KL-2 Fellowship Award

BU Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
KL-2 Fellowship

Funding Period: April 1st, 2017-March 31st, 2019
Notice of Intent due: February 1st, 2017

Application Deadline: February 10th, 2017

The CTSI’s mission is to support BU’s basic researchers, patient-oriented researchers, and population-based researchers working in all areas of translational research related to the prevention, diagnosis, and management of human disease.

We are delighted to announce that the CTSI will support two KL-2 trainees for Career Development Awards beginning April 1, 2017, and extending through March 31, 2019. Faculty interested in the support should submit a Notice of Intent by February 1st, 2017. The following materials for the full application are due by February 10th, 2017.  Application process opens December 1st 2016. The NOI and full application should be submitted here NOI/Application .  Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed. Individuals with recent submissions of highly competitive but unfunded individual K series awards or other career development awards are encouraged to apply. We are seeking to fund faculty with promise to be an NIH or NSF supported investigator.

Instructions

Eligibility Criteria

  • Must be US citizen or a permanent resident
  • Have MD/PhD/DDS or equivalent degree
  • Have Junior Faculty appointment (Instructor or Assistant Professor) at BU as of March 31, 2017. Cannot be PI of an R01 or NIH funded K award now or in the past.

Application Materials

  • Your NIH-formatted Biosketch (must have eRA Commons name included)
  • Your mentor(s) NIH-formatted Biosketch (with eRA commons names included)
  • Financial administrator name and contact information
  • Human subjects certification
  • Other support page
  • Letters of support
  • Letter form applicant’s Department Chair/Section Chief
  • Budget and justification Budget Template
  • A 12-page Research Proposal (single spaced, double-space between paragraphs, in Arial 11 point) that is similar in outline to an NIH K award http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-194.html.

The following sections should be included within the 12-page limit:

  • Candidate’s Background—Include a description of all of the candidate’s professional responsibilities and show their relation to the proposed activities. Describe prior training and how it relates to the objectives and long-term career plans of the candidate. Describe the candidate’s research efforts to this point in his/her research career including any publications, prior research interests and experience. Provide evidence of the candidate’s potential to develop into an independent investigator.
  • Career Goals and Objectives—Statement of long-term research goals and how the trainee would benefit from inclusion in the translational and multidisciplinary program to reach these goals. Describe a systematic plan that: (1) shows a logical progression from prior research and training experiences to the research and career development experiences that will occur during the career award period and then to independent investigator status; (2) justifies the need for further career development to become an independent investigator; and (3) utilizes the relevant research and educational resources of the institution.
  • Career Development/Training Activities during award period—Statement of the candidate seeking a degree that describes the type of degree, the need for the degree and how it will impact their translational science career. If the candidate already has an advanced degree (PhD, Masters), options for selected course work or additional degree in a field to promote their interdisciplinary goals should be discussed as indicated.
  • Research Strategy—Summary of the primary research project to be conducted during the award period. Trainees must develop the proposal with their research mentors. The proposal will allow the selection committee to assess commitment to translational research and provide an indication of a trainee’s ability to articulate a research question and strategies for answering it. Follow NIH guidelines for standard research strategy to include the following components: Specific Aims, Research Strategy: a) Significance b) Innovation c) Approach.

The following sections are not included within the 12-page limit:

  • A 1-page Abstract—Include the title of the project
  • A 1-page Specific Aims
  • Protection of Human Subjects/ Vertebrate Animals (if applicable)
  • Letters of support from the trainee’s research mentors. Two primary mentors are required. All primary research mentors must have demonstrated experience as a mentor and the research mentors must come from two different disciplines (e.g. biochemistry and medicine; medicine and biostatistics).
  • A letter from the trainee’s Department Chair/Section Chief or equivalent (if they are not one of the mentors) indicating that she/he will provide at least 75% “protected-time” and a specific plan outlining their clinical duties to ensure that these are minimal and do not threaten protected research time.
  • A budget for two years, including itemization of project-related expenses (see below). It is required that the KL-2 trainee commit and be supported for 75% effort to the program. (Up to $100,000 salary plus fringe benefits and up to $25,000 non-salary support per year plus 8% F&A; see below)
  • Bibliography

The Selection committee will use the following criteria to assess and select KL-2 trainees:

  • Adequacy of the research plan, judged in terms of importance of the primary hypothesis, soundness of scientific methods, and feasibility of the project.
  • Research potential of the candidate, judged by the selection committee as the likelihood that the candidate will develop into an independent investigator.
  • Research project and a research plan that fit the priorities of this initiative—that is, that the research project is multidisciplinary and translational.
  • Assessments from the Department Chair and research mentors regarding the potential of the candidate becoming an independent investigator and ability to influence research in the trainee’s department.
  • Departmental commitment to support research career development.

The support available is as follows:

  • Up to $100,000 salary support per year for two years (plus an additional 27% for fringe benefits)
  • The candidate must commit 75% effort to research (some select specialties can commit 50%)
  • Up to $25,000 in non-salary support/year can be requested. These funds can be used for tuition, fees, research supplies, equipment, computer time, and research assistant support. Travel is also allowable up to $2,500.
  • 8% F&A rate will apply.

The candidate will be expected to:

  • Meet with Drs. Felson and/or Hylek quarterly
  • Participate in the CREST/KL2 noon seminar series (twice per month)
  • Provide a project report biannually

Selection Committee Members

  • Dr. David Felson
  • Dr. Elaine Hylek
  • Dr. David Center (ex officio)
  • Three more members to be named

Important Contacts

For specific budgetary questions contact Lisa Massa (lmassa@bu.edu).
Contact Sharon Tomlinson with  all other questions (stomlin@bu.edu).

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