KL2 integration with Stanford CTSA cores benefits scholars

Spectrum’s Institutional Career Development (KL2) Program provides didactic training, mentoring, and career development to prepare junior faculty for independent careers in translational research, as well as offering training experiences for early career investigators across the translational pipeline. The program’s success is a direct result of its integration and engagement across the Spectrum CTSA’s Cores and Programs, exemplifying that “it takes a village.” Read on for examples of partnerships between Spectrum Cores and the KL2 Program:

BERD (Research Methods core):

• BERD members are Methods Advisors to three KL2 Scholars in Cohort 3, the current KL2 cohort. For Cohort 4, which will begin on July 1, 2022, all five KL2 scholars will have a BERD advisor.
• BERD Director Manisha Desai, PhD, will be speaking to KL2 Scholars as part of the KL2 seminar series in Fall 2022

Community Engagement Program (Community & Collaboration core):

• In March 2022, the KL2 scholar program was presented to the Community Advisory Board (CAB), followed by feedback sessions for two current KL2 scholar project presentations.
• In May 2021, the Office of Community Engagement presented on community engagement at a KL2 seminar. 

MCHRI (Hub Research Capacity core):

• KL2 scholar Kelly Mahaney was spotlighted in Stanford Children’s Health Celebrates Women’s History Month: Go After Your Calling in the Stanford Children’s Health Blog in March 2022
• KL2 scholar Iram Ahmad received an MCHRI Pilot Award in 2022 to evaluate radiographic changes in the auditory pathway of children with hearing loss.
• KL2 scholar Michael Ma received an MCHRI Pilot Award in 2020 to understand heart valve dysfunction in patients with single ventricle defects.

SPARK (Translational Endeavors core):

• KL2 Scholar Kelly Mahaney is investigating a novel treatment for neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (also supported by MCHRI).
• KL2 Scholar Wendy Liu is studying ways to promote healing after glaucoma surgery.

SPORR (Metrics core):

• Steve Goodman, MD, MHS, PhD, Director of the Stanford Program on Research, Rigor, and Reproducibility (SPORR), presented at the 2020 KL2 bootcamp and will present at the 2022 KL2 bootcamp.

PHS core:

• David Rehkopf, MPH, ScD, Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Science, presented at a KL2 seminar on PHS services and available data sets in 2021.

Team Science Program (Community & Collaboration core):

• In March 2022, discussions opened with Team Science to develop curricula for KL2 Scholars during the Annual KL2 Bootcamp. All current KL2 scholars are invited to attend.
• KL2 scholars are required to take MED 255 Responsible Conduct of Research, offered by the Team Science Program.

Workforce Development Program (Translational Endeavors core):

• Assists the KL2 Program with the development of baseline, mid-point and closeout assessments.
• Scholars engage and facilitate small group discussions as part of the Research Career Accelerator Program (ReCAP), a monthly series designed for Stanford junior faculty, fellows, and postdocs. ReCAP provides an opportunity for Career Development Awardees to interact with their peers in the School of Medicine community and to learn from senior faculty how best to position themselves for future success.