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RESEARCH RESOURCES

Ruth Wood

riw@usc.edu

BMT 410a

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Never enough:

• protected time

• research funding

• training

We want you to be

successful in research

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Grants

Publications

Citations

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• Collaborate

USC Health Sciences Profiles

USC Experts Directory

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• Pilot funding:

- ‘Weekly Notice of Funding Opportunities’ email from Keck

Office of Research. Email Cort.Brinkerhoff@med.usc.edu

- Intramural and extramural funding opportunities at

keck.usc.edu/research-funding/

- ‘Philanthropy News Digest’ publishes RFPs for US non-profits

and grants organizations: philanthropynewsdigest.org

- Zumberge Preliminary Studies Research Awards through ORI.

Applications are due in January.

- Private foundations: ask your colleagues for information.

- Departmental support? Ask your supervisor.

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• Recruit

Medical students

Undergrads

pro tip: when your student researcher graduates, ask them to

recommend their replacement

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT THE KECK SCHOOL

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT THE KECK SCHOOL

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SC CTSI: Education, Training, and Research Resources

February 2026

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SC CTSI: Education, Training, and Research Resources

Seminar Series

Monthly, expert led sessions covering essential topics in clinical and translational research.

Research Success Teams

Integrated supports for early career investigators focused on proposal development, skill building, and career advancement.

SC CTSI Learning Network

Our on-demand learning platform offering courses and resources for clinical and translational research

Mentored Career Development in Clinical and Translational Science/KL2 Award

Provides emerging clinical and translational investigators with protected time, mentorship, and resources to advance their research careers.

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SC CTSI Learning Network

1

01

+ IMPACT Guide

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SC CTSI Learning Network

On‑Demand Learning for Every Stage of the Research Career

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Research Success Teams �+ Mentor Program�+ Mentee Program

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06

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Research Success Teams (RST)

Supporting Early‑Career Investigators at CHLA and USC

Works‑in‑Progress Sessions

Didactic Training

Proposal Repository

Specific Aims Reviews

2025 Expansion

Expanded to USC in Summer 2025

Participation increased from 102 → 149 investigators

Strong Proposal Development Outcomes

K Award Success Rates: 60% (2020), 75% (2021), 50% (2022), 75% (2023)

K‑to‑R Transition Rates: 50% (2020), 43% (2021), 20% (2022), 16% (2023)

The Research Success Teams are one of our most effective ways of supporting early‑career investigators at both CHLA and USC.
The whole point of RST is to give investigators the structure, feedback, and community they need to develop competitive proposals.
The program blends works‑in‑progress sessions, short trainings, and access to a proposal repository, but the standout feature continues to be the specific aims page reviews—getting early feedback makes a huge difference.
Last summer, we expanded RST to USC, and participation jumped from 102 to 149 investigators, which really shows how valuable this kind of support is.
And we’re seeing strong outcomes.
Among those who engage in the aims‑page review process, K award success rates have stayed solid—60% in 2020, 75% in 2021, 50% in 2022, and 75% again in 2023.
We’re also tracking K‑to‑R transitions, which remain challenging, but important: 50% in 2020, 43% in 2021, 20% in 2022, and 16% in 2023.
To further support investigators, we are also working to upload our proposal repository and training resources into the SC CTSI Learning Network to increase accessibility.
Altogether, these initiatives are helping investigators strengthen proposals and build momentum toward independent research careers.

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Mentor Training Program +

Mentee Training Program

Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER)

Mentor Training Program:

Three-part virtual series offered twice per academic year
Participation growth: 3 (2023 pilot) → 15 (2024) → 19 (2025)
Focus on communication, expectations, equity/inclusion, independence, and career development

Mentee Training Program (Launching in 2026):

Three-part, six-hour virtual series
Mirrors mentor competencies to create shared language and expectations
Pilot cohort: ~10 mentees

Our mentoring programs are grounded in the CIMER framework—the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research—which provides evidence‑based approaches to strengthen the mentoring relationship.
Our Mentor Training Program has expanded significantly since its pilot in 2023, growing from 3 initial participants to 19 faculty completing the program in 2025.
This three-part virtual series builds skills in communication, aligning expectations, equity and inclusion, fostering independence, and supporting professional development.
**CLICK MOUSE**
To complement this, we are launching our first Mentee Training Program in 2026.
This three-part, six-hour series mirrors the same competencies taught to mentors, giving trainees tools to communicate proactively, set expectations, navigate feedback, and engage more confidently.
Our pilot will include about 10 mentees.
By training both mentors and mentees using the CIMER framework, we create a shared language, clearer expectations, and a stronger, more equitable mentoring culture across CHLA and USC.”

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Research Project Lifecycle Toolkit

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07

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Research Project Lifecycle Toolkit

Resources to Guide Investigators Through Every Phase of the Research Lifecycle

We continued to enhance our Research Project Lifecycle Toolkit over the past year to make it more intuitive and comprehensive.
The toolkit supports CHLA investigators at every stage of the research process and aligns with all four phases of the lifecycle—Plan & Propose, Setup, Manage, and Closeout—while also providing resources across administration and support, study design, and project implementation.
The toolkit currently available on our CHLA SharePoint site and will be added to the Learning Management System next month.
We continue to gather feedback from investigators across CHLA, and based on that input, we will release a revised version next month.
We are also developing a companion toolkit for USC‑based investigators to ensure both campuses have access to consistent, user‑friendly research support.

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CTSI scientific writing support

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT USC

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT USC

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT USC

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT NIH

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT NIH

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RESEARCH RESOURCES AT NIH

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QUESTIONS?