# Institutional Career Development Core

> **NIH NIH KL2** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $742,944

## Abstract

The KL2 program, established in 2010, has uniquely focused on high quality career development in
clinical and translational research, engaging a diverse pool of faculty mentors and mentees across a
range of disciplines to approach science through a “disease-agnostic” translational lens. This dynamic
and responsive program is unlike any other at VCU and is an integrated and synergistic component of the
CCTR and university-wide workforce development. The broad ranging CCTR educational programs and the
KL2 will continue to expand research capacity in Virginia, nationally, and across the network of CTSA hubs
capitalizing on strengths in Community Engaged Research, Team Science, and Informatics through the
following specific aims:
Aim 1: To provide an individually tailored, top-quality, mentored research experience that
incorporates best practices in project development, implementation, analysis and presentation
focusing on community engagement, team science, informatics, and translation.
KL2 scholars are recruited from a robust and diverse pool of junior faculty within the research workforce
pipeline at VCU, which include a number of feeder programs such as T-32 programs and the recently
established Rising- and Emerging Scholar Programs. The feeder programs as well as the KL2 program also
serve to recruit promising investigators to develop a research career at VCU. The program is supported by a
senior leadership team and core mentors with a strong record of funding and mentorship. They are supported
by CCTR personnel including a KL2 administrator who work closely with the scholars to develop and
implement their IDP, monitor progress and help in the K-to-R transition. All scholars achieve core
competencies in statistics, study design-analysis, community engagement, team science, and informatics in
addition to expertise in their area of research. A robust evaluation process to monitor and provide feedback
and guide strategic direction is in place. The strong workforce development environment at VCU supports the
likelihood of success of KL2 scholars.
Aim 2: To develop a career pathway for a diverse group of young investigators based on their
current level of training that provides a transition to scientific independence.
VCU provides an institutionally funded bookend program to maximize career development and enhance the
value of the KL2 program by preparing not-yet-ready but promising faculty to be competitive for the KL2 award
via the Emerging Scholar Program and a K-to-R transition award following completion of the KL2 program. The
pathway for a KL2 scholar to obtain an R, an outside K, or other next-tier grant is mapped at the time of entry
into the program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10409658
- **Project number:** 5KL2TR002648-05
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SERGE PATRICK NANASINKAM
- **Activity code:** KL2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $742,944
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-05-08 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10409658

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10409658, Institutional Career Development Core (5KL2TR002648-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10409658. Licensed CC0.

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