The MCIRCC Catalyst | August 2015


News for MCIRCC Members, Insiders and the U-M Critical Care Community

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IN THIS ISSUE
Research Spotlight
Funding Opportunities
Member Accolades
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

LungLung simulation could improve respiratory treatment 


New technology helps uncover why a treatment that saves the lives of premature babies has been largely unsuccessful in adults.

U-M researchers, led by MCIRCC member James Grotberg, MD, PhD, have built the first computer model that predicts the flow of liquid medication in human lungs.

The model has provided new insight into surfactant replacement therapy which is used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome and a similar condition in premature babies. The treatment has contributed to a dramatic reduction in mortality rates of premature babies but attempts to use it in adults have been largely unsuccessful.

A 1997 clinical study that administered the treatment to adults showed promise, cutting the mortality rate among those who received the medication from 40 percent to 20 percent. But two larger studies in 2004 and 2011 showed no improvement in mortality.

"Everyone walked away from this therapy after the 2011 study failed," Grotberg said. "Adult surfactant replacement therapy has been a great disappointment and puzzlement to the community ever since. But now, we think we've discovered why the later studies didn't improve mortality."

Grotberg and his team used the model to analyze how surfactant medication flowed through the lungs of patients in all three trials. When the simulations were complete, the team quickly saw one detail that set the successful 1997 study apart: a less concentrated version of the medication.

"The medication used in the 1997 study delivered the same dose of medication as the later studies, but it was dissolved in up to four times more liquid," Grotberg said. "The computer simulations showed that this additional liquid helped the medication reach the tiny air sacs in the lungs. So a possible route for success is to go back to the larger volumes used in the successful 1997 study."

Click here to read the full story at Michigan Engineering.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
MTRACU-M MTRAC Accepting Proposals until Tuesday, September 8

Year #3 for Fast Forward Commercialization Funding Program.

The U-M Medical School has issued a Request for Proposals for the U-M Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization for Life Sciences Program (U-M MTRAC).

Sponsored by the Medical School in partnership with the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of Technology Transfer, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, MTRAC supports funding for proof-of-concept and other early-stage development studies, regulatory guidance, and consultation and mentoring from industry and investment experts outside the University.

MTRAC is using Medical School Competition Space to manage the proposal submission process, and each proposal must have a Principal Investigator with efforted appointment at the Medical School.

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of scientific merit, potential health care impact and significance, the potential for commercialization, and likelihood of obtaining further support.
In previous years, funding for 22 different proposals has been awarded in four target markets: devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, and healthcare IT. Click here to view those projects.

Instructions for proposal submission can be found at the U-M MTRAC website.

Proposals must contain a comprehensive research plan with deliverable milestones and are due Tuesday, September 8.

Questions? Contact Bradley Martin, Commercialization Program Director at 734-936-8577 or bradmart@med.umich.edu.

MEMBER BENEFITS
VIPGive your VIP Feedback

Play an active role in shaping Virtual Institute site improvements.

As we edge closer to the six-month post-launch milestone of the Virtual Institute Portal (VIP), MCIRCC's members-only intranet, we want to know what you, our members, think of the site.

As the VIP's core user base, your feedback is imperative in driving future site improvements that enhance your user experience. If we know what you like and don't like or what works and doesn't work, we can give you more of the information and features that you want and need.

The VIP's "Give Feedback" form, located near the bottom of every page, was created for this very purpose.


GIVE FEEDBACK - AS EASY AS 1,2, 3:
  1. Email field is automatically populated per your user account
  2. Simply type your feedback into the "Message" box
  3. Then click the blue "Submit" button


Whether your feedback is specific or general, it will allow us to better understand your needs and requirements for the VIP as we evaluate changes for implementation.

MCIRCC's goal as a member-focused organization is to enhance your member experience, increase team science collaboration and, ultimately, elevate the impact of your critical care research.

Play an active part in shaping your Virtual Institute-give your VIP feedback today!
We encourage you to bookmark www.micircc.org/vip or create a shortcut on your desktop to make regular log-in easy and hassle free.

If you have yet to visit the Virtual Institute to setup your user account, be sure to revisit your instructional login communications or click here to review the First Time Login Guide.

Contact aarnould@umich.edu with general questions or if you experience technical problems with the site.
DON'T FORGET YOUR MCIRCC AFFILIATION
If you are speaking with the media about your work in critical care research or are working with the U-M News Service or U-M Health System Public Relations on a health care related press release, article, or other news item, please mention your affiliation with the U-M Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care.
MEMBER ACCOLADES
MCIRCC salutes the achievements of it members in their pursuit of academic excellence, industry thought leadership, and initiatives of personal passion. Because together, leveraging each of our individual triumphs as a team, we have the power to transform critical care medicine. If you have a recent achievement, award, or accolade to brag about contact aarnould@umich.edu with the details.
Clockwise from top-left:
Belle, Najarian,Soroushmehr and Beard
BioMedBelle, Beard, Najarian and Soroushmehr published in BioMed Research International

Ashwin Belle, PhD, Daniel Beard, PhD, Kayvan Najarian, PhD and Reza Soroushmehr, PhD highlight the impact that big data analytics has had in the evolution of healthcare practices and research in their review article "Big Data Analytics in Healthcare." In their paper, the team discusses major challenges within the big data paradigm, focusing on three upcoming and promising areas of medical research: image, signal, and genomics based analytics.

BelmontManufacturing Engineering Recognizes Barry Belmont as Future Leader 

 

Barry Belmont, MS has been named to Manufacturing Engineering Magazine's 30 Under 30 list for his accomplishments in developing and manufacturing new devices, including a wearable circulation sensor that tracks circulating blood volume in hospital patients. 

CookeColin Cooke Talks Sepsis in the Detroit News 

 

In his op-ed piece in the Detroit News, How Michigan Can Prevent Sepsis Deaths, Colin Cooke, MD calls for Michigan policymakers to form a statewide Sepsis Care Commission that issues recommendations on how to improve identification and management of sepsis patients from the pre-hospital setting, through discharge, and to home. 

Dr. Neumar
Dr. Nallamothu

CANallamothu, Neumar Champion Institute of Medicine Campaign for CPR Training Improvements 


A major new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) urges a national campaign to increase the survival of victims of cardiac arrest by making sure more bystanders know how to respond in such an emergency.

Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD, MPH, a longtime researcher on inpatient CPR and cardiac arrest care, was part of the IOM panel that prepared the report.

Robert Neumar, MD, PhD, emergency cardiovascular care lead for the American Heart Association, was featured in national AP coverage of the CPR training recommendations.
Dr. Iwashyna
Dr. Prescott

SepsisPrescott and Iwashyna Shine the Light on Sepsis 




BECOME A MEMBER
As THE network "hub" between academic scientists, clinical researchers, industry partners, and funding sources, MCIRCC is committed to providing member researchers with the innovation, financial, business, and commercialization guidance and resources you need to get your research to the bedside, faster. Click here for more information about becoming a MCIRCC member.

EVENTS, TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UROP2Interested in Being a Research Mentor?

 

August 12
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Undergraduate Science Building, Room 1160
204 Washtenaw Ave
 

Would you like an assistant to help start a new project or expedite a project currently in progress? Do you enjoy mentoring undergraduate students? There are over 1200 Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) students ready to be your research apprentice in September.

 

Please join us at the UROP information session to learn more about the program and how to engage a student in your research.

Or click here if you would like to apply to be a Research Mentor. Applications close Thursday, August, 20.


If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Gregerman at sgreger@umich.edu or 734-615-9000.

Researchpalooza2Researchpalooza!

 

August 20

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

 

Medical Science Unit I - Circle Drive in Front of Building

1301 Catherine Street

 

Bigger and better than ever, Researchpalooza will offer a record-breaking 85 organizations displaying their wares and services to the University of Michigan biomedical research community. In addition to these organizations, and free ice cream provided by the UMHS Ice Cream Social, this year Researchpalooza also hosts three food vendors for attendee convenience--Whips Dog Days, Petey's Donuts, and El Manantial will be on hand to sell beverages, treats, and lunch. Click here for the latest list of exhibiting organizations and to learn more about Researchpalooza 2015.

 

Stop by and visit MCIRCC's booth to test your critical care knowledge, Jeopardy style.

 

Questions? Email Ann Curtis in the Office of Research at accurtis@umich.edu.

NIH2NIH Regional Seminars on Program Funding and Grants Administration

 

October 14-16

Hilton San Diego Bayfront
1 Park Avenue

San Diego, CA 

 

Sessions

The 2-day agenda for the NIH Regional Seminar offers 3 tracks: Administrators, New Investigators and All Interests.

 

The New Investigators track has been redesigned to provide step-by-step guidance on mapping your career, understanding the funding process and what can be expected up to the time of award. To add to the array of topic choices, special interest sessions are provided on topics like research integrity, data sharing, foreign collaborations, and more.


Opportunities with NIH & HHS Experts

Attendees are encouraged to sign up for the popular 1:1 Meet the Expert Chats. Attendees who take advantage of these 15 minute discussions repeatedly say it is one of the most valuable opportunities at the NIH Regional Seminar! NIH & HHS experts are on hand to meet specifically with attendees, answer questions and provide guidance.

 

Click here for more information and to register.

MICHR2MICHR K Writing Workshop for Junior Faculty and Fellows

November 4, 18 and December 9
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

NCRC, Building 520

MICHR offers a structured, three-part workshop designed to assist junior faculty and fellows who are preparing competitive career development grant applications (NIH K and VA CDA) for 2016 submission.

Participants will exchange drafts of proposal sections and receive peer critique and feedback from senior faculty experienced in NIH study section thinking. The workshop only "works" if participants have drafts to discuss.

Registrants MUST attend all three sessions. Your mentor is expected to attend Session 1 (November 4) or Session 2 (November 18).

Registration is required and closes on October 19.

Click here for more information and to register.

Download the MCIRCC Sepsis Portfolio Brochure

Download the Massey TBI Info Sheet

ABOUT MCIRCC
The U-M Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care (MCIRCC) is one of the world's first comprehensive research enterprises devoted to transforming critical care medicine by accelerating science and moving it from bench to bedside. To do this, MCIRCC brings together integrative teams comprised of world-class U-M scientists, clinicians, and engineers with industry partners and funding sources to develop and deploy cutting-edge solutions that elevate the care, outcomes, and quality of life of critically ill and injured patients and their families.