PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT We have proposed a comprehensive yet targeted two-year K12 training program for pediatrician physician- scientists, focusing on training bench-based researchers to become successful physician-scientists and eventual pediatric academic leaders. We believe that our training program has an outstanding track record, especially over the last decade, and we are especially excited about our junior faculty group of thriving and well-trained Scholars. We have formed new partnerships with our institutional Clinical and Translational Institute (CTSI) program, the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program, and our departmental Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute (CDI), to provide our Scholars more robust mentoring, grant preparation training, and overall career development. We will continue to ramp up these successful portions of our program, and have implemented a state-of-the-art comprehensive evaluation program. Our innovative program combines nurturing and rigorous mentoring, an individual development plan, core research experience, and cohort-based career development. We surround Scholars with 1) a scientific community of well-trained faculty mentors, 2) research, scientific, and career-development programs, 3) a comprehensive and innovative mentoring program, and 4) core support from our department and institution. we will train physician scientists to pursue major breakthroughs in improving child health. The overarching goal of the UCLA CHRCDA program is to increase the number and impact of pediatric physician-scientists engaged in bench research on topics relevant to child health. Our specific objectives are to: · Increase the pipeline of diverse and promising trainees to become pediatric physician-scientists · Engage the pediatric and UCLA research communities regarding the CHRCDA and its training opportunities · Promote a flexible and adaptable training environment to meet the needs of a diverse group of scholars with different degrees of research training · Facilitate outstanding mentoring · Streamline Scholar transition to independence · Synergize with other institutional training and mentoring programs, including those run by CTSI and DGSOM STAR Program · Provide Scholars access to the latest research technologies and state-of-the-art facilities and services · Foster collaborative research, promote leadership, and encourage entrepreneurship and development of intellectual property in our young scholar community · Continue to promote Scholars who are women, and double the number who are URiM, those with disabilities, and those who have experienced hardship · Emphasize the ethical conduct of research

PROJECT NARRATIVE Many diseases have their origins prenatally and in childhood, making investment in research on pediatric disease and health an important goal for improving the health of people of all ages. While there is a critical need to advance the science related to childhood diseases and health and translate basic research findings into novel interventions, the numbers of physician-scientists devoted to these causes are stagnating. We propose herein an innovative program where renowned faculty with extensive research and training expertise will mentor outstanding junior pediatric faculty embarking on careers in academic medicine, and help them to become successful, independent physician scientists who conduct cutting-edge basic and translational research of importance to children.