Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and T32 Postdoctoral (formerly TL1) Programs

Georgia CTSA T32 Application Workshops

Georgia CTSA T32 Application Workshop will be held on October 29, 2026, from 9:30 to 11:30 am in-person (Zoom option for those not on the Emory campus). Georgia CTSA T32 applicants are highly encouraged to attend. For more information and to register for the workshop, visit https://form.jotform.com/242476709273161

Read full Georgia CTSA T32 announcement.

Announcement

The Georgia CTSA TL1 Program is transitioning to the Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and Georgia CTSA T32 Postdoctoral Programs. We are accepting applications for the Georgia CTSA T32 Programs for the 2027-2028 academic year for both predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees. Georgia CTSA T32 Programs application deadline is February 15, 2027, at 5:00 PM (EST). Georgia CTSA T32 appointments are contingent on the funding of the Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral Program and T32 Postdoctoral Program by NIH.

Program Overview

The Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and T32 Postdoctoral Programs (formerly the TL1 program) provide predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees at Georgia CTSA partner institutions with outstanding opportunities for training in clinical and translational science (CTS) and clinical and translational research (CTR). The Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and T32 Postdoctoral Programs support eligible trainees at the Georgia CTSA partner institutions:

The program prepares the next generation of translational scientists through integrated didactic and mentored CTS/CTR research training guided by personalized training pathways. Each trainee follows a personalized training pathway the combines didactic training (coursework), mentored research, and career development.

The Georgia CTSA T32 Programs offer two training tracks:

  • Predoctoral: Medical students, PhD graduate students, and PharmD students.
  • Postdoctoral: 1) PhD postdoctoral fellows (support is restricted by NIH to those trainees with no more than 2 years since the date of their terminal degree); 2) Physicians (with MD or DO degree) in residency or fellowship training and PharmD graduates in residency (the two years since date of terminal degree is NOT applicable to physicians and PharmDs in residency or fellowship programs).

Georgia CTSA T32 trainees receive one year of support, with the potential for a second year of support based on performance during the first year of the program, program priorities, as well as available T32 Programs funding by NIH. Support from the Georgia CTSA T32 Programs includes:

  • Stipend support at the applicable NIH NRSA level. The trainee’s department is responsible for the difference between the trainee’s institutional salary and the stipend support provided through the NIH-supported training grant
  • Tuition support: This includes tuition for the Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) program at either Emory University or Morehouse School of Medicine; the Certificate Program in Translational Science (CPTS), or a “Menu” option of selected courses.
  • Travel Support. Up to $1,500 in travel support to attend the Georgia CTSA Southeastern Regional Conference on Clinical and Translational Science and the national Translational Science meeting.
  • Childcare Expenses: Up to $3,000 per year for qualifying childcare expenses.
  • Opportunities for the Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Journal Club, colloquia, seminars, and other interdisciplinary research training activities.
  • For Predoctoral Trainees - Health insurance support.
  • For Postdoctoral Trainees - Additional support for training-related expenses (TRE).

All Georgia CTSA T32 trainees complete mentored research training and develop a hypothesis-driven clinical and/or translational research (CTR) or clinical and translational science (CTS) project relevant to human health. Proposed projects must clearly articulate their human component and explain how the research may contribute to improving human health. Projects focused exclusively on basic science and/or animal research projects are not eligible for Georgia CTSA T32 support.

Didactic Research Training
Depending on their training goals, trainees may pursue the following didactic research training options:

Personalized Training Pathway
The personalized training plan integrates didactic coursework, mentored research, and career development activities tailored to the trainee's goals. For the application, the personalized training pathway should be outlined by the applicant with input from their lead mentor and mentoring team. For those accepted into the program, there will be opportunities to update the personalized training pathway with input from program leadership. 

Program Requirements

Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and Postdoctoral trainees are expected to actively participate in the program and fulfill the following requirements:

  • Develop and complete a hypothesis-driven clinical and/or translational research project relevant to human health. Proposed projects must clearly articulate their human component and explain how the research may contribute to improving human health. The research project may serve as the MSCR thesis or as a component of a PhD dissertation, as applicable.
  • Identify a lead mentor who is an established, independently funded clinical and/or translational science investigator at a Georgia CTSA partner institution (Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, or UGA). A faculty mentor may only serve as lead mentor for a single Georgia CTSA T32 applicant or trainee at any one time. Additional co-mentors or Advisory Committee members are permitted (and do not need to meet the criteria for a lead mentor); however, there must be a single lead mentor that is identified. Multidisciplinary mentoring teams are strongly encouraged.
  • Participate in didactic research training through the MSCR (either the Emory MSCR or MSM MSCR), CPTS, or “Menu” of selected courses. The selection of the appropriate didactic research training is based on the applicant’s prior training and their personalized training pathway.
  • Submit the required semi-annual progress reports and meet with the Georgia CTSA T32 Program Director(s) at least every six months to review progress.
  • Keep the Georgia CTSA T32 Program Office informed of publications and grant submissions and awards during and after completion of the program.
  • Participate in additional career development activities, including mentorship training, Team Science training, scientific communication training, CTS Journal Club, colloquia, and seminars, as applicable. 

Program Eligibility

Georgia CTSA T32 Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Programs applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

General Eligibility
Applicants must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application, consistent with NIH requirements.
  • A predoctoral or postdoctoral trainee at one of the four Georgia CTSA partner institutions (Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Institute of Technology [Georgia Tech], or University of Georgia [UGA]).
  • Demonstrate a commitment to a career involving clinical and/or translational research.
Predoctoral Applicants
Eligible predoctoral applicants include:
  • Medical students: Students at Emory University School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, or the University of Georgia School of Medicine may apply as part of a dual-degree MD/MSCR pathway. Medical students generally begin T32 support after completing their third year of medical school.
  • MD/PhD students: Students at Emory and Morehouse School of Medicine may apply during their mentored PhD training period.
  • PharmD students: Eligible UGA PharmD students generally begin T32 training after their second year and may pursue a PharmD/MSCR pathway.
  • PhD graduate students: PhD students at all four Georgia CTSA partner institutions may apply to begin Georgia CTSA T32 support after completing their institution's qualifying examinations or equivalent and advancing to PhD candidacy.
Postdoctoral Applicants
Eligible postdoctoral applicants include:
  • PhD Postdoctoral Trainees: Postdoctoral fellows at the four Georgia CTSA institutions who, per NIH requirements, are within two years of their terminal degree at the time of appointment.
  • Physicians and PharmDs in training: Physicians and PharmDs in residency or fellowship  training programs at the Emory University School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, or the University of Georgia are eligible to apply to the T32 Postdoctoral Program. The two-year limit on time since terminal degree does NOT apply to physicians and PharmDs in residency or fellowship programs. During T32 support, trainees must devote their time to research training and limit clinical duties to those that are an integral part of the research training goals. At the time of T32 appointment, trainees with clinical degrees, must have completed residency if they have chosen not to subspecialize.

Individuals who have accepted a postdoctoral or clinical fellowship at any of the four collaborating institutions may also apply if they will be on the Emory, MSM, Georgia Tech, or UGA payroll at the date of receipt of the award (e.g., July 1 or August 1). They must be employed and on payroll at the time of appointment. Employment as a postdoctoral fellow cannot be dependent upon receipt of this Georgia CTSA T32 training position.

Postdoctoral fellows currently supported by another NIH or federal T-level or F-level training grant are not eligible for Georgia CTSA T32 support. However, they may apply to the MSCR or CPTS programs using support provided by their existing training grant.

How to Apply

Before submitting

UGA applicants must notify the Assistant Director of the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR), Kim Cherewick, of their intention to submit a T32 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. Contact info: Kimberly Silvis Cherewick, ksilvis@uga.edu, 706-542-6078.

Application submission (online submission only!)

The Georgia CTSA T32 Programs accept applications through separate T32  predoctoral and T32  postdoctoral tracks. All application components listed below must be submitted through the online submission system (click to start). After entering their name and email address, applicants receive a confirmation email containing a link to their application. Applicants should share this submission link with their Department Chair, lead mentor, co-mentor(s), and Advisory Committee members, as applicable, so that letters of support can be uploaded.

Required Georgia CTSA T32 Programs application components

1. Cover sheet (save link as document)
  • Complete the required Georgia CTSA T32 cover page.
  • Format: All application sections should be single-spaced, with margins of at least 0.5 inch and a font size of 11 points or larger using Arial font.

2. Personal statement. Maximum one page describing the applicant's training and research background, career goals, and how T32 training and mentorship will advance their career development (does NOT count towards the 7-page limit)

3. Abstract/Summary (30 lines maximum). Brief summary of the proposed research and training plan. Abstract/Summary does NOT count against the 7-page limit. 

4. NIH Biosketches. NIH biosketches (using the NIH Common Form biosketch generated in SciENcv; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/) are required from the following:
  • T32 Applicant
  • Lead mentor
  • Co-mentor(s) or Advisory Committee members
  • Any other consultants or key collaborators
An ORCID iD and an eRA Commons username are required to complete the biosketch.
  • ORCID iD - Emory applicants can obtain one at Get an ORCID at Emory University Libraries; applicants from other Georgia CTSA institutions go to https://orcid.org.
  • eRA Commons ID – Emory applicants should contact Rachel Hardison (rachel.hardison@emory.edu). Applicants from other Georgia CTSA institutions must request an eRA Commons ID at the following e-mail addresses:
    • MSM - OSRA@msm.edu 
    • GT - training@osp.gatech.edu 
    • UGA – Kimberly Cherewick – ksilvis@uga.edu

5. T32 Research and Training Proposal (7-page limit; use 0.5 in page margins, Arial 11 font, single space). The proposed T32 research project must be hypothesis-driven, clinically and/or translationally focused, and clearly connected to human health. The application should demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed research and explain how the project and training plan will support the applicant's career development.

  • SPECIFIC AIMS (1-page; counts as part of 7-page limit) section that includes: a summary of the project (rationale/background, innovative aspects, brief overview of planned research and study population, including accessible datasets), a hypothesis statement, and 2 to 3 Specific Aims of the research project that briefly outline how each Aim will address the hypothesis/hypotheses. How the project will help the candidate achieve their specific career training and research goals should be briefly noted in the Specific Aims page.
  • TRAINING PLAN (1-page and counts as part of the 7-page limit). The applicant should describe their didactic training, career development activities, mentoring plan, and future research goals. The Training Plan should also describe the track record of the lead mentor in mentoring and how the T32 trainee will interact with their lead mentor and any co-mentors to support their research training goals (including frequency of meetings). A brief description of the mentoring team and their expertise should be included in this section. In addition, the T32 applicant must specify the type of didactic training that would be part of their T32 Program (i.e., Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) at Emory or Morehouse School of Medicine, the Certificate Program in Translational Science (CPTS), or a “Menu” option of selected courses. This section should also include any planned electives or workshops.
  • RESEARCH PLAN (5-page maximum, counts as part of 7-page limit) 
    • Significance (1 page recommended); the Significance section should focus on the importance of the problem, the gap in knowledge, and the potential impact of your proposed research. Specifically, include: 1) Why the problem matters, scientific and/or public health relevance; 2) What is currently unknown or not well understood; 3) How your project will help fill a critical gap or address a major challenge; and 4) How the outcomes could change the field, improve health, or advance knowledge.
    • Innovation (up to 0.5 pages recommended) that outlines the novelty of the project to the field.
    • Approach (up to 3.5 pages recommended) explains how you will do the work and includes your preliminary data (if applicable, preliminary data is helpful but not required). The Approach should clearly lay out your experimental plan, show feasibility, and anticipate potential challenges, all while tying each method directly back to your Specific Aims. A suggested format for the Approach section includes:
      • Overall Strategy - clearly explain how you will achieve each Specific Aim; lay out the logic and rationale behind your methods; highlight the sequence of experiments and how they tie together.
      • Preliminary Data - helpful if available but not required.
      • Experimental Design and Methods - provide detailed descriptions of key experiments or procedures. Include description of the study population, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample sizes (and power analysis if appropriate), statistical methods, controls, and timelines.
      • Potential Problems and Alternative Strategies - acknowledge possible pitfalls; explain your backup plans or alternative approaches.

6. Bibliography. Provide standard literature citations in the Bibliography & References Cited section. This section does not count toward the page limit.

7. Protection of Human Subjects section (should be brief, no page limit, but recommended to be less than 2 pages). This section outlines hazards/risks/discomforts to research subjects, if applicable, and methods to be employed to mitigate such risks. This section does not count against the 7-page limit.

8. Inclusion of Women and Members of Racial and/or Ethnic Minority Groups in Clinical Research (Applicable only for Human Subjects Research; does NOT count against the 7-page limit). Based on NIH requirements, a brief statement should be provided which outlines inclusion of women, inclusion of racial/ethnic minorities, and inclusion across the lifespan (children/older adults). Any exclusions based on sex, race, and/or ethnicity must include a rationale and justification based on a scientific or ethical basis.

9. Letters of Support. The following letters of support are required:

  • Lead mentor letter: The lead mentor's letter should describe the mentor's commitment, assessment of the candidate, mentoring experience, proposed research, and mentoring plan. 
  • Department Chair letter: (for applicants in the Department of Medicine or Department of Pediatrics, a Division Director letter can be submitted in lieu of a Chair’s letter). The letter from the Department Chair must guarantee that the applicant, if accepted, will have protected time to participate in the Georgia CTSA T32 Program and carry out research and research training.
  • Letters from co-mentors. Each co-mentor (or Advisory Committee member) should provide a letter of support.
  • Consultants or key collaborators should also provide a letter of support.

Application Review

Applications are reviewed by a Georgia CTSA T32 Review Committee which includes representatives from the four partner institutions. Reviewers consider the strength of the application (Training Plan and Research Strategy), the candidate's potential to become a successful clinical and/or translational scientist, and the qualifications and mentoring record of the proposed lead mentor and mentoring team. Applications are scored using the NIH 1–9 scoring system, and impact scores issued by the T32 Review Committee are final. The Georgia CTSA T32 Programs will accept applicants based on the overall impact score and availability of funds.

After acceptance

If the T32 application is successful, the applicant must complete the Laney Graduate School application process and, where applicable, submit the required application fee and original transcripts.

More Information

Questions

We encourage interested T32 Predoctoral and Postdoctoral candidates to contact the Georgia CTSA Research Education Program leadership at your institution: Dr. Henry Blumberg and Dr. Vas Michopoulos (Emory); Dr. J. Brandon Dixon (GT); Dr. Alec Davidson (MSM); Dr. James Lauderdale (UGA). Questions on the application process can be directed to Rachel Hardison, Georgia CTSA Research Education Programs Assistant Director.  For questions, especially technical issues, or problems with the online submission website please contact Alexey Kurbatov. 

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Contact

Rachel Hardison

rachel.hardison@emory.edu

404-727-5096