Instructions: Please read carefully and complete all sections of the application for the 2026 Mentor-Mentee Teams Program Call. Supporting documents should be attached using this form.  

IMPORTANT: Be sure to click "Submit" once you have completed the form. You may also select "Save and Return Later" if you need to finish at a later time. If you choose this option, be sure to write down and securely save your "Return Code", as it is required to access your partially completed form. If you experience any issues accessing your saved form, please contact Dr. Karen Pabón-Cruz, Professional Development Core Coordinator, at karen.pabon@upr.edu, who will assist you in completing the process.

Program's Description

The Mentor-Mentee Teams (MMT) Program is designed to support new and mid-career investigators in developing the partnerships, skills, and tools necessary to successfully obtain external funding and pursue independent research. The program fosters robust mentor-mentee relationships that enhance the productivity and retention of clinical and translational researchers in Puerto Rico. The MMT Program is part of the mentoring initiatives within the Investigator Development and Pipeline Program (IDPP), coordinated by the Professional Development (PD) Core of the Alliance for Clinical and Translational Research (Alliance). As part of the program's implementation, the PD Core will also provide support through professional development training opportunities, capacity building, career and research infrastructure development.

The MMT Program aims to: 1) promote the development and implementation of an individualized career development plan; 2) increase the number, quality and competitiveness of grant submissions to agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and other federal funding sources; 3) enhance scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications and additional scientific contributions; 4) build interdisciplinary and community-engaged research collaborations; and 5) cultivate a sustainable mentoring culture that promotes career advancement, leadership development, and long-term institutional research capacity.

For the 2026 MMT Program Call, one (1) mentor-mentee team will be selected. The program will provide funding to protect up to 75% of the mentee's time (up to Associate Professor salary base) and effort and up to 10% of the mentor's time and effort for up two years.

Eligibility Criteria

•       The mentee must be a new or mid-career investigator affiliated with one of the Alliance partner institutions (such as UPR-MSC, UCC and PHSU) and have a prior track record as a Principal Investigator (PI) of an externally funded project, excluding R01 or equivalent (IDPP Stage 2: e.g., Alliance's pilots, RCMI's pilots, HiREC awardees).
•      The mentee must identify and propose an experienced investigator with track record of NIH funding (IDPP Stage 3) to serve as their mentor. The mentor may come from institutions in Puerto Rico or another IDeA state and must be approved by the Alliance's PD Core leadership. The mentor can be from the same research area or a different one, as long as the collaboration fosters meaningful interdisciplinary interactions.

Note. For Alliance purposes, investigators are classified within the Investigator Development Pipeline Program (IDPP) as follows: IDPP Stage 1 (never led as a PI a funded research project), IDPP Stage 2 (PI of an externally funded project, except R01 or equivalent), and IDPP Stage 3 (PI of NIH research project [e.g. R00, R03, R16, R21] or career development award [e.g., Ks], and final stage or independent investigator (e.g. R01 or equivalent).

Evaluation will be based on:

A complete application must be submitted by the deadline and include the following supporting documents:

• Applicant Biosketch: Effective January 25, 2026, Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement forms must be used and accessed through SciENcv as per NOT-OD-26-018. Please refer to https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory/biographical-sketch-common-form.
• Applicant Letter of Intent (one page only): Please include the research idea and/or question to be addressed during the program, as well as a summary of the strategies that you plan to use to achieve your career development goals.
• Mentor's Biosketch: Effective January 25, 2026, Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement forms must be used and accessed through SciENcv as per NOT-OD-26-018. Please refer to https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory/biographical-sketch-common-form.
• Mentor's Letter of Support (one page only): Please include the following information: the length of time the mentor has known the applicant and in what capacity; an evaluation of the applicant's scientific capabilities, particularly in the area of clinical and translational research; and confirmation of the mentor's availability to provide guidance, assistance, and support to the investigator throughout their professional and research development. Please also provide specific examples of the mentee's ability to conceptualize ideas, attend to project details, and carry projects through to completion, as well as their responsiveness to feedback and constructive criticism. Finally, describe the applicant's readiness to begin participation in the Mentor-Mentee Teams Program, and mention how they will comply with the goals of the program.
• Qualifications and commitment of the applicant, including research background and productivity.

IMPORTANT: Applicant research area and proposed research project idea must comply with all applicable current federal policies. Please revise "Statement  Friday, August 15, 2025 Advancing NIH's Mission Through a Unified Strategy" at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-director/statements/advancing-nihs-mission-through-unified-strategy.

Requirements

• The program will provide support for up to 2 years (2026-2028), contingent upon research productivity and achievement of goals outlined in the Career Development Plan (CDP).
• A commitment agreement will be signed by the mentee, the mentor, the Alliance, and the respective department's chairs. This agreement will include a payback clause in case of noncompliance.
• Support letters from both the mentee's and mentor's direct supervisors, as well as from their respective School Deans, will be required. These letters must include a statement supporting protected time for research. 
• Develop and implement a Career Development Plan (CDP) and an Independent Development Plan (IDP).
• Publication of at least one first-, second-, or corresponding-author manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal within the mentee's research area.
• Submission as PI of at least one competitive NIH research grant proposal or equivalent during the program period.
• Citing the Alliance award in future publications generated as result of this training. 
  "Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institute of Health under Award Number 2P50GM133807. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health."
• Scientific productivity will be tracked, including (but not limited to) grant submissions and awards, publications, oral and poster presentations, and patents.
• Quarterly Progress Reports must be completed and submitted.
• Demonstrated availability and commitment to periodic follow-up meetings with PD Core staff to discuss progress, support needs, and  career goals. 
• Attendance and active participation in Alliance training activities, including those hosted by partner institutions.
• Attendance and participation in the Alliance Retreat.
• Active participation in the Alliance Scientific Day, including presentation of at least one scientific poster and serving as a reviewer.
• At the end of the award period, the mentee will be required to present their program's experience and scientific highlights to the Alliance's leadership team.