PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Effective clinical and translational research (CTR) requires teams of scientists who can move out of traditional
siloes to engage in research across the translational ecosystem. Competencies in a discipline known as
clinical and translational science (CTS) that includes an array of fundamental characteristics has been
proposed by Gilliland and others, which extends beyond traditional CTR characteristics to feature boundary
crossing, process innovation, and systems thinking in its repertoire. Notably, CTR training programs have
addressed these features in a relatively limited fashion to date that has contributed to the inability of CTR
scientists to nimbly adapt to uncertainty and innovation in the research environment. Therefore, for our CTSA
K12 Program integrated into Workforce Development of our Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences
Institute, we have incorporated Gilliland’s fundamental CTS characteristics into our K12 program objectives.
We request support for six K12 junior faculty scholar positions; appointments will be of at least two
years, but no more than three years’ duration. Our K12 program will support development of scholar self-
efficacy using guidance from K12 faculty mentor dyads, and support from K12 program directors. Scholars will
gain key knowledge, skills, and abilities in an integrated neighborhood of opportunities in CCTSI programs
(funded in our UM1 application) and at academic Partnering Institutions. Our K12 program features six
objectives to ensure scholars’ academic skills development and enlargement of their information and
mentoring network: (1) execution of an independent career development plan based on Gilliland’s fundamental
characteristics to provide core CTS knowledge, personalized to the scholar’s research interests and
experience, (2) receipt of evidence-informed mentoring training in collaboration with faculty mentors, (3)
professional/managerial education, and team leadership training, (4) advanced experiences in academic
writing, including dissemination and communication strategies to enhance impact of research, (5) building
relationships with key stakeholders and members across the scientific ecosystem, and (6) connection to
innovative CTS programs to push existing knowledge boundaries and augment the collaborative network.
Planned short- and long-term evaluations and continuous quality improvement of the program will guide efforts
and address evolving demands. Importantly, one additional objective for our K12 program will ensure
equitable recruitment processes and enhanced training of individuals traditionally underrepresented in
biomedical training programs. Our K12 Program contrasts with other programs at our institution given its
heterogeneous, disease agnostic approach, with focus on the training efficient translational scientists who can
surmount barriers inevitably present in research itself, and in one’s career. The program will support scholars’
growth to become recognized leaders of diverse research teams with independent extramural funding who can
innovate across the translational ecosystem as collaborative clinical translational scientists.