# NRSA Training Core

> **NIH NIH TL1** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $376,494

## Abstract

The Vanderbilt-Meharry Translational Nexus is a fully interdisciplinary, translational research training program
invigorated by group activities that intentionally mix clinical and non-clinical trainees across disciplines and
levels of training for the explicit purpose of connecting, enlarging, and sustaining our community of translational
scientists. This new model is responsive to the IOM report calling for changes in how we should train the next
generation of researchers to drive translation endeavors and to excel in team science. Unlike traditional T32s
our selection of trainees is not constrained by discipline, graduate program, or disease focus, and we
incorporate experiences to foster emergence of interdisciplinary teams during training. We draw on our
extremely successful programs for K awardees, whose training differs significantly from typical T32 programs,
to introduce resources like interdisciplinary mentor panels, work-in-progress sessions, Translational Rounds,
peer mentoring groups, writing workshops, and pragmatic career development seminars that intentionally mix
scientific themes and tiers of trainees. Set in a uniquely collaborative culture with strong leadership, this
program will serve 12 TL1 trainees: five pre-doctoral and five postdoctoral trainees, for up to five and three
years of support respectively, and two medical student scholars for one-year research intensives (no prior
research experience required). For this program we are introducing Pathways to individualize training
trajectories. In addition to conducting mentored research as part of an established transdisciplinary team and
pursuing their academic course of studies if applicable, trainees will craft Pathways that combine 42 contact
hours (not credits) of didactic, intensive, and experiential learning in one of six areas including: Biostatistics
and Epidemiology, Data Sciences, Measurement Methods, Clinical Context (for non-clinical trainees),
Technology Transfer and Innovation, and Community Engagement. Components of pathways build key
translational competencies, yet are flexible and allow extensive individual tailoring to best match prior training
and future career directions of the trainee. This program will benefit from coordination by a CTSA Hub in a
medical center that ranks 10th in overall NIH funding; values and achieves diversity, has substantial research,
education, and program evaluation infrastructure; desires synergy across TL1 and KL2 proposals; collaborates
well with other CTSA sites, and provides trainees access to an abundance of research cores and unique
models for expert guidance and consultation like Studios, Biostatistics Clinics, REDCap Data Management
Clinics; a library of funded grants, internal study sections, and much more. Combined, this program carefully
fosters excellence to inspire careers dedicated to interdisciplinary translational science and prepare future
leaders of high performing scientific teams.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878149
- **Project number:** 5TL1TR002244-04
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** KATHERINE E HARTMANN
- **Activity code:** TL1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $376,494
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-06-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878149

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878149, NRSA Training Core (5TL1TR002244-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878149. Licensed CC0.

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