CTSA K12 Program at Harvard Medical School

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PROJECT SUMMARY The goal of the Harvard Catalyst K12 program is to create an environment for early-stage clinical and translational (CT) investigators that facilitates their career development and encourages paradigm-shifting, diversity-focused interdisciplinary collaboration and team-based research approaches to advance CT science. Since its founding in 2008, the Harvard Catalyst KL2 program has served as the cornerstone across Harvard Medical School (HMS) and its affiliated academic medical centers for training our most outstanding early-stage CT investigators. Given the demonstrated success of the KL2 program since 2008, the new K12 program will build on the KL2 program's strengths. The new K12 program will specifically seek to help train and develop the future leaders of CT science by leveraging the Harvard Catalyst cores and integrating the scholars into the broader CT infrastructure at Harvard Catalyst and the CTSA consortium. In addition, through dedicated funding from the HMS-affiliated AMCs, the K12 program will continue to be paired with the Catalyst Medical Research Investigator (CMeRIT) program to further enrich the K12 learning environment. Moreover, through the continued growth and expansion of the Clinical and Translational Research Academy, a supporting infrastructural element of Harvard Catalyst, the K12 will create a community for CT investigators and enhance the transition to independence for all K awardees across HMS. Finally, the K12 program will work closely with the Harvard Catalyst Cores and other NIH-funded programs at HMS to enhance the research capability, competency and performance of all K12 awardees with a new focus on translational science. The overarching objective of the program is to ensure and nurture the sustainable careers of early-stage CT investigators and ultimately advance translational science. The K12 program will offer sustained protected time for scholars to advance their CT research, overseen by a primary mentor and co-mentor and now further enhanced by a dedicated mentorship committee, including a separate career mentor to provide outside input on broader career goals. Training will include the use of new courses and programs, including our monthly Translate Together curriculum, that covers the broad translational spectrum and focuses on developing innovative solutions that improve human health. It will also include the development of individualized career development programs, leadership training, visibility through participation in the national CTSA Visiting Scholar Program, and mentor/mentee training, to ensure the success of each scholar as a translational scientist as envisioned by NCATS. The K12 will also seek to educate scholars on the importance of community engagement for the execution of effective CT research to ensure the highest quality science can be completed. In a related context, building on our earlier success in improving the diversity of the KL2 program, we will continue several diversity and inclusion initiatives both to ensure that we have a vibrant and diverse group of scholars but also to ensure that all scholars are fully educated on diversity as a critical feature of all successful CT research endeavors.