The CCTS Career Development Program (KL2) provides salary support and protected time for highly-qualified junior faculty to conduct multidisciplinary clinical or translational research. According to the NCRR, the purpose of the KL2 Program is “to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to address the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.” The program seeks to reward a track record of academic success and clear potential for the future.

The OSU CCTS KL2 Program supports research in two areas: patient-oriented research, and translational research. Patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects, or on material of human origin, for which a member of the investigative team directly interacts with human subjects. Translational research encompasses two components: the process of applying discoveries generated during laboratory research and, in preclinical studies, to the development of clinical trials and studies in humans; and research aimed at enhancing the adoption of best practices in the community, encompassing the discovery of new knowledge.

The CCTS supports up to seven KL2 Scholars. The award is for two years, and it is renewable after year one. The renewal is contingent on funding and successful completion of year-one submission of an annual progress report by the scholar and mentor, and determination of acceptable progress by the scholar’s mentor and the CCTS Executive Committee. Each candidate is required to commit and have departmental support to commit a minimum of 75% full-time professional effort to the conduct of clinical/translational research and relevant career development activities.

Each KL2 Scholar receives the following:

• Salary support up to of $75,000 per year;
• Research expense support in the amount of $20,000 per year;
• Access to the CCTS professional services and staff including biostatistics, subject recruitment, and human subjects approval;
• Access to a training curriculum in clinical and translational research methodology and specialized training seminars;
• Individualized career development and mentorship from the trainee’s own appointed scientific committee;
• Participation in the national Association for Clinical Research Training/Society for Clinical and Translational Science Joint Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Click here to read about the TL1 Award Program.