The iTHRIV KL2 program will leverage the unique capabilities and resources of the nationally recognized University of Virginia Data Science Institute (DSI), the Virginia Tech Biocomplexity Institute (BI), the exceptional expertise and experience of our clinical and translational research faculty, and the resources of the Center for Open Science (COS) (leader in the country in new approaches to scientific reproducibility). Our objective in this training program is to bridge the gap between training in clinical translational research and data science by providing data science training to our Scholars, immersed in a team science environment. The integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV) is a collaboration of institutions (including the University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC), Inova Health System (Inova), the Center for Open Science (COS), and the Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG)) that is committed to training the next generation of clinical and translational researchers across the Commonwealth of Virginia. In leveraging the diverse expertise of iTHRIV, the proposed KL2 program is designed to transform training of junior faculty with emerging talent to conduct high-impact translational research in the health sciences with the following objectives: Objective 1: Provide didactic and hands-on training incorporating robust training in data science principles. We will include computational analysis methods, visualization, and safe/secure data handling, with training in rigorous research methods, reproducibility, and concepts underlying the commercialization of discovery. Objective 2: Incorporate team science principles throughout the training. We will promote collaborative, interdisciplinary research through immersion in an environment of team science that fosters innovation. Objective 3: Cultivate and support a cadre of mentors. We will establish a Mentoring Academy, creating a partnership of mentors and more experienced master mentors with complementary expertise. The iTHRIV trainees will be prepared to excel in a transformed biomedical research environment in which digital data drives health care hypotheses, interventions, and health quality evaluation. The Mentoring Academy will promote a team mentoring environment and develop a broad population of next-generation mentors with both data science and clinical research expertise. The program aligns with the goals of the iTHRIV UL1 program, providing the training needed to contribute to the growth and development of team science culture created by the marriage of data-driven approaches with robust clinical translational research across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
