Research News - January 20, 2017

We are seeking Science Fair Judges for a school-wide science fair – no prior experience required!

MGH and the Timilty Middle School in Roxbury have had a rich history (27 years!) of making a difference in the lives of Boston/Roxbury students by enhancing academic performance through science education.  This year’s Science Fair will be held on Wednesday, February 1 from 8:30am to 11:30 am (the MGH Shuttle Service will provide round-trip transportation leaving MGH at 8:00 AM to the Timilty Middle School and back to MGH at 11:30 AM. Breakfast will be provided!  This event is a fun way for MGH professionals to engage with youth in the local community.

To volunteer as a Science Fair Judge please complete the registration form at: https://goo.gl/forms/fNuqbB3K2Ea05ROt2

Contact: Tracy Stanley at tstanley2@mgh.harvard.edu or 617-724-6424 with have any questions.

LabArchives is a web-based application designed for scientists to organize and share laboratory data within their study team, department, or external collaborators. Enhance your labs workflow and control your intellectual property while being able to access your lab notebooks from the bench, office or on the road. Enterprise Research Infrastructure & Services, ERIS, offers LabArchives at no cost to all researchers. Visit https://rc.partners.org/eln to get started.

Click here to read the latest news from the NIH Office for Extramural Research.

Monday, January 23, 4:00 - 5:00 pm, CNY 149, Isselbacher Auditorium, 7th Floor

“STAT Signaling in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Cancer”
David A. Frank, MD, PhD.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School

Shuttle bus leaves MGH Main Campus (Blossom St) every 15 minutes)

Tuesday, January 24, 4:00 - 5:00 pm, CNY 149, Rm 2.204

Heart Growth, Function, and Regeneration: Crossing the Line
Henry M. Sucov, Ph.D.
Professor, Broad CIRM Center and Dept. of
Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
University of Southern California 

Thursday, January 25, 12:00 PM, CNY 149, Isselbacher Auditorium, 7th Floor
Will be broadcasted to MGH Bulfinch 165

 “HLA-DM and HLA-DO: non-classical MHC proteins that regulate antigen presentation and T cell response”
Larry Stern,PhD, University of Massachusetts

Contact Person – Fiona Chen (617/726-1527)

Friday, January 27, 10:00 - 11:00 am, Charlestown Navy Yard, details provided upon registration

The Center for Faculty Development's Office for Research Career Development presents a seminar for HMS faculty and trainees.

In this RCR seminar, case studies of authorship disputes and resolutions will be used as a basis for discussions about successful collaborations, authorship determination, and dispute resolution.

Responsible Authorship Part II: Case Studies
Lawrence L. Wald, PhD, Professor of Radiology, Charles & Sara Fabrikant MGH Research Scholar

Please click here to register for Part II by Wed, Jan 25.

This seminar counts as one of the four required lectures in part III of Partners RCR training.
All are welcome, but space is limited and registration preference will be given to those with RCR training requirements. For more information on RCR training, click here.

**For a list of upcoming RCR sessions at MGH and other local sites, please click here.**

Thursday, February 9, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, Simches 3.110

Sponsored by the MGH Division of Clinical Research and the Human Research Committee

Elizabeth Hohmann, M.D., Chair and Physician Director, Partners Human Research Committee

This practical lecture addresses "Full Review Protocols" - those of more than minimal risk which must be considered at a convened meeting of the IRB. It provides practical advice for those preparing protocols for IRB review. What is the IRB; how does it work; what is the best way to interact with it? Understand common pitfalls and errors in submissions and how to avoid them. Find out exactly what the IRB needs to review your study, and how to best and most effectively present your scientific, ethical, and logistical information to the IRB.

This lecture is designed for new research fellows and professional staff, research nurses and study coordinators submitting materials to the IRB. 

Registration is required. Contact Tiereny Morrison-Rohlfs  with questions.

This program meets the requirements of the Board of Registration in Nursing, at 244 CMR 5.00, for 1.5 contact hours of nursing continuing education.

RCR Eligibility: Completion of this course will fulfill one lecture/discussion requirement.

Monday, March 13, 12:00 - 3:00 pm, Simches 3.110

This program is sponsored by the MGH Division of Clinical Research.

This course is intended for investigators and research staff at all levels interested in next-generation sequencing resources and applications. It will include an introductory lecture on next-generation sequencing technology and sample preparation, lectures on how to interpret the data and how the analysis is applied in Genomics. The goal is to provide attendees with fundamental knowledge of sequencing methodologies and how to apply them in studying genetic variation and human diseases.
Registration is required. Please contact Jillian Tonelli at jtonelli@partners.org with any questions.

Tuesday, March 14, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Simches, 3rd Floor

The 7th Annual Research Administrators Retreat will take place on Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 8am-4:30pm in the Simches 3 conference area.

Please stay tuned for more information about how to register for the retreat. We hope you will all be able to join us!

Mondays, March 27, April 3, April 10, April 25, 2:30 - 4:30pm, Simches Research Building, Garrod/Mendel Conference Room

This course is sponsored by the MGH Division of Clinical Research and the Mongan Institute Health Policy Center.

Course Director: Karen Donelan, ScD, EdM

Course Description 
This course is designed to prepare health professionals with an introduction to theory and practice in the design and conduct of surveys. Course topics will include all phases of the survey process: matching research design to data needs, understanding the role of qualitative research in survey development, probability and non-probability sampling methods, developing questions and questionnaires, choosing modes and methods of data collection, issues in analyzing and reporting survey data, and the effective presentation and reporting of survey findings to relevant audiences.

Session 1: March 27th
2:30 – 3:30pm - Lecture: Overview of Survey Design and Methods
3:30 – 4:30pm - Mini Conferences (sign-up required)

Session 2: April 3rd  
2:30 – 3:30pm: Lecture:Questions and Questionnaires
3:30 – 4:30pm: Mini Conferences (sign-up required)

Session 3: April 10th
2:30 – 3:30pm: Lecture:Data Collection Methods
3:30 – 4:30pm: Judging the quality of survey studies: Journal Club

Session 4: April 25th 
2:30 – 4:30pm: Lecture IRB: Rules and Regulations Regarding the Conduct of Survey Research

** Incomplete applications will not be considered **

Register here. Please contact Tiereny Morrison-Rohlfs with any questions.

Applications are now being accepted by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for the Fund for Medical Discovery (FMD) Clinical Fellowship Awards!

What are they?
MD fellows, PhD postdoctoral research fellows and Instructors within 5 years of the start of their fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital are encouraged to apply.
The award may be used only for salary and fringe benefits. The awards are not transferable to any other institution and will be effective on or about July 1, 2017. The awards are restricted to clinical research as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement

How much is each award?
The awards will include a stipend of $47,500 plus applicable fringe benefits and 15% indirect costs.

When is the deadline?
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - 5:00 PM

How do I learn more and apply?
Click here to read more and apply online!

For a guide to help make your application more competitive click here. 

Four Year Award for Investigators who are Underrepresented in Academic Medicine*
*Basic, Clinical, Translational, and Health Services investigators are all eligible

Applications for grants are invited by the MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), and the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR). 

What is the Award?
The MGH Physician/Scientist Development Award (PSDA) is designed for MD and/or PhD investigators at MGH who are considered underrepresented in academic medicine (URM). This Award is intended to provide transitional funding for support in the development of physicians and scientists underrepresented in academic medicine, and thereby increase opportunities for URM researchers to advance to senior positions in academic medicine at MGH.  The CDI will evaluate the need for this Award on a regular basis.

Am I URM (Underrepresented in Medicine)?
For the purposes of the PSDA, MGH follows the definition of underrepresented in medicine and biomedical research (URM) of the NIH and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  URM groups may include Latino/ Hispanic (including Brazilian), African-American/Black, American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaskan Natives, among others. Please note that Asians are not considered URM, UNLESS they are underrepresented relative to the population MGH serves, e.g., Cambodian or Laotian.

How much is the award?
A maximum of $120,000.00 will be awarded to be spent over a three or four-year period, with a maximum of $40,000.00 per year of funding in direct costs, plus 15% for indirect costs.

When is the deadline?
Thursday, March 2, 2017 – 5:00 PM

How do I learn more and apply?
Click here to read more and apply online              

The KL2/CMeRIT program offers advanced training through educational activities and mentored research for senior fellows and junior faculty in clinical and translational research. The award provides two years of salary support at 50-75 percent of the awardee’s institutional salary base within NIH guidelines. Please see the RFA for application instructions and detailed eligibility requirements.

Read the Spotlight to learn more about how the KL2 Catalyst Medical Researcher Investigator Training (CMeRIT) award helps investigators.

Information Sessions: The information sessions will give prospective applicants an overview of the program and answer questions. 

• February 15, 2:00-3:00pm, Ballard Room, Countway Library, Harvard Medical School 
• February 22, 12:00-1:00pm, Conference Room 3130, Richard B. Simches Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

Applications due March 30.

Please see the RFA for application instructions and detailed eligibility requirements.

We ask that all MGH Investigators interested in applying for any limited submission award submit a Letter of Intent (see detailed instructions below) to the MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) by the deadline indicated for each award to be considered to receive an institutional nomination.

Process
Submit a one- to two-page Letter of Intent (LOI) to the MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) via email to ecor@partners.org.  In addition to your LOI, please include an NIH Biosketch.

The letter of intent should include:

• Name of the Principal Investigator with appropriate contact information
• A descriptive title of the potential application
• Brief description of the project
• Brief description of why you specifically should be selected to receive institutional nomination for this award

If there is more than one MGH investigator interested in applying for each limited submission award, the LOIs will be used to assess candidates and a review and selection process will take place.

Current Limited Submission Funding Opportunities
Please click here for more information and for our internal deadlines.

• Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (U19)
• FY17 Partnerships to Achieve Health Equity – NEW!

If there is a limited submission funding opportunity you do not see listed above or you have any additional questions, please contact Erin McGivney at 617-643-6471.

Please note that any grant that brings in less than 15% in indirect costs (IDC) will need to be supplemented up to the 15% equivalent by existing investigator or departmental sundry funds. Resolution of this issue must occur prior to submission of the award.

Please contact Corporate & Foundation Relations in the Office of Development at devcfr@mgh.harvard.edu if you wish to submit a proposal in response to any of these funding opportunities.  Note that proposals are still routed through the standard InfoEd/Research Management process.

• Milton Safenowitz Post Doctoral Fellowship for ALS Research Awards, ALS Association (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association)
• Target Validation Pathfinder Grant, Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK) 
• Global Clinical Trials Fund, Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK)
• RFA:  Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and Their Families, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Mentored Research Grants:  Mentored Research Scholar Grant, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Mentored Research Grants:  Postdoctoral Fellowships, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Research Grants for Independent Investigators:  Institutional Research Grants, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Health Professional Training Grants:  Physician Training Awards in Cancer Prevention, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Research Grants for Independent Investigators:  Research Scholar Grants, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• RFA:  The Role of Health Policy and Health Insurance in Improving Access to and Performance of Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Services, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Young Investigator Awards, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN)
• Research Grants, Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF)
• Dementia Consortium, Dementia Consortium
• LGS Foundation Research Grant Program, LGS Foundation
• Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Award, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
• Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Awards, Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)
• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Grant, Society of Family Planning Research Fund
• Junior Investigator Grants, Society of Family Planning Research Fund
• Large Research Grants, Society of Family Planning Research Fund
• Midcareer Mentor Grants, Society of Family Planning Research Fund

Please click here for further details on these funding opportunities.

For the latest National Institutes of Health notices, requests for applications, and program announcements, follow this link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/WeeklyIndex.cfm

Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany Biopharma Innovation Cup 2017
Application Deadline: January 31, 2017

MGH ECOR Formulaic Bridge Funding Support
Application Deadline: February 7, 2017; 7th day of each month

Boston Biomedical Innovation Center (B-BIC) Accepting PILOT & DRIVE Grant Pre-Proposals

IRB Issues for the Bench and Desk Scientist – February 1

What Does the IRB Really Want? How to Write a Human Studies Protocol – February 9

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