University of Georgia: Shaping Leaders Through the KL2 Program and Notable Alumni

The University of Georgia (UGA) plays a pivotal role in nurturing future leaders and innovators. This is achieved through programs like the Georgia CTSA KL2 Program, designed to support junior faculty in clinical and translational science, and the achievements of its notable alumni across various fields.

The Georgia CTSA KL2 Program at UGA

The Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) KL2 Program is a vital initiative aimed at fostering the career development of junior faculty interested in clinical and translational science (CTS) and clinical and translational research (CTR). The goal of the Georgia CTSA KL2 Program is to support and enhance career development for junior faculty (MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or PharmD) interested in a career that encompasses clinical and translational science (CTS) and clinical and translational research (CTR). This program supports junior faculty from diverse disciplines at Georgia CTSA partner institutions, including Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and the University of Georgia (UGA).

Program Goals and Objectives

The Georgia CTSA KL2 Program is committed to supporting junior faculty (Instructor or Assistant Professor level) at the partner institutions to become independent, established, and ethical clinical and translational science investigators. The KL2 program responds to national efforts to support the training and development of junior faculty members who will become well trained, successful, and independent clinical and/or translational investigators. The KL2 program builds on the considerable strengths and outstanding resources in Atlanta and at Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, and UGA.

The Georgia CTSA KL2 addresses the recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine and others about the need to intensify efforts to train and retain clinical and translational researchers in order to reverse the dramatic decline of clinical and/or translational investigators entering the research workforce. The rationale for the education and training program includes the expanding need for high-quality clinical and translational research; the necessity for integration of the analytic sciences and clinical and translational research; the need to translate research findings from the bench to the bedside and from the bedside to the community; the importance of interdisciplinary education and training in clinical and translational research; and the extensive expertise in and record of clinical investigation represented by the faculty at the collaborating institutions (i.e., Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, and UGA).

Support and Training

Trainees accepted into the Georgia CTSA KL2 Scholars program will receive salary support to enable them to spend at least 75% of their professional time (50% is allowed for trainees from surgery or surgical subspecialties) on clinical and translational research (CTR)/clinical and translational science (CTS) and research training. They will also receive a KL2 technical budget of $30,000 per year for research-related expenses and tuition for the Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) degree, Certificate Program in Translational Science (CPTS), or a menu of selected courses. Didactic research training is provided through the MSCR, CPTS, or selected courses and mentored research training under the direction of an established, federally funded clinical investigator at one of the collaborating institutions. Support in the Georgia CTSA KL2 Program will be provided for up to two years. The Georgia CTSA KL2 Program also provides opportunities for leadership training, mentor training, Team Science training, and Scientific Communications training.

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The MSCR or CPTS programs at either Emory or MSM provide didactic training for those applicants from the respective institutions accepted into the KL2 program. Applicants may also opt for the menu option and choose selected courses which will include certain required core courses from the MSCR program. All applicants accepted into the Georgia CTSA KL2 program will be required to enroll in the MSCR program (either at Emory or MSM), the CPTS, or take selected required core courses from the MSCR and additional courses of their choosing. The Emory MSCR and CPTS programs are offered by the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies.

For those enrolled in the MSCR program, much of the KL2 scholar’s time in the first year will be devoted to didactic research trainings. In the second year of the KL2 program, a large portion of the KL2 scholar’s time will be devoted to working on their clinical and/or translational research project, under the guidance of their mentor and completing the MSCR written thesis for those enrolled in the MSCR degree program. The KL2 scholar’s thesis research must be presented to the Georgia CTSA Research Education Executive Committee and the mentoring team at a session scheduled before the final written thesis is submitted to the Graduate School. For those in enrolled in the CPTS or taking selected courses, coursework is typically spread out over the two years and there is no thesis requirement. The KL2 program will provide additional support as well through ongoing functions such as journal club, colloquiums, and special seminars (often in collaboration with the MSCR program or other Georgia CTSA components). Other KL2 scholar’s career development research training activities include leadership training, Science of Team Science training, and mentorship training. The importance of interdisciplinary research will be emphasized in these additional colloquiums and seminars. Each KL2 scholar accepted into the Georgia CTSA KL2 program must submit a mandatory NIH K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award or equivalent NIH K award (e.g. K01, K08) grant application by the end of their first 12 months of KL2 funding.

Eligibility and Requirements

Junior faculty with a doctorate (MD, PhD, MD/PhD, PharmD, or equivalent) at the rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor at Emory, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), or University of Georgia (UGA) are eligible to apply to the program. Individuals who have accepted a faculty appointment at any of the four collaborating institutions may also apply if they will be on the Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, or UGA faculty at the date of receipt of the award (e.g., June 1 or July 1). Faculty appointments cannot be dependent upon receipt of this KL2 award. Junior faculty physician candidates should have completed training in a specialty or subspecialty and be board eligible or certified. resident at the time they submit the application. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Also per NIH rules, KL2 scholar applicants may not simultaneously submit or have pending an application for any other PHS mentored career development award (e.g. K01, K07, K08, K22, K23, K25) that duplicates any of the provisions of the KL2 program. Former or current Principal Investigators on any NIH research project grant (e.g. R01, U01) or equivalent non-PHS peer reviewed research grants that are over $100,000 direct costs per year, or project leaders on sub-projects of program project (P01) or center grants (P50) are NOT eligible to participate as KL2 scholars. KL2 scholars are allowed to hold NIH Small Grants (R03) or NIH Exploratory/Developmental (R21) grants or their equivalents and still be eligible for the KL2 award. Appointed KL2 scholars may apply for NIH K23 or equivalent K grant support; if successful, they transfer to the NIH K award.

The candidate must:

Be a full time junior faculty member at Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Institute of Technology, or University of Georgia (Instructor or Assistant Professor or equivalent level) at the time of receipt of the award
Indicate a strong interest in pursuing a career in clinical and/or translational research
Be nominated by the candidate's Department Chair (and Division Director if applicable); the Chair must guarantee in writing in the letter of support that a minimum of 75% of the junior faculty's professional time will be protected to pursue clinical and/or translational research training if the candidate is accepted into the KL2 program (an exception is made for a minimum of 50% effort for trainees from surgery or surgical subspecialties)
Identify an established Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, or UGA faculty lead mentor who meets approval criteria. Additional faculty members may serve as co-mentors or Advisory Committee members but there must be a designated single lead mentor.

Application Process

UGA applicants must notify the Assistant Director of the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR), Kim Cherewick, of their intention to submit a KL2 application. The Owens Institute will provide extensive pre-award proposal support in addition to important communication (to candidate and their department) about internal procedures related to Georgia CTSA.

The application includes several components:

Cover Page: A standard cover page with basic applicant information.
Cover Letter: The Cover Letter from Applicant should indicate the applicant’s rank (e.g. Instructor, Assistant Professor, etc.) as well as the name of the applicant’s lead mentor. The candidate should indicate their interest in pursuing a career in clinical and/or translational investigation and agree to serve at least one year on the faculty of an academic institution pursuing clinical and/or translational research for each year of support from the KL2 program. The applicant should also state that they will:agree to the rules of the KL2 programmeet with the KL2 program director(s) at least once every six months to review progresssubmit semi-annual progress reportskeep the program office updated on publications and grant submissions/awards during AND AFTER completion of the programcomplete the MSCR or CPTS program (unless you have already graduated) or pursue the menu option of selected coursessubmit a NIH K23 or other appropriate NIH application (e.g. K01, K08) before the end of their first year in the KL2 program
Abstract: A concise summary of the application, including career goals, research development plan, and research project description.
Research and Training Plan: A detailed plan including specific aims, candidate section, and research strategy. Include a Specific Aims page outlining a brief background for the grant, the hypothesis, and a listing of the specific aims.As described in the Application Guide, prepare a Candidate Section (Candidate Background; Career Goals and Objectives; Career Development Training Activities) as well as a Research Strategy section (Significance, Innovation and Approach) with a specific focus on the respective K program. The Approachsection will include methods - including human subjects recruitment, statistical analysis plan, anticipated outcomes, potential pitfalls and alternative approaches, and timeline subsections. Preliminary data if any, is not required, but should be included in the appropriate section of the Research Plan. Preliminary data supporting any aspects of feasibility of the methods is considered to be an advantage. Preliminary data can include published or unpublished findings. Be precise about your role in generating the preliminary data, if any.The Candidate Section should indicate the candidate’s background and career goals and should also describe the faculty member who will serve as the lead mentor as well as a planned schedule of interactions between the trainee lead mentor and mentoring team (be specific and indicate frequency of meetings, types of interactions, etc.). For the Career Goals, it is important to describe a compelling plan describing “Future Plans for NIH Research” which would include at a minimum, a K23, K01, or K08. Applicants who clearly preview the KL2/K12 as a pathway to the NIH K (or similar) tend to receive better scores from reviewers. The Career Development Training Activities should provide a clear description of the didactic training that is planned and may include electives in the second year. Applicants who have already completed a Master’s degree should explain the rationale for the proposed didactic training plan. The research strategy section will include a hypothesis driven clinical and/or translational research proposal that they would develop under the guidance of their lead mentor as well as plans for didactic and mentored clinical and/or translational research training. Pilot studies are acceptable.
Human Subjects/Data Safety and Monitoring Plan: If applicable, a plan for protecting human subjects and ensuring data safety.

Notable UGA Alumni

UGA boasts a diverse array of accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions across various fields. Here are some examples:

Public Service and Government

Sonny Perdue: Alumni Merit Award. As chancellor, Perdue oversees 26 public colleges and universities across the state with a $9.8 billion annual budget, 48,000 faculty and staff and more than 340,000 students. Prior to that, he served two terms as the governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011, reforming the state budget while Georgia faced twin recessions. From 1991 to 2001, he was a member of the Georgia Senate, representing the 18th District and serving as senate president pro tempore. As chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, he worked with fellow lawmakers and Gov. Zell Miller to craft the HOPE Scholarship, one of the most innovative and successful higher education programs in the nation. Perdue earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from UGA in 1971.
Yvette K. Daniels: A Double Dawg, Daniels earned her bachelor’s degree in political science in 1986. She is a Leadership Georgia graduate, and she serves on the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center Community Coalition Board. She is also the past president of the Stone Mountain chapter of Jack and Jill of America.

Law and Legal Profession

Neal Quirk (J.D.'87): Alumni Merit Award. A registered mediator and arbitrator, Quirk holds an AV Preeminent rating-the highest rating available for legal ability and ethical standards for attorneys-based on peer review and serves as a Special Master on case appointments. In 2012, Quirk was elected to the board of trustees of the University of Georgia Foundation, where he now serves as chairman. UGA achieved its largest and most successful fundraising year in history during his tenure in this role. Quirk has been a steadfast supporter of the university’s Jere W. Morehead Honors College, serving on the advisory board for 12 years. In 2008, he received the Jere W. Morehead Award in recognition of his commitment to Honors students, and in 2018, he received the Blue Key Honor Society Award for his extraordinary contributions to UGA. Quirk graduated from UGA with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance in 1982. Five years later, he earned his Juris Doctor from the UGA School of Law.
Carson M. Alexander: Alexander is a partner at Alexander & Alexander Attorneys at Law focusing on personal injury law. She was recently sworn in as a part-time associate municipal judge in Springfield, South Carolina. Previously, Alexander was an assistant solicitor for the South Carolina 2nd Judicial Circuit and a judicial clerk for Chief Administrative Judge Brian M. Gibbons with the South Carolina 6th Judicial Circuit. She also served as a staff attorney for Judge J. Wade Padgett and Judge Daniel J. Craig of Georgia’s Augusta Judicial Circuit.

Business and Entrepreneurship

Richard Foos '71: Co-founder of Rhino Records, founder of Shout! Factory.
Gordon Woodward: who is a partner and chief investment officer at Kohlberg & Company in New York, presented Rutledge his award. Woodward and Rutledge were college roommates.

Arts and Entertainment

James Nash '72: Emmy-winning broadcast news director, producer, writer (CBS).

Athletics

Allison Schmitt: Young Alumni Award. She is only the fourth American female swimmer to qualify for and compete in four different Olympic Games. Schmitt is a 10-time Olympic medalist and the current American record holder in the 200-meter freestyle, which she has held since 2009. Her most decorated performance came during the 2012 London Olympic Games, when she won three golds, a silver and a bronze. Schmitt accrued five other medals-one gold, two silver and two bronze-across the 2020, 2016 and 2008 Games.

Academia and Research

Paige Carmichael: Faculty Service Award. Her research on inherited neurological diseases in dogs has led to the development of a test for globoid cell leukodystrophy in Irish setters and mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA in wire-haired dachshunds. Her work extends to the investigation of potential therapeutics and treatments for these conditions as well. Carmichael co-founded and continues to lead the UGA Teaching Academy Fellows Program. She is the recipient of the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship, UGA’s highest award for teaching. Among her additional honors are the Lilly Teaching Fellowship, the Carl Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Award, the Tyler Award for Teaching Innovation, the Iverson Bell Award, the Dawn D. Bennett Alexander Inclusive Community Award and UGA’s Fulfilling the Dream Award. After earning her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University in 1987, she earned her doctorate in veterinary pathology from UGA, becoming a board-certified pathologist in 1995.
Alex Kojo Anderson: My research focuses on the nutrition of women and infants, infant and young child feeding, breastfeeding promotion and protection, growth of infants and children, body composition of infants, children and pregnant women, as well as community and international interventions for nutrition and health. I have expertise in both qualitative, quantitative and nutritional research methods. I am currently involved in a multi-site research project evaluating parental practices supporting positive eating behaviors during independent eating occassions among early adolescent children. With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as a consortium to develop and use technology for dietary assessment in low- and middle-income countries. The focus of this Gates Foundation funded project is to validate passive technologies for the passive dietary assessment. My job description includes teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses, advising both undergraduate and graduate students, directing a Study Abroad Program, and conducting research.

Philanthropy and Community Service

Joe and Ann Frierson: Alumni Merit Award. The couple has been recognized multiple times for their ongoing commitment to the university. In 2015, they received the Jere W. Morehead Award for their distinguished service to and support of the Morehead Honors College. They also were named Distinguished Honorees by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in 2016. Both are Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art and staunch supporters of UGA’s study abroad program in Cortona, Italy.
Jack and Nancy Fontaine Family: Friend of UGA Award. To do so, the Fontaine family donated more than $4 million to enhance and expand the university’s alcohol education initiatives. Today, the center offers many services for students, including alcohol and substance abuse prevention programming, relationship and sexual violence prevention services and other online and in-person support.

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