EVENTS 
|
Medical School
Office of Research
NCRC EXPO
Seminar Series
Wednesday,
November 11
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Research Auditorium,
NCRC Building 10
Monday, November 16 - Tuesday, November 17 Towsley Center Note: Please bring your laptop for the hands-on portion of the class.
Tuesday, November 17 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MCHC Auditorium This event is part of
the Continuous Quality Improvement Brown Bag series.
7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Dining Hall,
NCRC Building 18 Tuesday, December 8
5:00 PM
Kahn Auditorium, BSRB A reception will immediately follow the presentation in the BSRB Atrium.
Breakfast and lunch included. |
RESEARCH NEWS
|
QUICKLINKS
|
|
 |
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE
Leadership
|
Funding
|
Training & Professional Development
|
Policies
|
Announcements
|
Accolades & Milestones
|
|
Select Research Funding &
Award Opportunities
|
|
Award
|
Deadline
| |
|
Wednesday, November 25
| |
|
Wednesday, December 2
|
External Limited Submissions
|
Award
|
Deadline
| |
|
Monday, November 9
| |
|
Thursday, November 19
|
Other Opportunities
| Award | Deadline | |
|
Monday, November 30
| |
|
Monday, November 30
| |
|
Tuesday, December 1
| |
|
Thursday, February 4
| |
|
Tuesday, March 1
| |
|
Tuesday, March 1
|
Featured Foundation Grants
|
Award
|
Deadline
| |
|
Wednesday, November 11
| Fund-Harrington National Initiative
for Fighting Blindness | Sunday, November 15 | | 2016 CURE Epilepsy Award | Thursday, November 19 | | 2016 CURE Taking Flight Award | Thursday, November 19 | | 2016 CURE Innovator Award | Thursday, November 19 | Individual Investigator
Research Grants -
Inherited Orphan Retinal Degenerative Diseases and Dry Age-Related
Macular Degeneration | Monday, November 30 | | Gerber Foundation Research Grants | Tuesday, December 1 | |
| Tuesday, December 1 | Alex's Lemonade Stand
Young Investigator Grants | Monday, December 14 | Alex's Lemonade Stand
Epidemiology Grants
| Tuesday, December 15
| | Enhanced Research and Clinical Training for Physicians in Inherited Orphan Retinal Degenerative Diseases | Sunday, January 31 | |
| Tuesday, March 15 | Career Development Awards
in Support of Research into Inherited Orphan Retinal Degenerative Diseases and Non-Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration | Tuesday, March 1 |
Visit the UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations website for more foundation funding opportunities.
|
|
Fast Forward Clinical Trials Update
|
 Fast Forward Clinical Trials (FFCT) continues to make progress in the transformation of our clinical trials enterprise here at the University of Michigan. If you are interested in learning more about the latest updates and offering your feedback to the FFCT team, consider attending this upcoming event:
|
Working Together to Transform Clinical Trials
Wednesday, November 11
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Research Auditorium, NCRC Building 10
|
In other FFCT news:
Clinical Trial Nodes
- The Clinical Trials Subcommittee approved three nodes
with funding in October, including the Acute & Critical Care Clinical Trial Node, Heart Vessel Blood Node, and the Children's Clinical Trial Node. The nodes are actively commencing a staged operationalization of their vision to offer valuable support to study teams. More details will be forthcoming over the next few months.
- Each node is currently seeking an experienced lead
clinical trial administrator to be the primary business leader to partner with the Medical Director. The job posting
for these positions can be found at UMJobs.org, requisition #116755.
Future-State Workflows
- The Medical School Office of Research-Huron Consulting project team conducted future-state design sessions where individuals involved in clinical trials operations across the institution mapped out a first draft of the future-state processes to manage the life cycle of clinical trials from concept to closure. Representative groups of early-career and experienced investigators are reviewing these draft future-state workflows and providing valuable feedback to the project team. Under the proposed new model for operations, many of the non-clinical, administrative functions of conducting clinical trials will, ultimately, be performed by the nodes to decrease the administrative burden on study teams and to maximize their ability to focus on the research.
OnCore Clinical Trials Management System
- The project team is finalizing the Proof of Concept (POC) plan for the OnCore Clinical Trials Management System (CTMS). During the POC, faculty and staff end-users, as well as technical team members, will assess OnCore's overall usability and its ability to support our future-state workflows and the breadth of the trials conducted by U-M investigators.
For more information about Fast Forward Clinical Trials, including an archive of past updates, CLICK HERE.
|
|
7 Services to Improve
Research Competitiveness
|
|
| Click on the image above
to watch the video. |
We continue to experience an extremely tight research funding environment. To help faculty improve their competitiveness and accelerate the pace of innovative research, we have deliberately invested and built the necessary infrastructure to support their efforts.
This challenge and the services available to faculty are summarized in a new video featuring Steven L. Kunkel, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research at UMHS.
|
|
U-M Supports Adoption of Accelerated Clinical Trials Agreement
|
Data from a national 2010 Contracts Processing Study among Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) also showed that an average contract negotiation time (exclusive of budget and Institutional Review Board [IRB] approval) of 55 days could be reduced to 22 days if a master agreement was used.
The Accelerated Clinical Trial Agreement (ACTA) is a standardized clinical trial agreement -- a single agreement to be used by each participating institution and sponsor -- to reduce contract negotiations for industry-sponsored, multi-center studies, especially for Phase 2b and Phase 3 sponsor-initiated clinical trials.
CLICK HERE to read the full announcement, which includes details about how to use this at U-M.
|
|
Introducing Fast Forward
GI Innovation Fund
|
|
Three-year program targets discovery
and development of future technologies to help patients suffering from gastrointestinal disease
|
The Fund will support early-stage research that may have future impact on GI patients. It will be used for key research commercialization activities such as those related to technology validation and establishing proof-of-concept, including pilot funding support for preliminary studies or development activities that will lead to broader GI product applications. Importantly, the fund seeks to engage interdisciplinary teams of researchers that leverage ideas and technologies across medicine, engineering, public health, and other key units engaged in biomedical research.
A Request for Proposals for the Fund will be released in early December via UMMS Competition Space, with an anticipated submission deadline of mid-January. There will be two tiers of funding available:
- Tier I awards will be in the range of $10-$25K and fund projects that address a discrete milestone that is critical
to the advancement of research to the point of product development.
- Tier II awards will be $50-$75K and fund projects with specific milestones for proof-of-concept and later-stage translational studies (ranges are estimates and actual funding levels will be project-specific).
The FFMI team is in the process of finalizing the fund details and assembling an Advisory Board of faculty, industry, and commercialization experts who will review proposals and provide mentorship for the funded teams. The fund and approach is modeled after FFMI's highly successful Kickstart and MTRAC programs.
"The goal of the Fast Forward GI Innovation Fund is to accelerate innovative research in the important field of gastroenterology here at the U-M," notes Kevin Ward, M.D., FFMI Executive Director. "Thanks to this extremely generous donation from Mary Petrovich, we're taking a significant step toward producing the next generation of research and technology development that will revolutionize the care of GI patients."
Interested in learning more about the GI Innovation Fund?Visit the website or join the FFMI team for a kickoff event:
|
Fast Forward GI Innovation Fund Kickoff
Friday, November 20
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
BSRB Seminar Rooms
CLICK HERE to RSVP |
|
|
President Schlissel Initiates
Selection Process for Research VP
|
|
| |
S. Jack Hu,
Interim Vice President
for Research at U-M
|
University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel has initiated the selection and appointment process to fill the position of vice president for research. S. Jack Hu (pictured right) has served as interim vice president for research since January 2014.
The vice president for research is the chief research official responsible for:
- Overseeing the university's
$1 billion research portfolio,
- Playing a leadership role in national and international activities regarding research policy, and
- Guiding the university in defining research goals
and identifying emerging research opportunities.
The position is an executive officer reporting directly to the president, and also works closely with the provost to fully align research with the overall academic mission of the university.
The vice president for research leads the U-M Office of Research, which consists of eight research units and six service units that support research and research-related activities. The President's Office is overseeing the selection and appointment process and is accepting nominations and applications for the position.
The position description, as well as an option to submit nominations and applications online, are available here. Inquiries can also be directed to vpresearch2015@umich.edu.
|
|
Multiple Foundations Announce
RFPs for Biomedical Research Grants
|
|
Most deadlines in November and December
|
|
UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations would like to draw your attention to the following foundations who currently have open RFPs for biomedical research grants:
Specifically, they fund research that works to understand and prevent epilepsy, identify disease modifying or eliminating therapies, and reverse deficits caused by frequent seizures.
The mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. Alex's Lemonade Stand funds research projects that are likely to make critical contributions to current pediatric cancer research and play a part in bringing the latest and most promising life-saving treatments to seriously ill children.
The Gerber Foundation focuses on the nutrition, care, and development of infants and young children (up to age 3). The Foundation is particularly interested in fresh approaches to solving newborn or pediatric problems or emerging issues with a predictable time frame to clinical application.
Questions about these award opportunities should be directed to: - Colleen Sherman,
UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations
Email: cols@med.umich.edu
Phone: (734) 615-0040
|
|
Four U-M Faculty Elected
to Prestigious National Academy
of Medicine
|
University of Michigan experts in cancer biology, emergency heart care, bone biology, and chronic disease care are among the new members of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the National Academies, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. The National Academy of Medicine was formerly known as the Institute of Medicine.
Kathleen Cho, M.D., Laurie McCauley, DDS, Ph.D., Robert Neumar, M.D., Ph.D., and Marita Titler, Ph.D., RN, FAAN (pictured above in alphabetical order from left to right), were elected to the NAM in recognition of their major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health.
With their election, the U-M now has 54 past and present members of the NAM on faculty. A list of living NAM members on the U-M faculty is available here.
CLICK HERE to read the full announcement, which includes background information on each of the U-M experts.
|
|
Storing Human Biospecimens
|
|
Two Options to Suit Your Research Needs
|
 Did you know there are two different options at the U-M Medical School to consider when it comes to storing human biospecimens?
MCRU Specimen Core and Processing Lab
 Does your study have a specific accrual target? Will you use all the samples collected? Will you be accessing stored samples over the short-term? Then the MCRU storage option may be right for you. MCRU has a specimen collection, processing, and shipping core laboratory that supports both extended-stay and outpatient clinical research for all MCRU performance sites. In certain circumstances, the Core provides short-term storage of human biofluids (e.g., blood, serum, plasma, saliva) collected at MCRU. Specimens are managed using a sophisticated electronic management and inventory system called Freezerworks. CLICK HERE to learn more about the MCRU Specimen Core and Processing Lab. Central Biorepository  Are you interested in creating a shared biospecimen and data resource? Are you planning to store materials for a very long term, or indefinitely? Do you hope that your biospecimens may be used for additional research in the future? Then storing your samples with the Central Biorepository may be your best option. Part of the Strategic Research Initiative, the Central Biorepository provides a highly controlled and monitored environment for human biospecimen and data storage and distribution. Biospecimens stored at the CBR are collected with the expectation of distribution to multiple researchers, for multiple uses, in addition to the primary investigator.
Governance policies encourage collaboration while ensuring that all research using CBR resources meets the highest ethical and regulatory standards. Biospecimen chain of custody, from collection through storage, and processing to distribution, is ensured through the use of LabVantage, a laboratory information management system. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Central Biorepository. Both MCRU and CBR require IRB approval for all projects that constitute human subjects research, and both can work together to support your research goals and help provide the highest quality biospecimens for translational research and personalized medicine. Questions about human biospecimen storage? Contact CBR Director Vici Blanc at vmb@umich.edu or call (734) 647-6285. |
|
NIH Loan Repayment Program Seeking Applicants
|
|
Application deadline: Sunday, November 15
|
|
The LRP aims to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers through counteracting the pressure of educational financial debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.
What you'll need to know for your application:
|
Application deadline:
| Sunday, November 15 | |
Application process and materials:
|
| | Institutional contact: | Terri Maxwell | | U-M NIH Loan Repayment Ambassador: | David Pinsky, M.D. |
Questions? Dr. Pinsky has served on the NIH Peer Review Committee selecting these awards. He has successfully guided several individuals through the application process, and is willing to give individuals advice about this process.
Questions for Dr. Pinsky should be directed to his assistant Betty Hoss via email at bhoss@umich.edu.
Click here for additional program details. |
|
Next Week: UMMS Office of Research Seminar Series, NCRC EXPO
|
|
Several events on Wednesday, November 11
|
In conjunction with the 3rd Annual NCRC EXPO, an opportunity for the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) community to collaborate and learn more about NCRC service providers, the Medical School Office of Research will host a FREE seminar series highlighting how the many services offered by its units can help researchers advance their research.
The EXPO will take place on Wednesday, November 11 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM in NCRC Building 18 and feature food, prizes, raffles, a photo booth, giveaways, and much more!
|
9:00 AM
| Transformative Technologies
at the Cores
Presented by Microscopy & Image Analysis Laboratory and Flow Cytometry Core
| |
10:00 AM
| What's Changing
in Human Subjects Research
Presented by IRBMED
| |
11:00 AM
| Working Together
to Transform Clinical Trials
Presented by Fast Forward Clinical Trials
| |
1:00 PM
| REAL: Collaborative Laboratory Studies How Animal Well-Being Relates
to Scientific Results
Presented by the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine and the Refinements and Enrichment Advancements Laboratory
|
Both the Seminar Series and the NCRC EXPO are open to all U-M faculty, staff, and students. Visit the Medical School Office of Research's website for more details on each seminar. Additional details about the NCRC EXPO can be found here.
|
|
Quantitative Proteomics for
Clinical Applications
|
The seminar includes:
|
12:00 PM
|
Introduction
by Cassandra Wong,
Director, Biomedical Research Core Facilities
| |
12:10 PM
| "Experimental Design
and Return on Investment"
by Michael Ford, Ph.D.,
Co-Founder, MS Bioworks
| |
1:00 PM
| "Data Interpretation
in Quantitative Proteomics"
by Henriette Remmer, Ph.D.,
Director, Proteomics & Peptide Synthesis Core | |
1:30 PM
|
Meet the speakers and Q & A
|
FREE LUNCH will be provided. Please RSVP to reserve your seat at the event.
|
|
Janus Safety Lab Now Open at NCRC
|
The Janus Safety Lab, located in the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), celebrated its grand opening in October 2015, and is now open to all visitors. The purpose of the demonstration lab is to educate and raise safety awareness of those visiting the space.
The lab (room) has two separate entrances and is divided into two halves: the good/right/correct side vs. the bad/wrong/incorrect side. A yellow line down the center of the lab provides a visible separation of the two halves, and banners on each side display which side is "good" and "bad."
A variety of safety and health topics are represented in the lab, including:
- Biological safety
- Chemical storage and labeling
- Electrical safety
- Fire safety
- Compressed gas use and handling
- Personal protective equipment
- Hazardous waste management
Each right/wrong item is identified with a code, and the codes are displayed on wall banners within the lab. A retrospective survey of 14 months of lab inspection data revealed that 28 items (of 471 possible items) accounted for 58% of all items noted by the inspectors. Each of these items are reflected in the Janus Lab.
The lab is located in Room 126 of NCRC Building 25, and is open regularly to visitors. Guided tours can also be scheduled by emailing Janus-Safety-Lab@umich.edu.
|
|
Calling All Staff Biostatisticians
|
|
Join MICHR for Friday, December 4 Social Event
|
Staff biostatisticians, by the nature of their work, are scattered across campus, which can be a hurdle to finding peers for collaboration, career planning, and resource sharing. The MICHR Biostatistics Program is hosting a social event to bring staff biostatisticians together.
We will help staff biostatisticians get to know each other's expertise and research. We will also start a discussion about the group's needs for collaboration, resources and training, and how we can make the biggest impact on research.
|
Time:
|
Friday, December 4
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
| |
Place:
|
MICHR Collaboration Station
NCRC Building 400
| |
Schedule:
|
Formal introduction and discussion forum from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Appetizers and beverages will be served.
|
Register for the event here. Please share this information with your colleagues who may also be interested. A printable PDF flyer is available here.
For questions and more information, contact Jing Liu at ljing@umich.edu or (734) 998-7644.
|
|
UROP Seeking Mentors
for Winter 2016 Semester
|
|
Application deadline: Friday, November 20
|
Students will begin applying for projects in late November and will interview for, and commit to, projects before winter break.
The deadline to submit a UROP project for January 2016 is Friday, November 20. Projects can be submitted here.
Please contact Melissa Zochowski, UROP Assistant Director, at mzochows@umich.edu or (734) 615-9000 with any questions.
|
|
MICHR Offers
Master of Clinical Research
|
|
Apply by Wednesday, December 16
|
|
| Click on the image above to watch
a video about the program. |
It is designed specifically for University of Michigan students seeking advanced health professional degrees. Students accepted into the program will take time out to complete the intensive, year-long master's program. Those who receive full funding will have a competitive stipend, full tuition support, and limited research funds.
The application deadline is Wednesday, December 16. More details are available here.
|
|
NIH Grant Application Changes -
Phase 1
|
|
Sharpening Your Focus:
Tips on Grant Proposal Preparation
|
By Jill Jividen, Ph.D., Senior Manager
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 National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced several changes to 2016 grant application policies, instructions, and forms. The changes will take place in two phases:
- Phase I will apply to proposals submitted
on or after January 25, 2016;
- Phase II will apply on or after May 25, 2016.
The most significant Phase I changes address "Rigor and Transparency" of research strategies for NIH and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) proposals. In order to enhance reproducibility of scientific findings, investigators must augment two standard sections of the research plan as follows:
- Significance: "Describe the scientific premise for the proposed project, including consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of published research or preliminary data crucial to the support of your application."
- Approach: "Describe the experimental design and methods proposed and how they will achieve robust and unbiased results. Explain how relevant biological variables, such as sex, are factored into research designs and analyses for studies in vertebrate animals and humans. For example, strong justification from the scientific literature, preliminary data, or other relevant considerations, must be provided for applications proposing to study only one sex."
Additionally, a new PDF attachment, called Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources, will be required. Because key resources may differ between labs or over time, have qualities that influence research data, and are integral to proposed research, researchers should describe methods that identify and validate these resources (examples include, but are not limited to, cell lines, specialty chemicals, antibodies, and other biologics).
Reviewers will be asked to assess these additional requirements after January 25, 2016. Research Performance Progress Reports submitted after that date should also "emphasize rigorous approaches taken to ensure robust and unbiased results."
Other Phase I changes include:
Review these resources for more information:
|
|
|
