KL2 Program

Director:

KL2 Director

Bill Ameredes, MS, PhD

bill-ameredes

Associate Director:

KL2 Associate Director

Heather Stevenson-Lerner, MD, PhD

The Institute for Translational Sciences' KL2 (ITS Scholars) program supports several young scholars by providing financial support and protecting at least 75% of effort for research career development. The program provides up to three years of NIH support for clinical and translational scientists and consists of three phases:

  • Phase 1

    • Phase 1 (Years 1-3) is designed to provide financial support for scholars and provide the foundation needed for a productive career in clinical and translational research. As part of this phase:
      1. A Lead Senior Faculty Mentor is chosen,
      2. An individualized career development plan (IDP) is developed based on the scholar's past training and experience. The IDP typically consists of:
        • a structured didactic program focused on research methodology,
        • specialized courses and seminars, and
        • mentored grant writing experiences.

    In Phase 1, scholars commit 75-100% of their time to research career development activities.

  • Phase 2

    Phase 2 (Years 4-5, seeking independent funding), is the period of transition in which ITS scholars move from KL2 support toward independent researcher positions with support provided by their department, if they have not yet achieved independent funding as a Phase 1 Scholar.
    • Scholars remain associated with the ITS Scholars program and continue to receive mentorship from their Lead Mentor and research team.
    • The ITS Scholars program will utilize its extensive clinical and translational research network to negotiate faculty positions in research-supportive environments. 
  • Phase 3

    Phase 3 (Years 4-5 and beyond, if independent funding is achieved), is the period of transition for ITS scholars to move from mentored/supported to independently-supported researcher positions with their own independent funding (e.g., R01, R21).
    • Scholars remain associated with the ITS Scholars program and can continue to receive mentorship from the Lead Mentor, if desired.
    • The ITS Scholars program aims to successfully facilitate transition of all ITS Scholars from Phase 1 to Phase 3, moving from supported trainees to independent investigator faculty members.