Wright Center

KL2 PROGRAM

There is a national need to increase the clinical and translational research workforce – to prepare our future research leaders to address health care challenges. A key step in this process is providing early-career investigators with the support and skill sets required to translate their research discoveries into clinical treatments.

The KL2 Mentored Career Development Award at VCU is a two-year award funded and administered by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) and the Wright Center. The KL2 award provides talented junior faculty investigators a mentored, research-intensive experience in a multidisciplinary setting. It enables the development of future leaders in clinical and translational research. 

NCATS defines translational research as “the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public.” And the KL2 Program engages a diverse pool of faculty mentors and mentees across a range of disciplines to approach science through a “disease-agnostic,” translational lens.

The application process for 2021 opens April 12, and applications are due July 12. Applications from women and underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged.

KL2 Program career development award logo [View Image]