Translational Research Scholars Program

Join us for the first 2025 meeting of the expanded Translational Research Scholars Program!

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025

Time: 12:00 to 1:00 PM

Topic: “Sustaining a Lifelong Career in Translational Research” presented by UTMB’s Celeste Finnerty, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery, and Brian Downer, PhD, Associate Professor of Population Health and Health Disparities.

Place: Teams (register for Teams link)

The Translational Research Scholars Program (TRSP) is a supportive community designed to provide mentorship and peer-support in career development, grant writing, and research advancement for early career scholars.

In 2025, TRSP is becoming the GGCTSA TRSP and is open to postdocs and early early career faculty from all Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance institutions: UTMB, Houston Methodist, Texas Southern University, and the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Register here: https://redcap.utmb.edu/surveys/?s=FM9CCPDWAD

About TRSP:

• TRSP is co-directed by Drs. Celeste Finnerty and Brian Downer of UTMB. They lead monthly group discussions focused on receiving feedback, solving challenges, and overcoming barriers to success in translational research.
• Since joining TRSP, over 60% of scholars have secured external research funding as principal investigators.

What’s New in 2025?

• We are expanding to include early-career faculty and postdoctoral fellows from Houston Methodist, TSU, and UHCL.
• The program’s first year features a structured curriculum to help scholars develop a competitive grant application, culminating in a certificate upon completion.
• Scholars continuing beyond the first year can engage in additional activities for ongoing development.

TRSP Meetings:

• Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM on Teams.
• Topics for 2025 include creating an Individual Development Plan, selecting grant types, crafting specific aims, identifying collaborators and mentors, and building budgets.