workforce development team focused on expanding access to the KL2 scholars career development programming to a broader array of K career development award investigators.
Manish Shah, ICTR Director for KL2 Scholars, notes,
Our continuing CTSA support for workforce development programming has allowed us to welcome scholars from other K training awards on campus, as well as individuals holding individual K grants.
ICTR staff focused on workforce development have done an exceptional job over that past 10 years creating a career-stage appropriate series of training sessions. Our ability to share access more widely with other NIH-funded trainees is emblematic of how ICTR acts as an institution-wide resource.
KL2 Scholars receive 75% protected time and a research stipend, plus career development programming to develop proficiency in topics such as mentor/mentee training, team science, and leadership, in addition to many other research competencies. Likewise, the TL1 trainees receive a travel allowance, participate in manuscript and grant writing groups, and benefit from bi-annual mentor meetings organized by ICTR, on top of a full graduate student stipend and tuition remission.
More information about these programs is found on our Career Development page.