Funding Opportunities

K12 Career Development Award Program

Preparing the next generation of independent investigators to accelerate the translation of discoveries into improved health for patients and communities.

The SYNERGY Clinical and Translational Science K12 Career Development Award (Green Scholars Program) is a mentored research and training program designed to support early-career investigators committed to advancing clinical and translational science. Offered through SYNERGY, Dartmouth’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), this NIH-supported program provides Career Development Awards to qualified candidates and is funded by a K12 Institutional Career Development Award (K12TR004768) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH.

Program Overview

The 2026 Request for Applications (RFA) is now closed.

K12 Career Development Award — At a Glance

Key Dates:

  • The next RFA will be announced in March 2027
  • Anticipated Start Date: June 1, 2027

Application Materials:

Award Details & Resources:

Program Benefits

  • Salary Support: NIH-supported salary (up to $120,000), plus fringe benefits.
  • Mentorship: Structured guidance from senior translational scientists across disciplines.
  • Training & Coursework: Tailored didactic training in research methods, grant writing, team science, and leadership.
  • Research Support: Access to SYNERGY resources including biostatistics, informatics, community engagement, and regulatory support.
  • Career Development: Preparation for independent NIH funding (e.g., R01 or equivalent).
  • Evaluation: Annual progress reports and evaluations required.

Newly Awarded 2026 Green Scholars (Cohort 2)

SYNERGY is pleased to announce cohort 2 of the Green Scholars in Translational Science K12 Program. Following a competitive review process, two early-career investigators were selected for K12 appointments based on the strength of their research proposals, commitment to clinical and translational science, and potential for long-term scientific impact.

Katie E. Lichter MD, MPH

Assistant Professor Radiation Oncology & Applied Sciences, Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine | The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice

Project: Proactive Operational Adaptation to Maintain Timely Radiation Therapy During Healthcare Delivery Disruptions

Katie Lichter MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology. Her research focuses on building patient-centered cancer care delivery systems. Building on her prior multi-institutional research investigating the impact of extreme environmental hazards on oncology practices, Dr. Lichter's work leverages implementation science and geospatial modeling to bridge the gap between environmental volatility and healthcare operations, ensuring equitable access to care for vulnerable rural populations.

Dana Ferrari-Light DO, MPH

Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth | The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice

Project: Designing and Establishing a Dual Breast and Lung Cancer Screening Model in a Rural Female Population – the DUET Program

Dana Ferrari-Light DO, MPH is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Dartmouth Health and a practicing thoracic surgeon. She is a current Health Equity Faculty Fellow at The Dartmouth Institute as well as the surgical co-director of the Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Lung Health and Pulmonary Nodule Clinic.  Dr. Ferrari-Light's research interests include new innovations in minimally-invasive and robotic thoracic oncology as well as understanding disparities in lung cancer screening specifically in rural women.

 

K12 Green Scholar Cohorts

View all our scholars and their projects in the News Announcements.

View Inaugural Green Scholar (Cohort 1) Announcement

Eligibility & Requirements

Applicant Qualifications

  • Hold a research or health-professional doctoral degree or its equivalent.
  • Be a US citizen or permanent resident (per NIH guidelines).
  • Hold a faculty appointment at the level of Assistant Professor or Instructor at Dartmouth (Geisel School of Medicine, Thayer School of Engineering, Arts and Sciences).
  • Be able to allocate at least 75% protected time (at least 50% for surgeons) as per agreement with their chair, section chief, and/or service line leaders.

Restrictions

Applicants must not be a former/current Principal Investigator on an NIH research project (R01), program project (P01), center grant, FIRST Award (R29), sub-project of program project (P01) or center grant, or non-Public Health Service peer-reviewed grants that are over $100,000 direct costs per year, or a career development (K) award or the equivalent.

Application & Review Process

Download our Research Funding Announcement and Application Template for full details.

Application Submission

Step 1 - Application:
Submit your Application, plus biosketches, mentor letter(s), and Letter of Support from Department Chair as a single PDF to synergygreenscholars@hitchcock.org by midnight ET on June 1, 2027.

Review & Award Timeline

Step 2 - Review of Applications:
The Green Scholars Program Review Committee will review all applications and provide feedback.

Step 3 - Timeline for Review of Full Proposals:
The SYNERGY team will inform applicants in July 2027 if they have been selected for appointment to one of the K12 positions. Awards are projected to begin on June 1, 2027.

K-12 Development FAQs

Get in Touch

For questions or more information related to the SYNERGY K12 Career Development Award, please contact Stephanie Singer.

Stephanie Singer

Stephanie.C.Singer@hitchcock.org