Research News
MEDICAL SCHOOL OFFICE OF RESEARCH
August 2014
EVENTS 
Saturday, August 16
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Great Lakes Rooms,
Palmer Commons


Valley of Death:
Funding to Help
You Cross
 

Wednesday, August 20

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

South Atrium,

NCRC Building 10

 

Additional details, including RSVP information, available here.

 

 

Researchpalooza

Wednesday, August 27

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Circle Drive in front of Med Sci I Building

 

 

FlowJo Cytometry Analysis Software Training

Thursday, September 4

1:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Room NLH-3695,

Med Sci II Building

 

 

Your Research Project Route Map Workshop
for Faculty

Monday, September 8

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

BSRB Seminar Rooms

 

Free lunch will be included. Seats for this event are limited. Please RSVP to reserve your spot today.

 

This event is sponsored by U-M Medical School Faculty Development. 

 

 

Protein Folding Diseases Symposium

Friday, September 19

8:45 AM - 4:00 PM

Kahn Auditorium, BSRB

 

Note: Registration for the symposium is required. Please register by Monday, September 1.


 

Ann Arbor Urological Health Services Research Symposium

Thursday, September 18 -  Friday, September 19

Dining Hall,

NCRC Building 18

 

For more details, including the full symposium schedule

and registration information, click here.

 

Note: Please register by

Friday, August 15.

 

 

Where Do I Start?
Tips on Writing Successful
Scientific Papers

Tuesday, September 23

Two sessions:

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM or

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

BSRB Seminar Rooms

 

 

Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research Annual Symposium

Wednesday, October 1 -

Friday, October 3

Various locations across U-M Ann Arbor campus 


 

25th Annual Pediatric Research Symposium

Monday, October 6 - 

Tuesday, October 7

Towsley Conference Center

 

Register here for the symposium.

 

Note: Please register by Tuesday, September 30 to ensure that you receive lunch at the symposium on Tuesday, October 7.


 

The Personal Training Approach to Writing for Education Journals - Ready, Set, Go!

Thursday, October 16

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

BSRB Seminar Rooms

 

Please note that this workshop is for faculty only.

 

 

Write Winning Grant Proposals from the Reviewer's Perspective for Faculty

Monday, November 10

7:30 AM - 12:00 PM

BSRB Seminar Rooms

 

Additional details, including registration information, available here

 

This workshop is

co-sponsored by U-M Medical School Faculty Development and the UMMS Office of Research.

 

 

AAMC Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) Program for Faculty

Six weekly workshops beginning Wednesday, November 12.

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!

 

UMMS State of

the School Address

Tuesday, September 16

5:00 PM

Dow Auditorium,

Towsley Center for Continuing Education

 

If you have questions you would like Medical School Dean James O. Woolliscroft, M.D.,

to address during the

State of the School, submit them to: 

 

 

IRBMED
Seminar Series:
FDA Regulated Research

Friday, September 19

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Danto Auditorium,

Cardiovascular Center

 

To save your space for the seminar, be sure to register here. 

 

 

Health System Headlines Research Seminars & Events 

FUNDING + AWARD OPPORTUNITIES 

Internal Submissions

 

BMRC Bridging Support Program for Biomedical Research

Deadline: 

Tuesday, August 19

 

Continuing

Medical Education Innovation Grant Program

Deadline:

Monday, September 8

 

Subsidy funds are available on a rolling basis from the Nathan Shock Center for the Biology of Aging for subsidized use of U-M Research Resource Cores for problems in aging research.

 

Details here.

 

 

Limited Submissions

 

Burroughs

Wellcome Fund Investigators in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award

Deadline:

Wednesday,

September 3

 

 

Pilot Programs

 

Pilot and Exploratory Projects in

Palliative Care

Deadline:

Friday, August 15

 

GI SPORE Development Research Program

Deadline:

Friday, September 5

 

Ethiopia-Michigan Platform for

Advancing Collaborative Engagement

Travel Grants

Deadline:

Monday, September 15

 

MTRAC Kickstart Award

Deadline:

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis until available funding has been distributed. 

 

Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Seed Grants for Advancing

Clinical Use of Pet Radiopharmaceuticals

Deadline:

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

 

 

UMMS

Competition Space

A new online platform for finding, and applying for, internal funding opportunities through the UMMS and limited submission grant opportunities from foundations.

 

Additional Resources

RESEARCH NEWS 

QUICKLINKS
Fact Sheets &
Hot Topics

Find UMHS facts and figures for your next proposal!

MBECT Resources 

 

UMMS Office of Research

 

U-M Medical School 

 

IN THIS ISSUE 
 
Leadership 
  • Funding
  • Policies
  • Training and Professional Development
  • Announcements
  • BootCamp
    Become a Coach or Mentee in the
    R01 Boot Camp 2.0 Program
    Application Deadline: Friday, August 15

    The U-M Medical School Office of Research is currently accepting applications for its Mentored Research Academy: R01 Boot Camp 2.0 program.

     

    Applications for both coaches and mentees are due Friday, August 15.

     

    This is the second year of the successful mentoring program to support and increase the success rate of Medical School faculty members applying for their first NIH Research Project Grant (R01) or equivalent grant. 

     

    R01 Boot Camp is a 12-month, multifaceted program comprised of:

    • Small group proposal development & review
    • Large group events, including Stephen Russell's widely acclaimed all-day workshop, "Write Winning Grant Proposals"
    • Individual counsel on mentee research plans from internal subject matter experts
    • A mock review
    • Final proposal review from an external subject matter expert

    If you are interested in participating as either a mentee or coach, you are encouraged to self-nominate by completing the brief application form found on UMMS Competition Space.

     

    Questions about the R01 Boot Camp program should be directed to

    [email protected] or Christine Black, Assistant Director for Research Development Support, at [email protected].

    Researchpalooza
    Researchpalooza Celebrates Fifth Anniversary!
    The summer is winding down, so that means it's time for the UMHS Ice Cream Social and Researchpalooza!

    Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 27 as the Medical School Office of Research once again hosts the year's premier event showcasing campus labs and offices that serve the U-M biomedical research community. There are currently 69 different organizations signed up for Researchpalooza.

    And since this marks the fifth year for the annual event, the Office of Research would like to highlight these groups who have participated in EVERY Researchpalooza since its inception:
    • Bioinformatics Core
    • Biomedical Research Core Facilities (BRCF)
    • Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)
    • Biomedical Research Store
    • Center for Chemical Genomics
    • Center for Structural Biology
    • Clinical Research Calendar Review & Analysis Office
    • DNA Sequencing Core
    • eResearch
    • Fast Forward Medical Innovation
    • Flow Cytometry Core
    • Grant Review & Analysis Office
    • Hybridoma Core
    • Institutional Review Boards (IRBMED)
    • Medical School Information Services (MSIS)
    • Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR)
    • Microscopy & Image Analysis Laboratory
    • North Campus Research Complex
    • UMHS Public Relations
    • Proteomics & Peptide Synthesis Core
    • Regulatory Affairs
    • Taubman Health Sciences Library
    • Transgenic Animal Model Core
    • Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM)
    • University Committee on Use and Care of Animals (UCUCA)
    • Vector Core
    Many thanks to these groups who come out every year to connect with our customers in the U-M research community.

    Click here for a complete listing of this year's participating organizations and for more information about this year's event.
    MTRAC
    There's Still Time to Submit an MTRAC Proposal!
    Proposal Deadline: Monday, September 8

    The U-M Michigan Translation and Commercialization for Life Sciences Program (MTRAC), which provides resources to support translational U-M Medical School projects in the life sciences with high commercial potential, has recently issued a Request for Proposals.

     

    MTRAC supports research funding for:

    • Proof-of-concept and late-stage translational studies
    • Regulatory guidance
    • Business plan development and mentorship from industry and investment experts outside the University

    Funding will focus on four specific market segments: devices, diagnostics, therapeutics and digital health/IT.

     

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

     

    For a list of frequently asked questions, including proposal submission instructions, please visit the MTRAC website.

     

    Previously funded proposals range in budget from $48,000 to $188,000 for one year, and include projects from all four market segments. You can learn more about previously awarded projects here.

     

    Please contact Commercialization Program Director Bradley Martin via email or phone at (734) 936-8577 with any questions.

    i2i
    Develop Your Next Big Idea with i2i: Early Stage Technology Development
    Do you have an idea that can positively impact patient care? Are you looking for guidance on how to further develop that idea?

    Fast Forward Medical Innovation has partnered with the U-M Center for Entrepreneurship and the U-M Office of Technology Transfer to create an opportunity for U-M faculty to translate their early stage ideas into something of impact through a FREE four-week class series, i2i: Early Stage Technology Development.

    Join the U-M biomedical innovation ecosystem as we nurture early stage technologies and discover their commercial viability under the guidance of successful entreprenuers and leaders in the field.

    Participants will:
    • Learn the principles of entrepreneurship
    • Begin to map a successful business start-up or
      license agreement
    • Develop presentation skills for investors and partners
    • Network with innovation resources across campus
    Click here for more information about i2i: Early Stage Technology Development, including to register for the class series taking place this Fall.

    Questions?
    Contact Jon Servoss, Commercialization Education Coordinator, via email or phone at (734) 764-2692.
    SBIR.STTR
    SBIR/STTR Funding:
    Moving from Idea to Innovation
    Fast Forward Medical Innovation Can Help
    Federally funded academic research is very effective at producing ideas and discoveries, but capital is needed to convert ideas into innovations that can impact patient health.

    Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) funding provides substantial non-dilutive capital for early-stage innovation development.

    The National Institutes of Health fall SBIR/STTR submission deadline is around the corner. Let the Fast Forward Medical Innovation (FFMI) team help you prepare with the following resources:

    Free FFMI SBIR/STTR Educational Event

    When is SBIR/STTR funding appropriate?
    What are the differences in funding per agency? How can faculty tap into SBIR/STTR funding?

    Join FFMI on Wednesday, August 20 as we discuss SBIR/STTR funding in detail with experts from BBC Entrepreneurial Training and Consulting.

    More details about this event, including
    registration information, available here.

    FFMI's SBIR/STTR Proposal Assistance Services
        • Proposal strategy and guidance
        • Introduction to SBIR/STTR proposal assistance and training services
        • Expert subject matter mentoring
        • Introduction to U-M startup resources
          and education offerings
    Please contact Casey Wegner, FFMI Business Analyst and Funding Coordinator, at [email protected] or (734) 764-2695 with any questions.
    PFDI
    Protein Folding Diseases Initiative to Host its First Annual Symposium
     
    The First Annual Protein Folding Diseases Initiative (PFDI) Symposium will be held on Friday, September 19 from 8:45 AM - 4:00 PM in the Kahn Auditorium of the Biomedical Science Research Building.

    The event, entitled "Protein Quality Control Pathways and Disease," will feature three keynote speakers:
    • Rick Morimoto, Ph.D.,
      Bill and Gayle Cook Professor of Biology,
      Director of the Rice Institute for Biomedical Research,
      Northwestern University
    • Nancy Bonini, Ph.D.,
      Professor of Biology,
      Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute,
      University of Pennsylvania
    • Jason Gestwicki, Ph.D.,
      Associate Professor,
      University of California, San Francisco
    In addition, there will be talks from four PFDI faculty members:
    • Sharlene Day, M.D., Internal Medicine
    • Ming Liu, M.D., Ph.D., Metabolism,
      Endocrinology and Diabetes
    • Sami Barmada, M.D., Ph.D., Neurology
    • Ursula Jakob, Ph.D., Biological Chemistry
    A poster session will be held mid-morning and a committee will select the best poster presentation from a graduate student and a postdoctoral fellow/research investigator. Poster winners will receive a monetary award!

    Click here for more information about the PFDI, including to register for the symposium. 

    Symposium registration is required by Monday, September 1. 
    BSSP
    Are You an Aspiring Leader in Biomedical Research?
    Consider Applying to the Biomedical Sciences Scholars Program

    The U-M Medical School is recruiting and nurturing the next generation of leaders in biomedical research through its Biological Sciences Scholars Program (BSSP).

     

    Since 1998, BSSP has partnered with various units and departments at U-M in the recruitment of more than 75 junior faculty, many of whom have become nationally and internationally recognized researchers in the fields of genetics, microbiology, immunology, virology, structural biology, pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular pharmacology, stem cell biology, cancer biology, physiology, cell and developmental biology, and the neurosciences.

     

    BSSP is currently accepting applications from candidates with exceptional track records and potential, and who are seeking their first independent faculty appointment. The scholars will be appointed as instructional track faculty in one of the departments in the Medical School.

     

    The program provides start-up funds for the scholars,

    who are expected to:

    • Establish and maintain an outstanding research program
    • Bring or develop substantial external research funding
    • Become leaders in departmental and program activities, including teaching at the medical, graduate and/or undergraduate levels

    The application process will open on Friday, August 15 and run through Friday, October 17, with interviews taking place November 2014 through March 2015.

     

    For more information, including application requirements, visit the BSSP website.

     

    For questions about the program or the application process, please contact Molly Trusty at [email protected].

    Postdoc
    Celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week with the Medical School Office of Research

    This year marks the fifth annual celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, which begins on Monday, September 15 and runs through Friday, September 19.

     

    The U-M Medical School supports more than 700 postdoctoral fellows and consists of scholars from all of the basic science and clinical departments. Join us as we celebrate the hard work and dedication of U-M postdocs with these FREE events hosted by the Medical School Office of Research:

     

    Why Should I Hire You?

    Tips on How to Sell Yourself for a Job in Industry

    Tuesday, September 16
    5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Research Auditorium, NCRC Building 10
    Panel Session & Reception

     

    Postdocs are invited to learn valuable tips and tricks on how to package themselves effectively and apply for a job in industry.

     

    Planning Your Research Grant Application:

    The Pre Peer Review Checklist

    Wednesday, September 17
    12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
    Great Lakes Room South, Palmer Commons
    Lunch Session

     

    Attendees are invited to learn the basics of good grantsmanship from this session presented by Christine Black, Associate Director for Research Development Support in the U-M Medical School Office of Research. FREE lunch is provided.

     

    Researchers in a Room Getting Coffee:

    Have You Met with MICHR Yet?

    Thursday, September 18
    9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
    Boardroom 5, Palmer Commons
    Coffee & Bagels

     

    Postdocs are invited to learn about the many programs and services available through the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) to assist with their research.

     

    Exploring CRISPR/Cas9 Systems

    with the Biomedical Research Core Facilities

    Friday, September 19
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Room M3330, Med Sci I Building
    Breakfast Session & Hands-On Workshop

     

    Join the Biomedical Research Core Facilities for a breakfast session on the technical applications of CRISPR in the laboratory and design workshop.

     

    And these events hosted by the U-M Medical School Office of Postdoctoral Studies:

     

    Postdoc Appreciation Picnic

    Thursday, September 18
    4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Shelter B, Island Park
    Dinner & Games

     

    This is a great event that all postdocs and their families are invited to! Drop in any time; dinner will start around 5:00 PM. Come out and enjoy the food and drinks, as well as fun games like bocce ball and horseshoes, provided by the U-M Medical School Office of Postdoctoral Studies.

     

    Registration is required for these FREE events.

     

    Questions?

    Contact Kierstin Fiscus in the Medical School Office of Postdoctoral Studies at [email protected] or (734) 647-7005.

    See.Safety
    See Your Way to Safety

    You know that eye safety in the laboratory is of critical importance,

    but you may feel like you don't know where to start to find the safety glasses that will be right for you. No problem!

     

    The U-M Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health (OSEH) has assembled packs of non-prescription safety glasses samples and purchasing information, and the Medical School Office of Regulatory Affairs has them for you to try on right in the Med Sci I Building, Room 3109.

     

    For details on prescription safety glasses, including reimbursement arrangements, please visit the OSEH website.  

     

    See Safely! 
    FDA.IceCream
    The "Inside Scoop" on When the FDA Comes to Call

    After your scoop of ice cream at the UMHS Ice Cream Social on Wednesday, August 27, stroll to the Biomedical Science Research Building for:

     

        FDA Inside Scoop!

        Wednesday, August 27 

        Kahn Auditorium, BSRB

        2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

     

    Nancy A. Bellamy, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Investigator and Bioresearch Specialist - Detroit Office, has very kindly agreed to present the lecture she was unable to deliver in person at our FDA Research Symposium last October.

     

    She will discuss issues of importance for human subject protection, how to run an FDA-compliant clinical trial, and what "observations" of concern are most commonly found during FDA inspections. Her presentation will be followed by liberal time for questions and answers. 

     

    Don't miss this opportunity to top off your Researchpalooza day with one last "scoop" of great information and insight!

    IRBMED
    IRBMED News & Updates
    Specialty Consent: Compassionate Use

    A newly developed Compassionate Use Informed Consent Template is now available for download on IRBMED's Specialty Consent Templates page.

     

    A Compassionate Use Information Sheet accompanies the new template, to guide and assist researchers in completing their Compassionate Use Informed Consent document prior to submitting it to the IRBMED for review.

     

    Central IRBs: Working With... Documents Available

    The University of Michigan has finalized Master Services Agreements with four central IRBs: 

    • Chesapeake IRB
    • Quorum Review IRB
    • Schulman Associates IRB 
    • Western IRB (WIRB)

    Application procedures at the four central IRBs vary slightly.

     

    To clarify the application process, IRBMED has developed "Working with..." tools tailored to each central IRB. These tools are available on the IRBMED website.

    MICHRK
    MICHR Workshop will Help Junior Faculty and Fellows Prepare K Grant

    The Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) is pleased to offer their popular K Writing Workshop for junior faculty and fellows who are preparing competitive career development grant applications (National Institutes of Health [NIH] K and Veterans Affairs Career Development Awards) for submission in 2015.

     

    Participants will exchange drafts of sections of

    their proposal and will receive peer critique and feedback from senior faculty experienced in NIH study section thinking.

     

    This structured, three-part series offered in the evening at the North Campus Research Complex (with ample parking) begins on Thursday, November 20.

     

    Registration is required, and the registration deadline is Wednesday, October 15. Participants must attend all three sessions, bringing their mentor to the first session. 

     

    Learn more or register.

    MICHR.Pilot
    MICHR Pilot Grant Program Requests Proposals for Clinical & Translational Research
    Application Deadline:
    5:00 PM on Friday, September 5 

    The Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) Pilot Grant Program aims to facilitate and support innovative research across the translational spectrum, encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations that promote the development of transformative solutions for improving patient

    outcomes.

     

    The following mechanisms are offered as part of our most recent request for proposals:

    • T1 Bench to Bedside Translation ($75,000 maximum)
    • T1 Endowment for Basic Sciences Partnership
      Accelerating Translation ($50,000 maximum)
    • T2 Translational Science ($50,000 maximum)
    • T3 Research Into Practice ($50,000 maximum)
    • T3 Community University Research (CURES) Partnership ($25,000 maximum)
    • T3 Implementing Research-Based Practices to Improve Quality of Care ($20,000 maximum)

    All faculty (12-month and 9-month appointments) with lecturer or instructor appointments or higher from all schools and colleges at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators, including all basic, clinical and social scientists.

     

    For further information, including application expectations and eligibility requirements, please visit the MICHR Pilot Grant Program page

     

    Proposals are submitted electronically through UMMS Competition Space. Please click here to get started.

     

    For questions contact Diana Ha, MICHR Pilot Program Manager, via email or phone at (734) 998-7626.

    Friedman
    Charles P. Friedman, Ph.D., named first chair of Department of Learning Health Sciences

    In late July, the U-M Board of Regents voted to approve Charles P. Friedman, Ph.D., as chair of the recently renamed Department of Learning Health Sciences, formerly the Department of Medical Education. 

    Charles P. Friedman, Ph.D.

     

    Friedman, who recently began his new appointment, comes to the Medical School from the U-M School of Public Health and School of Information, where he ran the joint Health Informatics program from its inception.

     

    Prior to coming to U-M, Dr. Friedman held executive positions at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including service as the Deputy National Coordinator and ONC's Chief Scientific Officer. He has also been a senior scholar at the National Library of Medicine and associate director for research informatics and information technology of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

     

    "We have a proud history of scholarship aimed at improving the way health professionals enhance their knowledge and skills throughout their careers," says Medical School Dean James O. Woolliscroft, M.D. "I am delighted that under Chuck Friedman's leadership, we will build the leading program in learning health sciences as a model for the nation."

     

    Says Friedman, "This is the fulfillment of a dream for me, bringing together my interests in education, informatics and health. I, along with many others, believe that achievement of a system that can study itself and literally learn from every patient is essential to promoting better health for all people at lower cost. Now Michigan will be at the forefront of what is taking shape as a national and international movement."

    TopList
    U-M Ranks No. 11 in New List of
    Most-Cited Researchers

    The University of Michigan ranks No. 11 in a new list of most-cited researchers produced by Thompson Reuters, with 27 U-M scientists (including many researchers from the U-M Medical School) determined by the company to be in the top 1 percent of their fields.

    Click here to view the full report

     

    More than 3,200 researchers worldwide were included in the list, which ranks an individual's impact based on a survey of Highly Cited Papers (defined as being in the top 1 percent by citations in the Web of Science database) between 2002-2012.

     

    According to a study of the list, U-M ranks

    just below the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and right above the University of London and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the number of listings.

     

    The U-M researchers on the list, including the section(s) of the Thompson Reuters report they are listed in, are:

    • Goncalo Abecasis (Computer Science;
      Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Richard Bagozzi (Economics and Business)
    • Eric Bates (Clinical Medicine)
    • Eric Bell (Space Science)
    • Patricia Berglund (Psychiatry and Psychology)
    • Michael Boehnke (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Bradley Cardinale (Environment and Ecology)
    • Arul Chinnaiyan (Clinical Medicine)
    • Angela Fagerlin (Social Sciences, General)
    • Sergey Fomin (Mathematics)
    • Stephen Forrest (Materials Science; Physics)
    • Luigi Franchi (Immunology)
    • Daniel Hayes (Clinical Medicine)
    • Anne Jackson (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Lutz Kilian (Economics and Business)
    • Daniel Klionsky (Biology and Biochemistry;
      Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Nicholas Kotov (Chemistry; Materials Science)
    • Anna Lok (Clinical Medicine)
    • Timothy McKay (Space Science)
    • Jeffrey Morenoff (Social Sciences, General)
    • Mark Newman (Physics)
    • Gabriel Nunez (Immunology)
    • Melanie Sanford (Chemistry)
    • Laura Scott (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Heather Stringham (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Cristen Willer (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
    • Ji Zhu (Mathematics)
    InnovBrew
    Sign Up for Innovate Brew to Connect with New Research Colleagues 

    Research on innovation suggests that faculty can generate new research agendas and partners when they have more opportunities for informal encounters with faculty members outside of their own fields.

     

    Sponsored by the U-M Office of Research (UMOR) and Innovate Blue, the Innovate Brew program provides an informal opportunity to meet new research-active colleagues to exchange ideas and spark potential collaborations. 

     

    What's involved?

    • Sign up to have a one-on-one meeting for 30 minutes with
      a new person once per month and meet research-active colleagues that you've never met before.
    • You will be randomly paired with six different faculty members outside of your field during this six-month trial period.
    • There is NO obligation for any exchange after each initial meeting. Simply have a coffee or drink together with another colleague, and see what ideas percolate! 

    Sign up for the program here.

     

    For additional details visit the Innovate Brew website, or send an email to [email protected].

    coulter
    U-M Coulter Translational Research Partnership Selects Projects for
    2014-2015 Funding

    Neuromas can be debilitating for patients, resulting in trouble using prosthetic devices, reduced quality of life, employment issues, and high healthcare expenditures.

     

    A neuroma develops after a peripheral nerve is divided or cut due to trauma, compression, or irritation of the nerve. Overall patient and physician satisfaction is low with current treatments due to poor outcomes that fail to address the biology of the regenerating nerve. Therefore the market is wide open for a product that provides durable relief.

     

    A surgical tool that will harvest muscle, attach it to the end of the nerve to provide a biological target for regeneration, and heal neuromas is being worked on by a team of researchers led by Drs. Nicholas Langhals and Paul Cederna.

     

    This project was recently awarded funding by the U-M Coulter program. The U-M Coulter Program is funded through proceeds of an endowment from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and supports collaborative translational research projects that involve engineering and clinical faculty co-investigators.

     

    Project funding is geared towards new medical device and biomedical product concept development with the goal of licensing the concept to an industry partner or new company formation with venture capital funding within one to two years of Coulter funding.

     

    In addition to funding, project teams also receive a high level of guidance from the Coulter Program Director and the U-M Office of Technology Transfer to support new product planning, market opportunity evaluation, patent filing, regulatory strategy planning, and sourcing for follow on funding or licensing.

     

    During our current funding cycle, there were 19 proposals that were submitted for consideration. After rigorous review and consideration by the Coulter Oversight Committee, five projects were selected for funding: 

    • Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Devices for Fine
      Control of Prosthetic Limbs,
      Cynthia Chestek, Ph.D. & Paul Cederna, M.D.,

      Second year of funding - 2014 funding: $102,798;

      funding to date 
      $222,588
    • Development of a Prototype Tool for
      Neuroma Treatment,

      Nicholas Langhals, Ph.D. & Paul Cederna, M.D.,
      Funded Amount: $121,974
    • Ultrasensitive Microfluidic GO Chip
      Business Development,

      Sunitha Nagrath, Ph.D., Ted Lawrence, M.D.,

      & Kyle Cuneo, M.D.,

      Funded Amount: $149,059
    • Improved MRI of the Cranial Nerves,
      Douglas Noll, Ph.D. & Bradley Foerster, M.D.,
      Funded Amount: $102,710
    • Combined Auditory-Somatosensory Stimulation
      to Alleviate Tinnitus,
      Susan Shore, M.D., Ph.D. & Gregory Basura, M.D.,
      Second year of funding - 2014 funding: $140,327;
      funding to date $210,825

    For more information about the Coulter Translational Research Partnership, please contact Thomas Marten, Coulter Program Director, at [email protected].

    UROP
    UROP Research Assistants Ready to Start Working with You in September

    Could you use help with your ongoing research, pilot project, or grant proposal? Would you like to introduce enthusiastic students to your field and help mold their academic and career paths?

     

    The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) has admitted 1,500 students, and the largest cohort is interested in assisting you with your biomedical, public health, engineering, and interdisciplinary research projects.

     

    UROP research assistants can help with your clinical, laboratory, and survey research, plus literature reviews, data analysis and more.

     

    Sample UROP Research Projects include: 

    • Effect of New Media on Health Behavior
    • Novel Interactors of the RAS Oncogene
    • Pain and Prescription Drugs: Overdose Prevention Projects
    • Parents' Knowledge & Perception of Benefits & Risks
      of Neonatal Circumcision 

    Benefits of working with UROP students: 

    • You interview and select students 
    • Students participate for course credit and work with you
      6-12 hours a week
       
    • Students who have work-study are paid by UROP
    • UROP Peer Advisors and Senior Staff offer support
      and guidance
       
    • Skill-building workshops designed for UROP students include: Endnote, Keeping a Laboratory Notebook, Discipline-Specific Literature Resources, Lab Math, SPSS
    Eligible UROP sponsors include:
    • Junior and senior faculty
    • Post-doctoral fellows
    • Research investigators
    • Other senior researchers 
    "After interviewing students from both the freshman and sophomore class, it was apparent that the U-M students who have decided to participate in UROP have committed to finding a balance of academics, social and life's circumstances, regardless of their class level," said a recent UROP Mentor and Clinician Researcher. "In my first year as a UROP mentor, the best suited individual for my project was a freshman, and I could not have been more pleased with the experience."

    Apply to become a UROP sponsor:

    • PRIORITY DEADLINE for project applications
      EXTENDED to Friday, August 22
        
    • Project applications will be accepted through September; those submitted after the priority deadline will have a smaller applicant pool
    • Complete the online application 

    Learn more about the UROP program by watching this YouTube video

     

    Questions?

    Contact Katy Downs, UROP Assistant Director, at (734) 615-9000 or [email protected]

    MCIRCC
    MCIRCC Announces 2014 Grand Challenge Funding Awards for
    Sepsis Innovations

    Back in January, nearly 50 U-M Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care (MCIRCC) members attended the first annual MCIRCC Critical Care Grand Challenge Symposium, an incredibly complex public health problem that represents more than one

    million cases annually, a mortality rate up to 40-percent, and the single largest hospital treatment cost in the United States.

     

    The two-day educational symposium concluded with the release of a request for proposal to support high-impact sepsis projects up to $100,000 for milestone driven research guided by co-principal investigators from the U-M Medical School and College of Engineering. Funding for the MCIRCC Critical Care Grand

    Challenge was provided by the Deans of the Medical School and College of Engineering as well as the Department of Emergency Medicine.

     

    MCIRCC received a total of 14 proposals and following a rigorous evaluation process by an external panel of experts, shortlisted eight projects to work hand-in-hand with assigned mentors and other U-M support groups to prepare a detailed project plan and budget that addressed real-world challenges and practical uses for their solutions.

     

    On Wednesday, July 16, these eight teams pitched their final proposals to an evaluation committee - comprised of ICU physicians, members of the U-M Office of Technology Transfer and Fast Forward Medical Innovation, and industry and venture capital professionals - for final funding decisions.

     

    Based on the depth and breadth of the science and the apparent commercialization potential in these proposals, the evaluation committee recommended funding the following six projects at $50,000 each:

    1. Chiroplasmic Nanorod-PCR (NR-PCR) for Rapid Determination of Bacteremia and Antibiotic Resistance in Sepsis, J. Scott VanEpps, M.D., Ph.D. (Medical School) & Nicholas Kotov, Ph.D. (College of Engineering)


    2. Development of a Sepsis Point-of-Care (POC) Platform Utilizing Redox Measurements with Integrated Protein Markers of Sepsis as a Bedside Biomarker for Sepsis, Severity of Septic Shock, and as a Gauge for Resuscitation Endpoints, Rodney Daniels, M.D.
      (Medical School) & Shuichi Takayama, Ph.D.
      (College of Engineering)


    3. Real-Time Ultrasound Local Lung Ventilation Measurement, Jonathan Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. (Medical School) & Cheri Deng, Ph.D. (College of Engineering)


    4. Sepsis Endotheliopathy Assessment Panel, Rodney Daniels, M.D. (Medical School) & Xudong (Sherman) Fan, Ph.D. (College of Engineering)


    5. Immunotherapy and Immuno-phenotyping for Treatment of Sepsis, Jean Nemzek, DVM, M.S.
      (Medical School) & Jianping Fu, Ph.D. (College of Engineering)


    6. Non-Invasive Portable System for Continuous Monitoring of Sepsis, Kayvan Najarian, Ph.D. (Medical School) & Kenn Oldham, Ph.D. (College of Engineering)

    Moving forward, these six funded teams will work with MCIRCC's

    Commercialization Coach to achieve their key milestones and ultimately the next phase in the product development roadmap.

     

    MCIRCC would like to take this opportunity to congratulate each of the funded teams identified above and to thank all 14 teams for their hard work, creative thought, and support of this important initiative. It took all of you to make MCIRCC's first annual Critical Care Grand Challenge a success!

     

    For additional information about the Grand Challenge, or becoming a MCIRCC member, please contact MCIRCC Managing Director Janene Centurione at [email protected].

    SharpFocus
    The Grant Abstract - The Map to Success? 
    Sharpening Your Focus:
    Tips on Grant Proposal Preparation
    By Chris Black, M.L.S., Assistant Director for Research Development Support, 
    U-M Medical School Office of Research

     

    (One in a series of tips published in UMMS Research News about writing proposals.)  

     

    The abstract or summary of your grant application is the first section that all the reviewers and funding deciders will read, so in some ways it is the most important section.

     

    Think of it as a map that shows the reader the important place the study will lead, how it will get there, and why the landscape will be improved once you have arrived. The writer must spotlight the important scientific and experimental landmarks to help the reviewers follow as they evaluate your grant proposal.

     

    Important points:

    • Start by describing why your scientific or patient-oriented problem/need/gap is significant to the field
      and funder
    • It is informative to briefly discuss how you have begun
      to blaze a new trail (preliminary findings) to make progress
      on this journey
    • Then briefly describe where you will go - your study destination (e.g., central hypothesis, aims)
    • Describe how you will get there (approach/methods) -
      stick to the major highways, don't confuse the reader with
      side streets/detours (too many 
      details)
    • Summarize with a long-term objective (future destination, not included in application's research plan) to show how
      the proposed map fits into the 
      larger territory
    • Keep it clear - don't clutter the map with jargon, abbreviations - remember not all readers will be familiar
      with the scientific territory
    • The abstract often is used by the funder's administrators
      to decide who (what expertise) will review your proposal,
      so keywords should identify the 
      scientific locale
    • The abstract should be the last section you finalize.
      Why? Your intended itinerary (aims), route (approach), passengers (collaborators), travel information (preliminary data), budget, or resources may change during your trip (proposal) planning.

    A good abstract will entice the reviewer to learn more about your intended journey. Happy trails!

    Office of Research
    Our mission in the Office of Research is to foster an environment of innovation and efficiency that serves the U-M Medical School community and supports biomedical science from insight to impact.