Develop Your Career in the KL2 Program

Empty highway winding through the Eastern Oregon desert.

Our goal

The OCTRI KL2 Program is designed to support early-career faculty in their transition to research independence. The mission of this program is to identify and support promising faculty who may benefit from OCTRI support and resources in their efforts to obtain independent research funding.

Key activities and outcomes

Outcomes. 85% of 2017 to 2022 cohort have independent research funding. 94% of 2007 to 2016 cohort have R01 award or equivalent. Greater than 40% of scholars underrepresented minority or disability.

Key program activities include:

Individual development plan
Customized research curriculum
Quarterly benchmark assessments
Priority support from OCTRI services
Weekly WIP, directed by scholars
OCTRI Research Forum seminars
Monthly bulletin tailored to early career opportunities and resources
Small grant program for CTRC support

Program benefits

Recipients of the KL2 Program receive a two-year career development award to pursue their translational science. Awardees are given protected clinical and translational research training time, formal didactic and experiential training, intensive research experience, and multidisciplinary mentorship. Review additional benefits below.

Benefits

An individualized research and career development plan
Educational programs tailored to the scholar, including enrollment in the Human Investigations Program, which offers a Master of Clinical Research, certificate, and/or non-degree courses
Mentorship and support
Access to OCTRI resources, including regulatory/IRB and study start up, biostatistics, research design, community engagement, informatics, and services from the Clinical & Translational Research Center
KL2 and OCTRI Scholar community

Scholar support

Salary support not to exceed $100,000 annually
$30,000 research and travel expenses annually
0.75 FTE protected research time
Two years (total) of funding, contingent on progress and availability of funding

Eligibility

The OCTRI KL2 Program is open to researchers from OHSU and regional partners, including Portland State University, Oregon State University, and University of Oregon. Review additional criteria below.

Candidates must:

Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
Hold a clinical or research doctorate (e.g. MD/DO, DMD/DDS, DNP, PharmD, ND, OD, DC or PhD)
Have primary, full-time faculty appointment at OHSU, PSU, OSU, or UO
Awardees must be at least ranked as an Assistant Professor (or equivalent) by the KL2 start date
Not have prior funding as a principal investigator on an NIH research grant including an R01 or any K series grant

Proposed projects must:

Involve either clinical or translational research defined as involving human subjects or populations, or research that has direct application to human health

Application information

The KL2 is not accepting applications at this time. Recruitment is anticipated summer 2024.

Past RFA example: View the 2023 RFA

Meet the KL2 Scholars

Review scholars, their projects, and mentors below. Scholars and mentors from OHSU unless otherwise noted.

Current Scholars

De'Sha Wolf, PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Social Work, PSU

Exploring self-management of chronic pain in young to middle-aged African Americans

Mentors: Cynthia Morris, PhD, MPH; Erika Cottrell, PhD

Appointed: 9/1/21

Professional portrait of Dr. Mitzi Go, OCTRI KL2 Scholar.

Mitzi Go, MD, MCR

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatology

Feasibility Study on Lung Growth and Function after Antenatal Steroid Exposure in Late Preterm Infants

Mentor: Cindy McEvoy, MD, MCR

Appointed: 1/1/23

Professional portrait of Dr. Curtis Lachoweiz, OCTRI KL2 Scholar.

Curtis Lachowiez, MD

Assistant Professor, Medicine - Hematology and Oncology

Identifying and targeting measurable residual disease following azacitidine and venetoclax therapy in acute myeloid leukemia

Mentor: Jeffrey Tyner, PhD

Appointed: 1/1/23

Professional portrait of Dr. Bethany Sloane, OCTRI KL2 Scholar.

Bethany Sloane, DPT, PhD

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Feasibility of a powered mobility intervention for young children with cerebral palsy, Gross Motor Function Classification System Level V

Mentors: Melanie Fried-Oken, PhD, CCC-Sp; Sam Logan, PhD (OSU)

Appointed: 1/1/23

Portrait of Dr. Josh Kaplan, OCTRI KL2 Scholar.

Joshua Kaplan, PhD

Assistant Professor, Neurology

Feasibility and acceptability of stress induction, physiological data collection, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction among combat veterans with PTSD

Mentor: Barry Oken, MD, PhD

Appointed: 2/1/23