Research News
MEDICAL SCHOOL OFFICE OF RESEARCH
January 2016

EVENTS 
Wednesday, January 13
Two sessions:
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM or
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
M5330, Med Sci I


Thursday, January 14
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room G550,
School of Dentistry


Trials and Tribulations of a Small Medical Company:
Are You Ready?
Thursday, January 14
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room 5000,
Taubman Health
Science Library

Lunch will be provided.


Animal Care & Use Program Town Hall
Thursday, January 14
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
M3330, Med Sci I


Tuesday, January 19
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
BSRB Seminar Rooms
or
Wednesday, January 20
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Room 1122,
NCRC Building 520

Please RSVP to reserve your spot and FREE lunch.


Thursday, January 21
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Room G550,
School of Dentistry


Finding
Research Funding
Friday, January 22
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room B001E,
NCRC Building 16


Node Proposal Information Meeting
and Fast Forward Clinical Trials Update
Wednesday, January 27
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
M3330, Med Sci I




Training Grant Preparation Workshop
for Faculty and Administrators of
T32 and Other NIH Training Grants
Wednesday, February 10
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
M53330, Med Sci I

Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Kierstin Fiscus by Monday, February 1.


14th Annual
Depression on College Campuses Conference
Wednesday, March 9 -
Thursday, March 10
Rackham Graduate School
RESEARCH NEWS 

QUICKLINKS
Fact Sheets
& Hot Topics
Find UMHS facts and figures for your next proposal!

Research Project
Route Map

Research Funding
& Grants Guide

MBECT Resources 

 

UMMS Office

of Research

 

U-M Medical School

 

Competition Space

 
IN THIS ISSUE 
 
Funding
    • Training & Professional Development
    • Policies
    • Announcements
    		•
    FundingOpps
    Select Research Funding &
    Award Opportunities
    Pilot Grants

    External Limited Submissions
    Award 
    Deadline
    Thursday, January 14
    Friday, January 15

    Bridging Support
    Award
    Deadline
    BMRC Bridging Support
    for Biomedical Research    		Monday, February 15

    Other Opportunities
    Featured Foundation Grants
    Award
    Deadline
    Thursday, January 14
    (Re)Building a Kidney
    Partnership Project Program    		Saturday, January 30
    Enhanced Research and Clinical Training for Physicians in Inherited Orphan Retinal Degenerative DiseasesSunday, January 31
    Thursday, February 11
    Marfan Foundation Victor A. McKusick
    Fellowship Grant Program    		Tuesday, February 16
    Marfan Foundation
    Early Investigator Grant Program    		Tuesday, February 16
    Tuesday, March 1
    Tuesday, March 15
    Sontag Foundation
    2016 Distinguished Scientist Awards    		Wednesday, March 16
    Monday, April 11

    Visit the UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations website for more foundation funding opportunities.

    For additional details about funding resources, please visit the
    U-M Library's     Research Funding & Grants Guide. 
    Lab.Safety
    New Academic Laboratory and Research Safety Policy Announced
    As part of the University of Michigan's initiative to enhance the culture of safety in research and educational laboratories across campus, the newly announced Academic Laboratory and Research Safety Policy provides a foundation to assist schools, colleges, and departments in meeting laboratory and research safety standards.

    The policy, which identifies the general roles and responsibilities that individuals and various university groups have for enhancing and promoting a safe laboratory culture, applies to all faculty, staff, and students working in university laboratories or conducting university-related field research or activities (regardless of location). It also provides guidelines for more effective collaboration between the research community and the various U-M departments and offices charged with overseeing campus safety and compliance.

    A faculty-based committee, the U-M Laboratory and Research Safety Committee, has also been established to help advise on the U-M policies to implement federal and state research regulations. The committee will also assist departments by reviewing safety incidents and concerns in order to recommend improvements and remediation, as necessary.

    In the coming months, members of the research community will be invited to participate in a survey to assess awareness of safety procedures. Responses will help university leaders determine the next steps to enhance lab safety and enable the university to develop programs and monitor progress on safety concerns with community support.

    For more information, view and download the new policy PDF.
    AAHRPP
    AAHRPP is Coming!
    AAHRPP will visit campus March 30 - April 1
    The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) is an independent organization that reviews and accredits institutions engaged in human subjects research to protect the rights and welfare of the research participants.

    U-M has been accredited since 2008 and is scheduled for a re-accreditation visit beginning on Wednesday, March 30. Accreditation not only bolsters the university's reputation as a leader in human subjects research, but research sponsors and other research partners increasingly consider AAHRPP accreditation before pursuing collaborations or providing funding for research.

    Who's involved?
    Anyone involved in human research, including:
    • Principal Investigators (PIs) and their study teams;
    • IRB members and staff;
    • U-M HRPP representatives; and
    • The U-M Vice President for Research
    What's expected?
    You may be selected by site visitors for an interview. Now is the time to re-familiarize yourself with U-M's Human Research Protections Program (HRPP). Remember, it's never too early to prepare for an AAHRPP site visit!

    It is recommended that you start by reviewing the:
    This visit is a chance to demonstrate to AAHRPP and ourselves that we can conduct important research while providing superior protection to our human subjects!

    What's next?
    Over the next few months, HRPP and the IRBs will publish additional information and educational refreshers to help you prepare for the site visit (see related article below).

    Visit the U-M AAHRPP Re-Accreditation website for more details, or contact AAHRPPvisit@umich.edu with any questions.
    IRBMED
    Register Today for
    Upcoming IRBMED Seminar Series
    Two-part seminar happening on Friday, January 29
    Join IRBMED for the next installment of its Seminar Series, which will focus on the Human Subject Protection Program Re-Accreditation (see related article above) as well as proposed changes to the federal regulations.

    As part of the seminar, IRBMED will also host a mock IRB session to provide insight into how IRBs review studies. For this session, the focus will be a review of a comparative effectiveness trial followed by a Q & A Session with several IRBMED Board Members.

    The complete seminar agenda can be viewed here.

    IRBMED Seminar Series:
    Human Subject Protection Program
    Re-Accreditation (AAHRPP)
    &
    Proposed Changes
    to the Federal Regulations (NPRM)
    Friday, January 29
    9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    Danto Auditorium, Cardiovascular Center

    Space is limited, so be sure to register soon!
    FFCT.Update
    Fast Forward Clinical Trials Update
    The Medical School Office of Research invites faculty and staff involved in clinical trials to attend an overview of the OnCore clinical trials management system (CTMS) next week, with two sessions offering convenient scheduling:

    OnCore CTMS Information Sessions
    Wednesday, January 13
    1:00 PM - 2:30 PM 
    or
    3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
    M5330, Med Sci I

    OnCore is the CTMS from Forte Research currently undergoing a proof-of-concept process directed by the Fast Forward Clinical Trials team. Staff from Forte Research will provide a walk-through of Oncore, offering product, process, and training insights.
     
    In addition to activities with the CTMS, the "pioneer" nodes -- Heart, Vessel, Blood; Children's; and Acute and Critical Care -- are ramping up, and the Clinical Trials Subcommittee is preparing to engage the clinical trial community around the next round of node proposals.
     
    An informational meeting will be held later this month, followed by a letter of intent for those considering submitting a future node proposal.

    The Clinical Trials Subcommittee will work in close partnership with their colleagues contemplating forming a node. This will allow stakeholders to find synergies and facilitate collaborations, optimizing the ultimate number of nodes.

    Node Proposal Information Meeting
    Wednesday, January 27
    5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    M3330, Med Sci 1
    CLICK HERE to RSVP

    Further details about the upcoming proposal process and timeline will be shared at this Information Meeting, and the Clinical Trials Subcommittee and supporting staff continue to welcome questions and comments at ffctgroup@umich.edu.

    For more information about Fast Forward Clinical Trials, including an archive of past updates, CLICK HERE.
    ACUP
    Changes to Animal Care & Use at U-M
    New strategy, processes will be highlighted
    at next week's Town Hall
    In recent months, the Offices of the President, the EVPMA, and the U-M Vice President for Research have charged an Animal Care and Use Program strategic team to develop and implement a plan to improve the underlying organizational structure and processes supporting sustained excellence in animal care and use at the University of Michigan. 
     
    A number of changes have already taken place, including the appointment of Valerie Hill as the Managing Director of Animal Care, several new rodent surgery guidelines, and the renaming of the University Committee on the Use and Care of Animals (UCUCA) to the "Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee" and the UCUCA Office to the "Animal Care and Use Office."

    CLICK HERE to learn more details about these and other recent changes.

    Faculty and staff involved in animal research are encouraged to attend a Town Hall next week where Drs. Hu, Dysko, and Myers will discuss the university's strategic plan for animal care and use, as well as other upcoming process changes.

    Animal Care & Use Town Hall
    Thursday, January 14
    2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    M3330, Med Sci I
     
    Questions or feedback about animal care and use? Please contact ACUOffice@umich.edu.
    ULAM.Training
    ULAM Training Moving to
    MLearning 2.0 on Monday, February 1
    Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) training classes will migrate from the old version of MLearning into the new 2.0 version on Monday, February 1.

    This move is much anticipated and is expected to enhance training features and reporting. The training impacted by this move is relevant for personnel working under approved University Committee on Use and Care of Animals (UCUCA) animal use protocols who are required to complete certain training based on the tasks they will perform.
     
    Please note these key dates and plan accordingly:
     
    Friday, January 22 - Sunday, January 31
    MLearning will be offline
    Research personnel will be advised to complete all UCUCA required training prior to Friday, January 22. However, the ULAM Training Core will provide alternative training options on an as-needed basis.
     
    Monday, February 1
    ULAM training will be available in MLearning 2.0
    All prior training assignments and history will be carried over into the new system.
     
    Additional details will follow, and questions are welcome by contacting ulam-trainingcore@umich.edu or (734) 763-8039.
    Lilly.Award
    Eli Lilly and Company Seeking
    Postdoc Fellowship Award Applicants
    Submissions due by Thursday, January 28
    The Eli Lilly and Company is currently seeking applications for its 2015 Lilly Innovation Fellowship Award (LIFA) program, a competitive postdoctoral fellowship award.

    The program is designed to foster postdoctoral career development through the recognition of highly innovative, pre-competitive postdoctoral research proposals by providing the recipient with up to four years of funding and a unique training experience.

    The preliminary application package must be submitted via email to LIFA@Lilly.com by Thursday, January 28.

    Prior to submitting, there are several important submission requirements that interested applicants should take into account: 
    • All applications must have the support of their institution
    • All applications must be sent to Lilly by the institution
    • Applications received directly from individual participants
      will NOT be accepted
    Please refer to this PDF document for the full RFP, which includes complete application instructions and award details.
    Foundation
    Featured Foundation Grants
    for Biomedical Research 
    null
    UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations would like to draw your attention to the following foundations who currently have open RFPs for biomedical research grants:

    The Sontag Foundation
    The Sontag Foundation is looking for early career scientists with the potential to create new waves across the brain cancer field. The Foundation's goal is increased survival rates and improved recovery for patients, with the hope of a cure or, at the very least, treatments to make brain cancer a manageable chronic disease.
    Award
    Amount
    Deadline
    2016 Distinguished
    Scientist Awards
    $600,000*
    		Wednesday, March 16
    by 12:00 PM EST
    *Up to 15% of the award can be used to support indirect cost recovery/institutional overhead

    (Re)Building a Kidney Partnership Project Program
    The (Re)Building a Kidney Partnership Project Program is seeking applications from investigators that, if successful, will become part of the recently assembled (Re)Building a Kidney (RBK) Consortium, which was launched by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Institutes of Health (RFA-DK-14-010 & RFA-DK-14-009).

    Specifically, this program aims to support the goals of the Consortium through solicitation of additional projects in specific subject areas. Awardees of the Partnership Project Program will be full participants of the RBK Consortium.
    Award
    Amount
    Deadline
    (Re)Building a Kidney Partnership Project Program
    $150,000
    		Saturday, January 30
    by 5:00 PM EST


    The Marfan Foundation
    The Marfan Foundation currently has three open RFPs for Principal Investigators with an interest in basic, translational, or clinical research in all aspects of Marfan syndrome and related disorders.
    Award
    Amount
    Deadline
    Victor A. McKusick
    Fellowship Grant Program
    $150,000
    		Tuesday, February 16
    Early Investigator
    Grant Program
    $75,000
    		Tuesday, February 16
    Faculty Grant Program
    $100,000
    		Monday, April 11

    Questions about these award opportunities should be directed to Joe Piffaretti in UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations via email at piffaret@med.umich.edu or phone at (734) 763-1318.
    MNORC
    Variety of MNORC Services
    Available to Assist Researchers
    If you are designing a research study involving dietary, physical activity/exercise, body composition, and/or metabolic measurements or interventions in human subjects, the Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center's (MNORC) Human Phenotyping Core (HPC) can help!

    The MNORC HPC provides the following:
    • Consultation services to investigators. HPC has the expertise to help you optimize the design of your study 
    • Standardized and sophisticated assessment and physiological testing of human subjects. The HPC has the equipment and the expertise to implement a wide array of nutritional assessments and physiological/metabolic tests for your research studies. 
    • Services to directly assist researchers to conduct their nutritional and/or exercise interventions in human subjects
    Not sure how these services may apply to your study?
    Click on image to view full-size.
    Recently, MNORC provided services for Shanti Eswaran, M.D., in a randomized controlled trial of adult patients with IBS-D. HPC dietitians provided counseling to participants on either a low FODMAP or general IBS diet, and also provided dietary assessment services by collecting and analyzing food records both pre- and post-intervention.

    In addition, MNORC consulted with the study team on overall study design and provided interpretation of diet assessment results. The study found that IBS-D patients on a low FODMAP diet had improved quality of life, improved sleep, less activity impairment and less overall abdominal pain, bloating, and stool frequency when compared to those on a usual diet recommended for IBS-D. 

    To learn more about how MNORC's wide array of services can help with your next project, visit the MNORC website or send an email to NORC.humanphenotypingcore@umich.edu.
    Massey.TBI
    Funding Available for
    Traumatic Brain Injury Research
    Register now for early access to the RFP!
    The 2016 Massey Foundation TBI Grand Challenge, hosted by the U-M Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care (MCIRCC), will fund integrated science teams that can develop innovative solutions to improve outcomes after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosis.

    Up to $500,000 will be available to fund diagnostic, device, therapeutic, or health information technology solutions. 
        
    Two-Day Event 
    The program starts with an in-depth "TBI state of the art" symposium on Friday, January 22, where you will hear from:   
    • James O. Woolliscroft, M.D.,
      Lyle C. Roll Professor of Medicine,
      Professor of Internal Medicine,
      Professor of Learning Health Sciences,
      U-M Medical School 
    • Colonel Todd E. Rasmussen, M.D.,
      Director of Department of Defense Combat Casualty Care Research Program 
    • A. Tamara Crowder, Ph.D.,
      Neurotrauma Portfolio Manager,
      U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command
    • Sergeant First Class Joseph Cicchillo 
    • Retired Army Sergeant Edward "Ted" Wade
      and his wife, Sarah Wade
    • Other U-M faculty and partners 
    Day 1 will conclude with a networking session, followed by the release of the RFP on Saturday, January 23. To be considered for funding you must attend the two-day event. CLICK HERE to REGISTER. 
        
    Who Can Apply? 
    The Grand Challenge is open to all U-M faculty and staff. Researchers from all disciplines are encouraged to apply in collaboration with a U-M physician who can provide a clinical perspective on the problem. 
        
    Please note that MCIRCC can also help connect you with clinicians, engineers, and other disciplines who are interested in severe TBI research. 
        
    If you have any questions, please contact Bria Wiltshire via email at wiltshib@umich.edu. 
    Med.at.Mich
    Have You Been Published Recently?
    Medicine at Michigan website now featuring
    faculty publications
    Medicine at Michigan, the flagship publication of the U-M Medical School, is seeking news of books authored or edited by Medical School faculty to feature on its website.

    If you are interested in showcasing your most recent publications, please send the following information to Lauren Crawford by Friday, January 22:
    • Publication information including title, co-authors/editors, publisher, and publication date
    • A high-resolution (300 DPI) image of the cover. If a digital scan is not available, please send a hardcopy of the publication to:
      • Lauren Crawford
        UMHS Office of Development
        1000 Oakbrook, Suite 100
        Ann Arbor, MI 48104-6815
    If submitting a hardcopy of the publication, please indicate if you would like your items returned after scanning.

    Visit the Medicine at Michigan website for more information.
    SharpFocus
    Using Effective Communication
    to Enhance Your Research Impact
    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.) 

    Communicating about your research is an increasingly crucial component to measuring the impact and effectiveness of your study results. By recent National Science Foundation estimates, over 80% of Americans are "very" or "moderately" interested in science discoveries, yet only 20% can explain what it means to study something scientifically.

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy for publications has been a requirement for all recipients of NIH funds since 2008 and, just last year, the NIH issued a new report on its plans to further increase public access to scientific publications and digital scientific data from NIH-funded research.
     
    While communicating about science effectively to the public has become a major priority for funders, limited resources (time, money, staff) often hinder a study team's ability to communicate findings. To help researchers navigate the complex communications landscape both internal and external to the University of Michigan, the Medical School Office of Research (OoR) has launched a new webpage to provide access and guidance for the myriad communications resources available campus-wide.
     
    The site includes guiding questions to start the communications planning process, as well as resources for communicating with both internal and external audiences. There's also a Common Communications Needs page for step-by-step instructions and resources to help you through many of the most common communications scenarios (e.g., how to get national publicity for a publication, how to increase the number of times a paper is cited, should your lab be on social media) U-M researchers face.
     
    In the coming months, the OoR will partner with several units and departments across campus to offer a series of FREE seminars on learning to communicate science effectively. Stay tuned for more details.
     
    If you're interested in learning more about how communication strategies can be used to enhance the impact of your research, check out these resources: 
    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.