Research News - May 2, 2014

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Core of the Week: Neuroscience Microscope Core

Neuroscience Microscope Core
Director: Cristopher Bragg
Locations: Building 149 13th Street, Room 6028, Charlestown

The Neuroscience Microscope Core offers laser confocal microscopy services. This Core consists of a Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal laser confocal microscope. The Zeiss RGB vario laser module consists of argon laser (458/488/514 nm) and two helium-neon lasers (543 and 633 nm). A Zeiss Axiovert 200 fully motorized light microscope is available with fluorescence, bright-field, phase-contrast and Nomarski (DIC) capabilities. Image acquisition and analyses are performed using Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal Confocal Microscopy Software (Release 3.2) on 2 workstations. Zeiss Physiology software is available also. Live cell imaging is available using a Zeiss temperature controller with custom chamber and heating stage.

To learn more about the Neuroscience Microscope Core, please click here.
 

EVENTS

1. Clinical Research Data Management: Productivity Tools

Wednesday, May 28, 2014, Simches Room 3.110, 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Increasingly complex designs, emerging information technologies, and engagement of study participants via the web have pushed the limits of traditional clinical research data management techniques. As a result, it is important for investigators to stay informed and leverage productivity enhancing electronic data capture (EDC) tools. Enterprise Research Infrastructure & Services (ERIS) provides a range of EDC tools for clinical research (e.g., clinical trials, observation designs, patient registries, surveys, etc.). Two such tools will be presented: REDCap and StudyTRAX.

This presentation is intended for clinical researchers looking to learn about overcoming common data management-related challenges and tools designed to help facilitate the data collection and analysis process. Attendees will also learn about and compare functionality between two example tools: REDCap and StudyTRAX.

Objectives:
Upon conclusion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Identify common data management needs, pain points and opportunities to improve the process
- Describe the data management tools and services offered through Research IS
- Describe the main features of two electronic data capture (EDC) tools: REDCap and StudyTRAX

Registration is required. Please contact Jillian Tonelli with questions.
 

2. QI Roundtable: Part II: Protocol Adherence and Reporting Requirements

Thursday, May 15 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Garrod/Mendel Conference Room

Speaker: Emily Ouellette, JD, QA/QI Specialist, Partners Human Research Quality Improvement Program

You are working on an exciting new study. Are you taking the proper steps to ensure adherence to the IRB approved protocol throughout the study? Even with the most seasoned clinical research team, protocol deviations occur from time to time. If a deviation occurs, do you know your reporting responsibilities? This lecture will be useful for both new and experienced research staff. Registration is required. Please contact Kelsey Gay with any questions.
 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

1. Grand Challenges Explorations

Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to encourage innovative and unconventional global health and development solutions, is now accepting grant proposals for its latest application round. Applicants can be at any experience level; in any discipline; and from any organization, including colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies.

Two-page proposals are being accepted online until May 6, 2014 on the following topics:

• New Ways of Working Together: Integrating Community-Based Interventions
• Explore New Ways to Measure Fetal and Infant Brain Development
• Innovations in Feedback & Accountability Systems for Agricultural Development
• Inciting Healthy Behaviors: nudge, leapfrog, disrupt, reach
• Novel Enabling Tools and Models Supporting the Development of Interventions for Severe Diarrhea and Enteric Dysfunction

Initial grants will be US $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of up to US $1 million. Full descriptions of the new topics and application instructions are available at: www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.

2. Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

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

In the event that there is more than one MGH investigators interested in applying 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.

• Cystic Fibrosis Research and Translation Core Center (P30)
• American Diabetes Association Pathway to Stop Diabetes Research Awards
• William T. Grant Scholars
• Atopic Dermatitis Research Network (ADRN) (U19)
• Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources (G20)

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.
 

3. Private Funding Opportunities

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.

• Mathilde Krim Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
• Advanced Researcher Grants, Osteology Foundation
• Research Support Grants, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation (OMSF)
• AGA-Aptalis Research Award, American Gastroenterological Association
• Research Grants, Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation
• AFTD Pilot Grant, Association for Frontal Temporal Degeneration

Please click here for further details on these funding opportunities.
 

4. NIH Update for Week Ending May 2, 2014

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

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Reminders of recently posted funding opportunities, deadlines and events

The Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award
Letter of Intent Deadline: May 2

MGH ECOR Formulaic Bridge Funding
Application Deadline: May 7; 7th day of each month

MGH-MIT RFA Announcement: "Transforming Diagnosis"
Letter of Intent Deadline: May 15

Massachusetts Neuroscience Consortium
Pre-Proposal application Deadline: May 15

Basser Global Prize
Application Deadline: May 15

Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard Pilot Feasibility Project Applications in Nutrition, Obesity or Related Research Fields
Application Deadline: May 15

Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences Awards
Application Deadline: May 19

The Smith Family Awards for Excellence in Biomedical Research
Application Deadline: May 19

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

Next Gen Sequencing: An Introduction and Clinical Applications - May 13

MGH Seminar Series in Cell Biology - May 13

CRP Spotlight Series: Society of Clinical Research Associates (SoCRA) - May 14

New Research Subject Advocacy Materials for Research Nurses and Research Coordinators - May 28

MGH Research Core Day - June 12

Executive Committee On Research (ECOR) Massachusetts General Hospital

50 Staniford Street, Suite 1001, Boston, MA 02114

ecor@partners.org