The Clinical Translation Research Mentored Scholars Program is currently accepting applications.
It offers a master’s or Ph.D. track designed to develop scientists or health professionals who are at the junior faculty stage into productive and independent clinical and translational researchers by providing mentored research training.
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The program began at UNMC in 2007.
“It’s a great opportunity for our junior assistant professor faculty who desire to do more research in their careers to get that training,” said Lani Zimmerman, Ph.D., the program director and Niedfeldt Professor, College of Nursing-Lincoln Division.
The program, open only to junior faculty from any UNMC college or institute, provides the multidisciplinary didactic education, mentoring, and practical training so that scholars planning a career in clinical translational research will acquire the skills to design, implement, and report ethically sound, extramurally funded clinical translational research.
Lois Starr, M.D., assistant professor, pediatrics and medical director, Munroe-Meyer Institute, is a first-year student in the program, pursuing a master’s degree.
“With multiple responsibilities, it is difficult for clinical faculty to be involved with research despite having the closest relationships to patients who could benefit the most,” Dr. Starr said. “Diagnosing rare disorders is my primary clinical role, and this program enables me to keep research intertwined as a valuable component of my career.”
Shailender Singh, M.D., assistant professor, gastroenterology and hepatology, said the program helps in the understanding of NIH grant funding, including different types of grants and the important art of grant writing.
“‘What are the expectations of the reviewers?’ I could not have learned that anywhere else except in the classes of this program,” Dr. Singh said. “Also, the biostatistics classes have helped me better understand and analyze a journal article.”
“The program has provided me with a solid foundation of research knowledge and the understanding of how to be a productive clinical scientist in my own environment,” said Sasha Shillcutt, M.D., associate professor, anesthesiology. “The program fosters collaboration, personal academic growth and career development. I would not have known about the resources available on campus nor how to utilize them to succeed in my own arena if not for this program.”
The program has proven to be an outstanding resource for developing UNMC faculty into independent investigators, as well as networking across the campus, said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research and director of the Clinical and Translational Research Center (CCTR).
“Graduates from this program have moved on to new leadership positions here and at other institutions and already serve as our ‘next generation’ of translational research leaders,” Dr. Larsen said.