New NIH grant boosts research team leadership training for biomedical leaders
The initiative will train early-career biomedical researchers in leadership, mentorship, and team science to strengthen collaboration and innovation.
Modern biomedical breakthroughs depend on teamwork. From decoding genetic disorders to developing next-generation therapies, success rarely happens in isolation. Yet most research training still focuses on scientific skills, not on the skills needed to build and lead collaborative teams.
To close that gap, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $2.7 million over five years to the Children’s Research Institute at Children’s National Hospital to launch the TEAMS Program — short for “Together Everyone Achieves More in Science.” C0-led by Beth A. Tarini, MD, MS, MBA, co-director of the Center for Health Outcomes Research & Delivery Science, the program will train early-career biomedical researchers to assemble, lead and retain high-performing research teams.
This program blends evidence-based leadership development with real-world collaboration skills. Participants will learn how to build research teams that are not only scientifically rigorous but also cohesive and resilient. The program combines principles from organizational management, mentorship and team science to equip participants to lead effectively in an increasingly complex research environment.
Funded through the NIH’s Innovative Programs to Enhance Research Training (R25) mechanism, the program will train five national cohorts of early-career biomedical researchers. Along with Dr. Tarini, the program will be co-led by Dr. Margaret Ormiston, associate professor, The George Washington University School of Business, and Dr. Nathan A. Smith, associate dean for research mentorship and associate professor of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, leveraging each institution’s strengths in team science and organizational leadership.
Left to right: Thevaa Chandereng, PhD (Assistant Professor of Biostatistics), Kelly Christensen (Data Manager), Beth Tarini, MD, Tara Lavelle, PhD (Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine), Anne Atkins (Program Manager)
“Science today is a team sport — and so was the creation of this program,” said Dr. Tarini. “The idea grew out of taking Dr. Ormiston’s class on team leadership and wondering how those lessons could be applied to science, while also building on Dr. Smith’s expertise in mentoring the next generation of researchers.”
Dr. Smith added, “This grant will address a critical gap in graduate education: training in lab management and mentorship. By equipping the next generation of scientists with these essential skills, we can revolutionize biomedical research training.”
Strengthening the research workforce requires more than funding projects. It requires investing in people and the environments where discovery happens. By teaching scientists how to lead high-performing teams, the program aims to transform how biomedical research is done.
With NIH support, Children’s National is redefining what leadership in science looks like: collaborative and team driven. “Our goal is to equip researchers with the skills to build the teams that make discovery possible,” said Dr. Tarini. “That’s how we create a more connected, innovative and resilient research community.”
