UC News

Zeller named director of KL2 Scholars Program

headshot of Richard Puff By Richard Puff
3 minute read March 8, 2022

Margaret “Meg” Zeller, PhD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, has been named principal investigator and director of the UC KL2 Scholars Program, joining Jason Blackard, PhD, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, who is co-director, in leading the program. 

The KL2 Scholars Program is an institutional career development core of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training (CCTST). A $4.1 million, five-year award received in 2020 provides funding for KL2 Research Scholars Mentored Career Development Awards. 

Zeller replaces Jessica Kahn, MD, professor and Rauh Chair, director of adolescent and transition medicine and associate chair of academic affairs and career development in the Department of Pediatrics, who is now multiple principal investigator of the CCTST with Jareen Meinzen-Derr, PhD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and Brett Kissela, MD, executive vice dean and Albert Barnes Voorheis Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine. 

Meg Zeller, PhD (Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Children's)

Zeller joined the faculty in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology in 1999, with team science, mentorship and training program development and administration the central focus of her career. Her program of patient-oriented research focuses on pediatric obesity, with continuous funding as a National Institutes of Health principal investigator for more than 20 years. Additionally, she is the co-PI and co-director of Research Training in Child Behavior and Nutrition (T32DK06392-19). In assuming this new KL2 role, she will be stepping down as director of Psychology Fellowship Training at Cincinnati Children’s, a role she has held since 2012. 

The objective of the KL2 Scholars Program is to successfully train diverse, multidisciplinary junior faculty members to conduct innovative, team-based, community-engaged clinical and translational research; develop sustainable careers in clinical and translational research; and disseminate and implement research findings that improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

Featured photo at top of CARE/Crawley building. Photo/University of Cincinnati.

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