Project Grant T32TR006158

The University of Pennsylvania received a $532,701 Project Grant award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS, CFDA 93.350) on July 6, 2026, to establish and operate a Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Postdoctoral T32 Training Program. The program supports annual training of five postdoctoral fellows—two with PhDs and three clinicians—for 1–2 year periods through May 31, 2031. Trainees engage in mentored research projects embedded within an academic framework, combining rigorous research investigation with formal coursework in implementation science, data science, and learning health system science. Training incorporates structured professional development through Penn's ASCEND program, focusing on leadership and resilience, along with integration into the broader Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) community of over 2,000 members.

The program leverages the University of Pennsylvania's established expertise in translational science workforce development built on 20 years of prior training initiatives and successful bench-to-bedside translation examples in mRNA therapeutics and cell/gene therapies. Trainees receive comprehensive mentoring through designated research mentors, program mentors, and advisory committees, with participation in research seminars, seminars-in-progress presentations, and access to the broader Cellicon Valley industrial innovation ecosystem. The initiative addresses the critical gap between scientific discovery and clinical implementation by equipping emerging investigators with the knowledge, skills, and professional networks required for careers across academic medicine, industry, nonprofits, and government agencies.