February 2016 Newsletter

news 
News

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Pilot (SUDEP)
 A CTSC Sponsored Pilot
 
The Center for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Research seeks novel pilot projects in human SUDEP Research that will address the goal of understanding SUDEP pathophysiology. This pilot program will award a grant to clinician researchers engaged in human research in submitting innovative proposals that specifically utilize the Informatics and Data Analytics Core of the CSR and at the end of the study period will provide study data to this Core for human SUDEP research. The investigators will be expected to commit to this stipulation. Successful applicants will be expected to work collaboratively with the CSR investigators and where possible, make use of available CTSC Core Facilities. We are specifically encouraging applications from human epilepsy, cardiac and respiratory researchers. Clinical researchers with a focus on database analysis may apply as long as the focus is explicitly on SUDEP.

Funding for the one-year CSR-themed Pilot Grant Award will be granted by the CTSC in collaboration with the Center for SUDEP Research. This opportunity will be an annual event. One (1) $25,000 will be awarded. Sole usage of funding for salary support of senior investigators is not encouraged. Only $5,000 + related fringe of the grant can go towards the Principal investigator's (PI) salary, unless the PI is in a field where their intellectual contribution is their research (i.e. Statistician). The PI will be expected to budget for attendance at the American Epilepsy Society meeting, where they will provide a research update on their project.

In addition up to $10,000 is available per CTSC Core used, maximum 2 Cores per pilot grant award when used in support of the primary grant. The core grant funding must be justified within the application budget. Monies may only be used for the in-line items listed in your detailed budget in your application.

All Applications will be submitted through WebGrants, Case Western Reserve's CTSC's online grant application system at CTSC Webgrants.

Application Deadline: February 19, 2016 by 11:59pm

Non-technical questions regarding this RFA or your application can be directed to Anita Zaremba at axz2@case.edu        
    
For  technical questions related to the use of the WebGrants program, please contact support at webgrants --- support@case.edu   

 

Research ShowCASE April 18th, 2016- Discovery, Collaboration & Community
 Abstract submission deadline: February 29, 2016
 
We invite you to participate with other CWRU faculty, staff and students by presenting your work at Research ShowCASE 2016. The event will provide an opportunity for CWRU researchers to display your research in a traditional scientific poster or other creative means. We also encourage University Hospitals, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth Medical Center and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center researchers to participate.

In addition to the opportunity to display and share your work, undergraduate and graduate students, professional students and postdoctoral scholars are encouraged to participate in the research competition, which will include having your presentation evaluated and feedback provided. Cash prizes will be awarded to winning entries.

In order to display your work at Research ShowCASE, you will need to submit an online abstract describing your research. If you are a student or post-doc, your faculty advisor will need to approve your submission.

Have the following items available when you begin your submission:
  • You will need to provide a brief description of your research in non-scientific terms (abstract)
  • You will be given the opportunity to provide a video abstract of your work in addition to the written abstract
  • 3-5 key words describing your research
For more information, see the Research ShowCASE Facebook page and website.

Congratulations to the November 2015 CTSC Core Utilization Pilot Award Recipients




Tracey Bonfield, PhD at CWRU School of Medicine
"Development of Acetaminophen and Allergy"




Ahmad Khalil, PhD at CWRU School of Medicine
"Functional Analysis of the DNMT1-associated lincRNA DACOR1 in Colon Cancer" 




Shigemi Matsuyama, PhD at University Hospitals Case Medical Center
"Mechanism of Cell Death Regulation by Bax and Bak"





Anita Misra-Hebert, MD at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
"Assessment of Prostate Cancer Screening with the Prostate Specific Antigen in Cleveland Clinic Health System Primary Care Practices: Rates and Provider Variation 2007-2015"



William Schiemann, PhD at CWRU School of Medicine
"Mapping the Transcriptome in Dormant Breast Cancer Stem Cells"




Bing-Chen Wang, PhD at MetroHealth Medical Center
"Regulation of Cutaneous Tumor Progression by EphA2/Ephrin-A System"

Congratulations to the November 2015 CTSC FDA Guidance Core Utilization Pilot Award Recipient



Nora Singer, MD at MetroHealth Medical Center
"Seeking Regulatory Approval for Phase I Proof of Concept Clinical Trial of Cell-based Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis"

 
PRCHN News  from the PRCHN 
PRCHN Seminars
Mark your calendars for these upcoming PRCHN Seminars.

2/10/16- Community Health Workers: Models of Success in Central
Teleange Thomas, BS, Program Officer, Health, Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland

3/9/16- Feeding Babies in the Andes: Maternal Ideologies and Practices in the Context of               Public Health Interventions
Madalena Montebon, PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow, PRCHN 

4/13/16- Nicotine Dependence and Perceptions from Young Adults and Adolescents Who
Smoke Little Cigars
Elizabeth Antognoli, PhD, Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, CWRU

You can find more information on these seminars and other PRCHN programs here.
For more news from PRCHN check out their e-newsletter!
What's New in the foodNEST?

The Future of Food in Your Neighborhood study (foodNest) has reached the halfway point in its participant recruitment! The foodNEST study is examining how changes in the food retail environment affect community health. Recruitment is currently underway in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood of Cleveland and the Southside neighborhood of Columbus.

Learn more about the progress of this unique study here.
IMPACT Team Prepares for Final Race Season

The Ideas Moving Parents and Adolescents to Change Together study (IMPACT) is a three-year intervention program working with Cleveland families to improve their health with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, stress and sleep. Spring 2016 marks a major milestone for the IMPACT study: This will be the last race season for IMPACT participants.

Learn more here.
Survey Administrators STILL Needed!

Survey Administrators are needed to assist with a large data collection project taking place in Cuyahoga County middle schools from January-May 2016. Survey administrators will be trained. Flexible scheduling is available, but survey administration must take place during the school day.

Please note this is a volunteer position. However, you can earn Target gift cards or extra credit for a college course (with prior approval from the instructor). In addition, you will gain valuable research experience. Please contact YRBS Field Coordinator Maleka Embry at 216.368.6538 or by email maleka.embry@case.edu to sign up.

Urbanhealth News from the Urban Health Initiative
Ready, Set... Hack!

This year's Cleveland Medical Hackathon has been scheduled for October 8th & 9th. The hackathon brings together doctors, nurses, patient advocates, researchers, scientists, programmers, entrepreneurs, engineer, and developers, to work for over 24 hours on projects that leverage technology to solve major challenges in the medical, health, and wellness fields. Last year's hackathon gathered more than 175 participants who formed mentor-led teams to begin tackling solutions. This year's event will be modeled on the community health and wellness track, identifying individuals as resources for local community data. 

Details about last year's Hackathon event are highlighted in Make Magazine, where Amy Sheon, director of the Health Data Matters project, emphasized the importance of a community data perspective in the development of technologic innovations.

A full suite of preparatory activities will be offered to encourage innovators to get started developing projects prior to the October event. One such opportunity to get involved is the Health Data Matters, Public Health Innovation Meetup group. In addition to preparing for the Hackathon in the fall, the meetup group participates in an ongoing effort to brainstorm ideas of how best to utilize community health data to create applications. For upcoming meeting details, follow "Cleveland Public Health Innovation" on meetup.com.

Research Research Highlights
Eliminating cost for colorectal cancer screening doesn't improve screening rates
This study was led by Dr. Greg Cooper who is the director of the CTSC Comparative Effectiveness Research core

Making colonoscopy available at no cost to eligible Medicare beneficiaries under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) did not increase the number of people in this target population who regularly undergo the procedure, says a new large scale national study from University Hospitals Case Medical Center Seidman Cancer Center. Interestingly, the same analysis found that rates of routine mammography significantly increased following the ACA's mandate for low or no cost screenings for Medicare recipients. 

"It was long assumed that cost was a major prohibitive factor for why people didn't get screened. So the Affordable Care Act made an effort to reduce or remove costs for several highly successful screening and recommended procedures, including mammography and colonoscopy," said study lead author Gregory Cooper, MD, Co-Program Leader for Cancer Prevention and Control, UH Seidman Cancer Center and Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "This data shows that doing so still doesn't necessarily guarantee the patients who should be screened will be. Other factors clearly play a role and need to be addressed as well." The full article can be found here.
Scientists find the genes that set into motion age-related macular degeneration
Head scientist, Jonathan Haines, is the lead investigator of the CTSC Informatics core 

In one of the latest examples of precision medicine, teams of geneticists from nine countries, involving more than 100 scientists, analyzed the genes of more than 33,000 individuals in the hope of finding genetic variations responsible for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 or older. Their research, involving complex computational analysis of more than 12 million genetic variations across the human genome, identified 52 variations associated with the disease. By identifying these genetic variations, spread across 34 gene regions, scientists are a step closer to developing diagnostics that identify which patients are at high risk for acquiring the disease and formulating therapeutics either to prevent or treat the disease caused by these genetic variations. The full article can be found here.
Professor honored as Breakthrough Leader in Nursing
Melissa Pinto is a former CTSC KL2 scholar 

Melissa Pinto, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is one of ten recipients of the 2015 Culture of Health: Breakthrough Leaders in Nursing award.  The Future of Nursing presented the award as part of its Campaign for Action, a joint initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

 

The award was presented to nurses who have developed innovative approaches to improve health and health care.  Pinto was selected for her pioneering work on the use of avatars and mobile technologies to improve adolescent mental health outcomes. She also mentors doctoral students for the Georgia Action Coalition. The full article can be found here.
As HIV patients live longer, updated guide helps patients navigate new territory
Allison Webel is a former CTSC KL2 scholar 

In the 35 years since the emergence of HIV, treatments of the disease-and patient lifespans-have dramatically improved.

"With medications, many HIV-positive people can now expect normal, healthy lives," said Allison Webel, an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and co-author of the new guide for patients, Living a Healthy Life with HIV. Click here to read more details about the book Living a Healthy Life with HIV.
Our Colleagues at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center are still looking for medical students

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is looking for medical students interested in summer research opportunities. There are 8 openings available, with 4 supported by the Brian Werbel Memorial Fund and 4 by the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. A completed application and reference letter are due by Friday, February 26, 2016.

Click here here for additional information.

Events Events
FDA Guidance Core Lecture Series- Spring 2016
All sessions are from 9am-10am in T-503* (*NEW LOCATION)

2/2/16Application essentials: Pre-IND and Full IND application
2/9/16Maintaining your IND and Investigator Brochure with the FDA
2/16/16Dietary Supplements and Vitamins: When is FDA Regulation Necessary?
2/23/16Emergency Use and Expanded Access IND's: Compare and Contrast Session
3/1/16Closing and/or Transferring an IND

For more information please see the FDA Guidance Case Lecture Series flyer.
 
CRSP 450 Seminar in Multidisciplinary Clinical & Translational Research
All sessions are from 12-1pm in Wolstein Research Building 6136

2/8/16Michael Decker, PhD, RN, RRT will discuss:
 Apnea induced executive dysfunction- Is dopamine the culprit or unwitting scapegoat?
3/14/16Nathan A. Berger, MD will discuss:
Transdisciplinary Approaches to Energy Balance and Cancer
4/11/16Kerry O. Grimberg, PhD will discuss:
Building a Clinical Research Service Component- Lesson Learned in the Case Center for Imaging Research

For more information please see the attached flyer.
 
The Lunch and Learn Series
All sessions are at noon in Adelbert Hall's Toepfer Room

The Office of Local Government & Community Relations will launch Case in the Community Lunch & Learn Series. Open to the campus and community, these monthly sessions will showcase Case Western Reserve's involvement and positive impact in the community. Faculty, staff and students who are involved in coordinating community outreach programs will conduct presentations

2/17/16
Judy Lipton,
Professor and Associate Dean for Experiential Education
 
Dennis Harris, Director
Carla Curtis, Assistant Director
The School of Law
 
 

National Youth Sports Program
Law Clinics and other Legal Services for underserved
 


Youth Summer Sports, Wellness & Academic Program
 
3/16/16
Me'lani Joseph, Director of Engineering
 
Leonard Gelfand STEM Center
K-12 STEM Outreach programs
4/20/16
Dr. Marilyn Mobley, Vice President
 
Office for Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity
Programs and initiatives that help advance diversity through inclusive thinking, mindful learning and transformative dialogue
5/18/16
Jacqueline Matloub, Research Assistant
Danielle Price, Program Manager, GUCCHI Community Engagement
Neal Hodges, Project Manager, GUCCHI
Greater University Circle Community Health Initiative (GUCCHI)
Community Health Programs and Services to reduce Infant mortality and lead poisoning
6/15/16
Dr. Rhonda Williams, Founder & Director
 
The Social Justice Institute
 
Social equality academic curriculum, programs and events

For additional information please see the attached flyer.
 
Information session on  the NHLBI-funded National Center for Accelerated Innovations 
The Office of Translation and Innovation info session is Tuesday, February 9th from 1-2pm in BRB 932

The goal of this special therapeutics funding opportunity is to identify, select, and advance qualified drug development projects directed towards treatment or management of cardiovascular, pulmonary, blood or sleep-related disorders. This funding opportunity is specifically targeted and limited to therapeutics technologies (drugs/biologics). 

The project activity appropriate for this funding opportunity is identification and qualification of a lead compound from among a series or class of hit compounds that have been tested for activity in one or more validation assays for the disease, which appear to be chemically stable and able to be synthesized, and for which a composition of matter (new chemical entity) patent filing is appropriate.

The scope of work for the project may include activities such as:
  • Design or synthesis of new analogs to support structure activity relationship testing. 
  • Testing potency/activity in in-vitro efficacy assays.
  • Demonstrating specific selectivity against targets.
  • Determining in vitro Absorption, Metabolism, Distribution, Excretion, Toxicity (ADMET) properties for select analogs in the series.
  • Conducting preliminary pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) assessment.
Please RSVP to Anne DeChant at akd6@case.edu and for more information on the RFA please see the attachment.
GvHD National Symposium
This event is being shared on behalf of our Cancer Center colleagues at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

This unique conference, which focuses on cutting edge research and new treatments, consists of two tracks: one designed for physicians and other health care professionals, and one for bone marrow transplant (BMT) survivors, their families and their caregivers.

The Meredith A. Cowden Foundation in collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, created the National GvHD Health Symposium in 2010 to raise awareness about Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD), to promote research to further our understanding of its cause, and to review cutting edge approaches to prevention and treatment. Over 1,200 people have attended this event, which provides an opportunity for attendees to interact with some of the world's leading authorities on GvHD, a complication that affects over 60% of bone marrow transplant patients. This year we are excited to team up with the UPMC CancerCenter, partner with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, who will serve as hosts of the 2016 symposium!

For more information visit the Cowden Foundation webpage.
 
Funding Funding Opportunities
Sodium Reduction in Communities
Application Deadline: March 15, 2016

This FOA will fund grantees to implement and evaluate promising, broad-reaching, and sustainable strategies in priority venues and entities with an added focus on collaboration with the food sector (e.g. vendors, suppliers, and/or related trade association affiliates). Grantees will conduct sodium reduction efforts as part of a sustainable comprehensive strategy aimed at improving the food environment (e.g., assisting in compliance with FDA's final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils, increasing fruits and vegetables, etc.) in support of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

For more information visit the Grants.Gov webpage.
American Psychological Foundation - Alexander Gralnick Research Investigator Prize
Application Deadline: April 15, 2016

The American Psychological Foundation provides financial support for innovative research and programs that enhance the power of psychology to elevate the human condition and advance human potential, both now and for generations to come. To further this goal, the foundation is accepting applications for its 2016 Alexander Gralnick Research Investigator Prize.
The goals of the annual program are to encourage psychologists to assume a leadership role for psychology in the area of serious mental illness; to encourage the training of future psychologists to become leaders in this field; and to provide funding for recipients to ensure that psychologists work to advance understanding and treatment for those who are affected by serious mental illnesses.

In 2015, a single grant of $20,000 will be awarded to an exceptional individual working in the area of serious mental illness, including but not limited to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and paranoia (delusional disorder).

For more information visit the APA webpage.

InformaticsINFORMATICS
Seeking Innovative Ideas to Advance Open Science
Application Deadline: February 29, 2016

The National Institutes of Health has partnered with London-based Wellcome Trust to launch a global science competition for new products or services to advance "open
 science," a movement to make scientific research data broadly accessible to the public. Up to six teams of technology experts and researchers stand to win $80,000 each to develop their ideas into a prototype or to advance an existing early stage prototype. The prototype judged to have the greatest potential to further open science will receive $230,000.

For more information visit the CTSC webpage.

ResearchMethodsRESEARCH METHODS
Burroughs Wellcome Fund - Innovation in Regulatory Science
Application Deadline: March 9, 2016

Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Innovation in Regulatory Science Awards provide up to $500,000 over five years to academic investigators developing new methodologies or
 innovative approaches in regulatory science that will ultimately inform the regulatory decisions the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and others make.

These awards are open to U.S. and Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have a faculty or adjunct faculty appointment at a North American degree-granting institution. Awards are made to degree-granting institutions in the U.S. or Canada on behalf of the awardee.

For more information visit the Burroughs Wellcome Fund webpage.

TrainingAndCareerDevelopmentTRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
FDA Fellowship Research Opportunities
Multiple Proposal Deadlines

The ORISE Research Participation Programs at FDA accept applications from students, recent graduates, and faculty researchers year round.

For more information about each opportunity, including instructions concerning the process for submitting an application and other supporting documents, please visit FDA ORISE webpage.  
New York Stem Cell Foundation
Application Deadline: February 24, 2016

The New York Stem Cell Foundation is soliciting applications from early career investigators for Innovator awards to be used for exploring the basic biology and translational potential of stem cells. The goal of this initiative is to foster bold and innovative scientists with the potential to transform the field of stem cell research, and advance understanding and use of stem cells in the development of treatments for human disease. In addition to providing funding, NYSCF partners with investigators to advance and translate their research.

For more information visit the NYSCF webpage.  
March of Dimes- Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Award
Application Deadline: March 16, 2016

This award is designed to support young scientists just embarking on their independent research careers. The applicants' research interests should be consonant with those of the March of Dimes' mission: The Mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. 

The March of Dimes defines a birth defect as any abnormality of structure or function, whether inherited, or acquired in utero and presenting in infancy or early childhood. Deviations from reproductive health of women and men as an underlying basis of birth defects, i.e. preconceptional events, perinatal course, and premature births, are appropriate subjects for research support. Relevance is interpreted broadly to include fundamental cell biology (embryogenesis, cell lineage, differentiation), genetics and genomics, fundamental cellular and clinical pathogenesis of disorders of importance to mothers and infants, biomedical engineering and imaging, and social and behavioral aspects. Each application should be accompanied by a Letter of Support from a Nominator

For more information visit the March of Dimes webpage.  

TranslationalEndeavorsTRANSLATIONAL ENDEAVORS
Pre-Application for Collaborative Innovation Award
Letter of Intent Deadline: February 8, 2016

Translating biomedical discoveries into clinical applications is essential to improving human health. It is also a complex process with high costs and substantial failure rates.  These failures can result in delays of years or decades before improved patient outcomes result from discoveries in biomedical research. The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs promote advances in translational research and training at participating medical research institutions.  The Collaborative Innovation Award, Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program will enable innovative collaborations among CTSA hubs to overcome system-wide barriers to translational effectiveness. 

For more information visit the NIH webpage.
Case-Coulter Translational Research Partnership (CCTRP)
Pre-Proposal Deadline: March 1, 2016

The Translational Research Partnership (TRP) between Case Western Reserve and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation fosters collaborations among clinicians and engineers on
 translational research projects with the potential to impact patient care. The program is led by Robert Kirsch, Ph.D, chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Stephen Fening, PhD, Coulter Program Director.

Funding for full projects can range from $50,000 to $200,000 per year. Smaller pilot grants are available as well. The funding goes towards preparing projects for commercialization, such as demonstrating technical feasibility, market feasibility and industry interest.

For more information visit the CCTRP webpage.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Application Deadline: March 2, 2016

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine is accepting applications for its 2015
 Research Grants, an annual program designed to facilitate the research endeavors of new investigators; provide bridge funds for projects that are of benefit to other members of the society; and foster the development of innovative research.

ASRM research grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded for project expenses, technical assistance, patient expenses, research supplies, and durable laboratory equipment. Innovative projects or projects that have previously been funded by other sources and are in need of bridge funding are appropriate. Proposals from junior faculty, particularly those in their first three years of faculty appointment, will receive priority.

For more information visit the ASRM webpage.
Department of Defense Medical Research and Development Program
Application Deadline: May 9, 2016

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's (USAMRMC) mission is to provide solutions to medical problems of importance to the American Service member at home and abroad, as well as to the general public at large. The scope of this effort and the priorities attached to specific projects are influenced by changes in military and civilian medical science and technology, operational requirements, military threat assessments, and national defense strategies.

For more information visit the DoD webpage.
Department of Defense Extramural Medical Research
Application Deadline: September 30, 2016

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's (USAMRMC) mission is to provide solutions to medical problems of importance to the American Service member at home and abroad, as well as to the general public at large. The scope of this effort and the priorities attached to specific projects are influenced by changes in military and civilian medical science and technology, operational requirements, military threat assessments, and national defense strategies. The extramural research and development programs play a vital role in the fulfillment of the objectives established by the USAMRMC.

For more information visit the DoD webpage.

Have you explored SciVal yet?

Check out SciVal Experts, a directory of researcher expertise that enables collaboration among researchers!
 
Also be sure to contact our Research Concierge Service for all CTSC and research-related queries.

Researchers: Register for an
ORCID ID
NIH has now adopted the ORCID ID, a free, open-source unique identifing number. Learn more about ORCID. It is also recommended that researchers link their ORCID ID to their CV in NIH's SciENcv, which creates a current, customizable biosketch on NIH grant form pages for any NIH grant. If you would like to learn more about how to register and link your ORCID number, please contact: Clara Pelfrey, Evaluation Director at clara.pelfrey@case.edu or (216) 368-6478.

Like us on Facebook    Follow us on Twitter    View our profile on LinkedIn