I. Institutional Career Development Core Abstract The UNC/TraCS KL2 is the flagship program through which we shape the development of junior translational scientists to become Principal Investigators and research leaders. Since our inception, we have funded 63 Scholars: 15 are currently supported on the KL2, and 48 have completed the Program. Of these 48, 46 are funded academic investigators; one is a clinician; and one holds a research position in industry. Our success to date is exemplified by the fact that 73% of our ?graduated? Scholars have received significant (over $100,000 for a single grant) independent PI funding within 54 months of their starting the KL2. Our Scholars represent 6 Schools and 17 departments, a diversity that not only distinguishes this KL2 from other training programs on campus, but also encourages and facilitates translational collaborations among Scholars who might not otherwise cross paths. This highly successful program is grounded in a philosophy of team science across disciplines, schools, and centers/institutes; an outstanding corps of expert faculty who are committed to work closely with the mentors and Scholars as part of a coordinated team approach to faculty development; program leadership that keeps abreast of the evolving scientific and programmatic priorities of the CTSA Program; and a collegial culture in which our former Scholars willingly continue to be engaged and give time and expertise back to the program as role models, mentors, and collaborators. Going forward, the KL2 Program is adapting to the changing nature of our applicant pool and the evolving translational workforce pipeline by replacing the mandatory two-year curriculum with personalized training pathways developed by Scholars in collaboration with KL2 program faculty and their mentors. In addition, we have established the KL2 Alumni Advisory Team, in which KL2 graduates provide feedback about training components and advice on new content or redesign of how current content is delivered. Other changes include increasing collaborative activities with the CTSA Consortium, integrating new initiatives such as the NCATS Trial Innovation Network and TraCS Workforce Development Program into training activities, expanding activities in mentoring, and introducing a set of competencies in scientific and research leadership. Goal 1: Train KL2 Scholars to apply their disciplinary expertise to translational science and equip them with the strategic thinking and management skills needed to create and sustain transformative interdisciplinary translational research programs in a rapidly changing environment. Goal 2: Provide KL2 Scholars with the skills to mentor members of their own research teams as well as the next generation of investigators. TraCS serves as a true ?home? for early-stage researchers who wish to engage in shared learning, peer review and, most importantly, the development of a peer group that encourages innovation, resilience, and retention in science. Our KL2 Program provides Scholars with experiences that enable them to transcend methodologic boundaries, adopt concepts from other disciplines, and produce truly transformative translational science.
