Institutional Clinical and Translational K12 Scholars Program

The goal of the SCTR K12 program is to foster the discipline of clinical research and increase clinical research capacity through the training of junior faculty bridging clinical and translational research training with research independence. The SCTR K12 will provide mentored, protected research experiences to enhance the development and retention of early career investigators.  The program includes an option to pursue a master’s degree in clinical or translational science, a supportive environment, start-up research funds and access to program faculty who will provide expertise and guidance in research design, measurement and questionnaire design, study coordination, data management, biostatistical analysis, publishing and presenting research, and grant writing.

Key Dates & Times


K12 Applications Due:    February 19, 2009 by noon
Applicant Interviews, if required: April 2009
Notification of Awards: May 22, 2009
Appointment Start Date:     July 1, 2009

Late Applications will not be accepted

*Eligibility Requirements, Time Commitment, Citizenship, and Selection Criteria are discussed in the Program Announcement.

Current K12 Scholars

Anthony Hlavacek, MD, MSCR is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Cardiology. He completed his fellowship training and the MSCR program in 2007.  His K12 project will determine state-of-the-art measures of global cardiac function and brain blood flow in an at-risk population (infants exposed to maternal chorioamnionitis), and correlate these measures with a gold standard clinical outcome (neurologic outcome). He will also examine the inflammatory circulatory milieu that contributes to depression of cardiac output and redistribution of blood flow. This project coordinates mentors and collaborative expertise in the fields of brain imaging, cytokine analysis, neuroprotection, and study design.

Christopher Robinson, MD is an Assistant Professor in Maternal Fetal Medicine. He was admitted to the 2009 cohort (matriculation 2007) of the MSCR program as a result of support from the MUSC K12 Scholar’s Program.  His project seeks to discern alterations in the plasma proteome of patients affected by early-onset, severe preeclampsia (EOS-preeclampsia) versus healthy, gestational age-matched controls. He will also confirm whether the placenta serves as a source for differentially expressed proteins in maternal plasma through evaluation of placental gene and protein expression. His mentoring team includes experts in gel proteomics and mass spectrometry and clinical mentors with expertise in hypertensive Ob/Gyn research

Contact Information

Randal Davis Email: ctsa@musc.edu Phone: 792-0591