About the Omics Career Development Program

Program Requirements

Duration and Transferability of the Award

Since this is the final year of the K12, the scholar that will be appointed in 2017 will be eligible for only one year of support. The K12 is an institutional career development award granted to UCSF, and it is non-transferable.

Professional Effort Devoted to the Program and Source of Funding

At least 75% of a Scholar's full-time effort must be devoted to the K12 award for the training and research activities. The K Scholar's home department is responsible for covering the remainder (if any) of the Scholar's effort and any salary above $100,000.

Didactic Training

All Scholars will be expected to participate in courses, workshops, and scientific meetings in disciplines relevant to their career development plans at UCSF and at other institutions; these should be planned in discussions with mentors and K12 advisors. K12 Scholars may use their K12 research and training funds for such courses, workshops, and meetings.

Mentors

Developing a successful clinical research career requires strong relationships with mentors and a research team. Each Scholar must have a lead mentor. Scholars are strongly encouraged to work closely with at least one other mentor from a different discipline. Mentors should have sufficient independent research support to cover the costs of the proposed research project that exceed the limited scholar research funds provided by the K12.

Lead mentors will have overall responsibility for helping Scholars develop creative and independent careers in research. In addition to being an expert in the scientific area the Scholar has chosen to pursue, a lead mentor must be familiar with faculty and resources at UCSF, and have resources and research staff that can support the Scholar's research. Lead mentors will provide guidance to assure that projects are moving satisfactorily on the path to presentations, publications, and grant applications, and they will provide advice about career directions, national networking, and academic promotion. They will also help to assure that 75% of the Scholar's total work week is protected from clinical and administrative duties, and fully available for training and research. Co-mentors will be responsible for working with the lead mentor on these responsibilities, and will provide guidance in one or more complementary areas of expertise.

Annual NHLBI Pulmonary Omics K12 meetings

Scholars will be required to participate in annual meetings of all NHLBI K12 programs. K12 program funds will be available for travel to these meetings. This provides an opportunity for the scholars to meet colleagues from across the nation and present their work.

Supporting Pulmonary Omics Research Training at UCSF

Scholars are expected to contribute pulmonary omics training of UCSF students, trainees and faculty by participating in seminars and teaching methods to others in the K program and in other affiliated programs such as the UCSF Multidisciplinary Training Program in Lung Disease postdoctoral training program.

Scholar individual development plans, progress reports, and performance feedback

Scholars will assemble a mentoring committee of 3-4 faculty that includes 1) the lead mentor, 2) one of the K12 program directors or another member of the K12 Advisory Committee, 3) a senior faculty member who is active in pulmonary research, and 4) a senior faculty member with expertise in omics or related disciplines (e.g., biostatistics or bioinformatics). The Scholar will prepare a written Individual Development Plan (IDP) and meet with the mentoring committee twice annually. Each scholar is also expected to meet periodically with her/his division head/department chair who will oversee the scholar's departmental interactions and academic advancement.