CTSA Outcomes

ITMAT Education’s mission is to develop a CTS workforce capable of translating knowledge into therapies, devices, and health care strategies that improve human health. Our programming provides flexible ways for all research team members to participate in CTS training throughout their careers, including introductory opportunities, workshops, coursework, externships, certificates, degree-granting programs, and career exploration sessions for clinical research professionals, investigators, and scientists. Our programs are integrated with Penn’s health sciences (MD, VMD, DMD) predoctoral and postdoctoral training, as well as Penn’s biomedical predoctoral and postdoctoral PhD and MD-PhD training.

ITMAT Ed has emerged as a pioneering model for collaborative professional scientific education. We have successfully disseminated our best practices locally throughout the university and nationally across the CTSA consortium. Locally, we have become the definitive resource for comprehensive professional skills training, successfully establishing our innovative practices across the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) and the University at large, with schoolwide adoption of our mentoring framework and Individual Development Plans. Moreover, ITMAT Ed has become the University’s central hub for research mentor training. Nationally, we co-led the development of the NCATS KL2/K12 Visiting Scholars Program and the National CTSA Virtual Professional Development Series for KL2/K12 scholars, distributed our professional skills development series, contributed content to national mentor training initiatives, and led national education evaluation initiatives. 

For questions, please email Lorri Schieri.

KL2 Outcomes

While it is impossible to capture the full impact of all prior KL2 scholars’ contributions, the three scholar stories woven throughout this proposal illustrate the transformative influence our K12 Program graduates will have on health and societal benefits. We hope that the narratives demonstrate how our prior scholars are advancing discoveries to solutions that address critical health challenges. Our final scholar impact story is that of Dr. Laura Adang, a rare disease researcher and advocate within the leukodystrophy community, who has forged a transformative path in understanding and addressing this complex genetic disorder with her work having both community and policy impact (Fig. 17).

Since our inception in 2006, we have appointed 82 scholars, 70 of whom have completed their CTS program, and 12 are still in training. Ninety-three percent of scholars remain engaged in clinical and translational research. Of these, 77% hold faculty positions, 13% are employed in pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, 1% are at the World Health Organization, and 7% are in clinical practice. Fig. 18 depicts grants awarded to date. Fig. 19 depicts the principal activity of their career position based on the NRSA data table categories. The attached Training Data Table 8B reports on the career progression of scholars over the past five years and includes details about their research projects, initial positions, current positions, and any subsequent grants.

 

T32 Postdoc Outcomes

 

Eighty-nine percent of trainees continue to be engaged in clinical and translational research, directly addressing the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. The Training Data Table 8B attachment reports on the career progression of trainees over the past five years and includes their research project, initial position, current position, and any subsequent grants. Since inception, we have appointed 49 postdoctoral trainees, 41 of whom have completed their CTS program, and 8 are currently appointed. Of all the postdoctoral trainees, 9 are in further clinical or research training, and 32 have completed training. Of the PhD TL1 trainees, 27% hold faculty positions, 55% have entered pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry research positions, and 18% are engaged in research support positions in academia. One individual is lost to follow-up. Of the clinical TL1 trainees who have completed training, 80% hold faculty positions, 5% are NIH investigators, 5% are in research support positions in academia, and 10% are in clinical practice. Fig. 18 depicts grants awarded to date. Fig. 19 depicts the principal activity of their career position based on the NRSA data table categories.

The Training Data Table 5B attachment reports publications of postdoctoral trainees (n=27) over the past 5 years. The average number of publications is 1.9 per trainee (range 0 – 9), and 52% of trainees published as first-author on one or more manuscripts. The majority of trainees who have not yet published are still in training or have recently completed training and are preparing manuscripts. Two trainees who did not publish left the institution during training.

T32 Predoc Outcomes

 

Since inception of the program, in 2006, we have recorded the outcomes of our TL1 trainees. The Training Data Table 8A attachment reports on the career progression of trainees over the past 5 years and includes their research project, initial position, current position, and any subsequent grants. Since inception, we have appointed 91 predoctoral trainees, 86 of which have completed their CTS program, and 5 are currently appointed. Of all the predoctoral trainees, 46 are in further clinical or research training and 40 have completed training. Of the 12 PhD TL1 trainees who have completed training, 92% have entered pharmaceutical or biotechnology research-related industry positions, and 8% is engaged in a research support position in academia. Of the 28 clinical TL1 trainees, 61% hold faculty positions with the majority engaged in research, and 39% are in clinical practice. Across both groups, 60% of trainees remain engaged in research careers, directly addressing the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. Fig. 18 depicts grants awarded to date. Fig. 19 depicts the principal activity of their career position based on the NRSA data table categories.

The Training Data Table 5A attachment reports publications of predoctoral trainees (n=17) over the past 5 years. There are a total of 19 publications, including 7 first-author publications. The average number of publications is 1.1 per trainee (range 0 – 4), and 29% of the trainees have one or more first-author publications. Trainees who have not yet published are still in training or have recently completed training and are preparing manuscripts.