UCLA CTSI KL2 Translational Science Award 2025

UCLA CTSI KL2 Translational Science Award 2026
Request for Applications (RFA)

Important Dates (subject to change)

• NEW DEADLINE: Required Pre-Application:  September 2, 2025 by 5:00pm
• Invitations for Full Applications and Pre-Application Feedback: Early to mid-October 2025
• NEW DEADLINE: Full Application (selected applicants): January 21, 2026 by 5:00pm
• Invitations for Interviews (selected applicants): Late March 2026
• Selected Candidate Interviews: April 2026
• Award Notifications: May to June 2026
• Grant Start Date: July 1, 2026

The UCLA CTSI KL2 Translational Science Award supports highly qualified junior faculty from one of the four partnered institutions (UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Charles R. Drew University, and Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA) to conduct mentored, interdisciplinary and translational science. The program is specifically designed to meet an important goal of the UCLA CTSI: To provide the next generation of clinicians and researchers with the training they need to conduct research across medicine, biology, engineering, physics and other disciplines to improve health.

The UCLA CTSI encourages junior faculty from varied scientific disciplines to apply for the KL2 program to bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual expertise to address complex scientific problems. There are many benefits that flow from a multidisciplinary scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the research, and advancing translational science.

The Award
UCLA CTSI KL2 Scholars may receive up to 3 years of funding or until receipt of an individual NIH K award (or equivalent grant from the Veterans Administration or foundation), whichever comes first. Continued KL2 support in years 2 (2027-28) and 3 (2028-29) will be contingent on the scholar’s performance during the prior year(s). Please note that funding after May 31, 2027 is also contingent on the renewal of the UCLA CTSI grant.

The following  lists the maximum allowable amounts per year.

• Scholar Salary (75% effort)    
  Scholar Fringe Benefits 
  Research Expenses (UCLA applicants must include TIF)
  Tuition/Career Development (excludes scientific memberships): $75,000
• Statistical Support: $53,000
• Travel for scientific conferences: $2,000
• MAXIMUM DIRECT COSTS/YEAR: $130,000

Required Pre-Application
The pre-application is required with a deadline of September 2, 2025. This pre-application is comprised of a 2-page application (plus candidate’s biosketch, mentor’s letter and biosketch), which will be reviewed by the KL2 Selection Committee. Only a portion of pre-applications will be asked to submit a full application, which will be due January 21, 2026.

Eligibility Requirements
Note: This has been updated for 2026. Please review carefully.

• Possess a doctoral-level degree (e.g., MD, PhD, DDS, PharmD)
• Have a full-time junior faculty appointment at one of the four UCLA CTSI partnered institutions (UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Charles R. Drew University, and Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA) in any series at or above the clinical instructor level as of July 1, 2026.
  • Postdoctoral fellows may apply but if invited to submit the full application, they must provide an Institutional Letter of Support that confirms their faculty appointment by July 1, 2026.
• U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or permanent resident by July 1, 2026. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
• Commit 75% of professional effort (9 calendar months) to the KL2 program.  Those in surgical specialties may request a lower level of effort, but in no case lower than 50%, with the level of CTSI KL2 salary support being reduced proportionately.  To request a lower level of effort, please contact CTSIWD@mednet.ucla.edu by the full application deadline so a formal request can be submitted to the NIH.
• Not be or have been a principal investigator on an NIH R01, or project leader on a subproject of a Program Project (P01), Center (P50, P60, U54), mentored career development grant (K23, K08, K01, etc.), or equivalent non-PHS peer reviewed research grant that is over $100,000 in direct costs per year. May have had support on a non-federal grant, a NRSA grant (F or T) or have been PI of an NIH small grant (R03 or R21).  Note: Candidates may have had previous support on a K12 award, but the CTSI KL2 cannot extend total K support beyond five years.
• Candidates may not have submitted an individual NIH K or R01-equivalent before July 1, 2026.

Pre-Application

• Deadline: September 2, 2025 by 5:00 PM
• Submission link: https://bit.ly/KL2PreApp2026
• Pre-Application is REQUIRED and selected applicants will be invited to submit full applications.
• Early to mid-October 2025: Applicants will receive general feedback on the pre-applications and decisions on whether to proceed with the full application.
• Pre-Application required components include:

1. NIH-formatted Biosketch of CTSI KL2 candidate
   1. Personal Statement must include the justification for the need of training
2. NIH-formatted Biosketch of the primary mentor
3. Primary Mentor’s Letter of Support (1 page maximum)
4. Specific Aims of the Proposed Project and Relevant Preliminary Data (1½ page maximum)
   1. You may include a Bibliography & References Cited and it would not count towards the page limit.
5. Candidate’s Statement (½ page maximum): Describe your previous research experience and training goals for the KL2.

Full Application
 

• Deadline: January 21, 2026 by 5:00 PM
• Submission link will only be provided to the applicants who are invited to submit full applications.
• Please follow application instructions available at https://uclahs.fyi/KL2Deadlines and see “STEP 2: Full Application (selected applicants).”
• Full Application components include:

1. NIH-formatted Biosketch of the CTSI KL2 candidate
2. NIH-formatted Other Support Pages of the CTSI KL2 candidate
3. Project Summary/Abstract (30 lines of text maximum)
4. Specific Aims (1 page maximum)
5. Program Plan (12 pages maximum)
6. Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources (1 page maximum)
7. Protection of Human Subjects (required for research involving human subjects)
8. Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Inclusion Across the Lifespan (required for research involving human subjects)
   1. NIH Reminder About Inclusion of Participants in Clinical Research (as of 5/7/25)
9. PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report (required for research involving human subjects)
10. Data and Safety Monitoring Plan (required for research involving human subjects)
11. Vertebrate Animals (when applicable)
12. Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page maximum)
13. Letters of Support from Mentoring Team (6 pages maximum)
14. Institutional Letter of Support (2 pages maximum)
15. Mentoring Team NIH-formatted Biosketches
16. NIH-formatted Detailed Budget (Form Page 4) and Budget Justification
17. Bibliography & References Cited
18. Letters of Support for use of equipment, data, specimens, and community resources (when applicable).  Other letters of support submitted under this field will be removed during the administrative review process.
19. Translational Science Justification: Describe how both this research and your planned research career align with at least one of the clinical translational science focus below. (½ to 1 page)
    1. Produce Generalizable Solutions for Common and Persistent Challenges: Develop innovations that address persistent challenges to advancing translational progress that are found across multiple research initiatives or projects, or span research on multiple diseases or conditions.
       Enhance the Efficiency and Speed of Translational Research: Implement evidence-informed practices and scientific and operational innovations to accelerate the pace of translational research.
    2. Prioritize Initiatives That Address Unmet Needs: Focus on pursuing scientific goals that address unmet scientific, patient or population health needs.
    3. Emphasize Creativity and Innovation: Leverage creativity and innovation in research design, conduct, and facilitating factors, with the goal of increasing the impact of the research.
    4. Leverage Cross-Disciplinary Team Science: Engage team members with expertise across disciplines, fields, and professions to produce research that advances translation along the translational research continuum.
    5. Utilize Boundary-Crossing Partnerships: Leverage collaborations across agencies and sectors and engage patients and communities in research to advance translational progress.
    6. Use Bold and Rigorous Research Approaches: Develop ambitious research questions and address them with rigorous and robust methods toward generating reproducible findings that contribute to advancing translation.

Candidate Interviews
Selected candidates will be invited for an interview with the KL2 Selection Committee during April 2026 (exact date, time and location are TBD). Candidates will be notified in late-March 2026 if selected for an interview.

Questions??? Contact the KL2 Program at CTSIWD@mednet.ucla.edu.