Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Irvine received a $756,000 Project Grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS, CFDA 93.350) awarded on March 15, 2026, with a completion date of February 28, 2031. The award funds the ICTS Mentored Career Development Core K12 Program, which provides structured mentored career development training for early-career researchers pursuing clinical translational science and research (CTS&R). The program delivers four fully funded K12 scholar positions annually through an integrated curriculum called Focused Flexible Accelerated Studies (FFAST), which emphasizes core and advanced competencies in translational science, responsible conduct of research, and reproducibility training. Additionally, the program operates the Affiliated Scholars Advancement Program (ASAP) to expand training opportunities for unfunded scholars interested in CTS&R careers.

Program oversight and quality assurance are maintained through an Education Leadership Team, collaboration with the ICTS UM1 Workforce Development Module Team, an External Advisory Committee including ICTS partner institutions (Children's Hospital of Orange County and Long Beach Veterans Association Hospital), and a nationally recognized Survey Evaluation Tracking team. The program emphasizes scholar-mentor alignment through structured individual development planning, quarterly partnership meetings, and a quality-by-design approach to ensure effective career development and advancement in translational science.