UCSF LEAD Program

UCSF LEAD Program

The Learning for Early Careers in Addiction and Diversity (LEAD) Program provides training to early-career research scientists from racial/ethnic minoritized groups that are underrepresented in the substance use and substance use disorder research field.

The LEAD Program uses the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) as a platform for training early-career investigators. This 3-year training program is based at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and visiting scholars spend three summers in a 4-week intensive program at UCSF. During the academic year, scholars work with their primary mentor to collaborate on substance use and substance use disorder treatment research conducted in the CTN, develop a professional research network, and conduct a pilot study that will serve as a preliminary study for subsequent NIH funding. The program provides travel and housing funds for scholars, as well as pilot study funding. The 2024 summer program begins on July 8th and ends August 2nd. Learn more about the program by searching “UCSF LEAD” to find the LEAD website. A detailed description of LEAD is on the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences website, under the headings Education, Research Fellowship and Training Programs.

The application deadline is November 30, 2023. 

Eligibility Criteria:  Doctoral-level professionals who are in the early phase of their research career and who meet the following criteria:

1. Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.D.) in medicine, social or behavioral sciences, nursing, public health, health economics, or related fields.Have not yet received a K award or an investigator-initiated R award from NIH.
2. Assistant professor, assistant research scientist, or equivalent with an academic appointment at a medical
school, national research university (i.e., Carnegie Foundation classification as a research university-with very high research activity), or research institute in which the academic appointment is focused primarily on research. Postdoctoral fellows enrolled in an NIH T32 training program or equivalent are also eligible.
3. Racial/ethnic minoritized groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, as defined by the NIH (i.e., African American, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islanders)
4. Evidence of an established program of research in the field of substance use disorders and addictions as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, and/or intramural grant support as either a principal investigator or co-investigator, and/or extramural grant support as a co-investigator.
5. Approval of the scholar’s home institution to participate in the LEAD program.

The following materials are required with your application:

1. Curriculum vitae
2. Statement of research program (4 pages)
3. Quantitative and qualitative research methods experience
4. Department chair support letter and three recommendation letters

Selection will be based on the following factors:

• Strength of letters of recommendation, fit with the goals of the LEAD Program, and the match between a prospective candidate’s research interests and the research interests of the potential mentor at one of the universities affiliated with a NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Node.

For information on how to apply, please contact ast2dir@ucsf.edu.