December 12, 2014

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. New Biographical Sketch Format Required for NIH and AHRQ Grant Applications Submitted for Due Dates on or after January 25th, 2015

The revised forms and instructions are now available on the SF 424 (R&R) Forms and Applications page. The new format extends the page limit from four to five pages, and allows researchers to describe up to five of their most significant contributions to science, along with the historical background that framed their research. Investigators can outline the central findings of prior work and the influence of those findings on the investigator's field. Investigators involved in Team Science are provided the opportunity to describe their specific role(s) in the work. Each description can be accompanied by a listing of up to four relevant peer-reviewed publications or other non-publication research products, including audio or video products; patents; data and research materials; databases; educational aids or curricula; instruments or equipment; models; protocols; and software or netware that are relevant to the described contribution. In addition to the descriptions of specific contributions and documentation, researchers will be allowed to include a link to a full list of their published work as found in a publicly available digital database such as MyBibliography or SciENcv .

Tool to Help Build the New Biosketch
The Science Experts Network (SciENcv), which serves as an interagency system designed to create biosketches for multiple federal agencies, will be updated and available within a few weeks to support the new biosketch format. SciENcv pulls information from available resources making it easy to develop a repository of information that can be readily updated and modified to prepare future biosketches. A YouTube video provides instructions for using SciENcv.

For additional information, please click here.

2. 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.

For more information about the Neuroscience Microscope Core please click here.

3. PCORI December Newsletter: Board Approves Hepatitis C Funding Opportunity; PCORI and NIH Partner on Hypertension Announcement

Please click here to read the latest news from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

EVENTS

1. Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) 2015 Poster Session

Wednesday, April 1, 2015, 110:00 am - 1:45 pm, SERI, Simches, 2nd Floor

ECOR is now accepting abstracts for the 2015 SAC Poster Session! 

Deadline for Submission: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 - 5:00 PM

The SAC Poster Session gives researchers the opportunity to create a compelling visual display of their work, and present it to some of the best scientific minds in the nation. It is an essential part of the two-day meeting, which highlights excellence in research at MGH. Presenters must be a MGH employee.

NEW for 2015!
This year, we will be featuring a limited number of electronic poster boards (ePosterBoards). We are looking for dynamic, visually interesting presentations for these ePosterBoards.

LOCATION, DATE & TIME
Schepens Eye Research Institute
185 Cambridge St.
Simches Building, Second Floor
Wednesday, April 1, 2015, 11:00am - 1:45pm

PRIZES
Twelve $1,000 Awards of Excellence for Scientific Meeting Travel

HOW TO SUBMIT
Please click here for more information and to submit a poster abstract!

Please note: Space is limited! Submissions will be closed before the deadline if we reach capacity.

QUESTIONS
If you have problems or questions, please email sac@partners.org.

2. MGH Core Day

Monday, December 22, 2014, 1:00-3:00 PM, Simches 3 Conference Area

Please join the MGH Research Community on December 22, 2014 starting at 1pm in the Simches 3 conference area to learn more about the Cores at MGH!

Light refreshments will be available as well as a raffle!

3. Clinical Trial Billing (Part 1): Basic Overview 

Monday, January 5, 2015, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, Simches 3.120

Sponsored by the MGH Clinical Research Program and the MGH Office of Research Compliance

Pamela Richtmyer, MGH Research Compliance

This presentation will provide a basic overview of clinical research billing. Attendees will gain a general understanding of the clinical research billing process including:

• Developing a study budget that will cover all costs
• Determining what is billable to insurance
• Routing charges appropriately
• Maintaining financial health of study
• Understanding relevant regulations and requirements
• Available resources

The Clinical Trial Billing Education Series is provided by MGH Research Compliance for the MGH Clinical Research Program.

This course is geared towards investigators, research nurses, study coordinators and all other study staff. 

This program meets the requirements of the Board of Registration in Nursing, at 244 CMR 5.00, for 1 contact hour of nursing continuing education.

Registration is required. Contact Kelsey Gay with further questions about this session.

4. Clinical Trial Billing (Part 2): Tracking Charges and Patient Care Corrections

Monday, January 12, 2015, 2:00 - 3:30pm, Simches 3.110

Sponsored by the MGH Clinical Research Program and the MGH Office of Research Compliance

Pamela Richtmyer, MGH Research Compliance

The second course in the Clinical Trial Billing Education Series will cover the following topics:

• Tracking patient care charges and use of a Patient Care Log
• Insight Patient Care Details
• Use of Study Milestone Tracker and invoice submission
• Insight Patient Care Corrections

This course is geared towards investigators, research nurses, study coordinators and all other study staff. 

This program meets the requirements of the Board of Registration in Nursing, at 244 CMR 5.00, for 1 contact hour of nursing continuing education.

Registration is required. Contact Kelsey Gay with further questions about this session.

5. Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Study Subjects

Thursday, January 22, 2015, 3:00 - 4:00pm, Simches Room 3.120

Speaker: Barbara Steiner, EdM, Senior Clinical Research Coordinator, Diabetes Research Center, MGH

In this session, we will identify strategies to recruit and retain subjects from the practical standpoint of a study coordinator working on a clinical trial. We will present the advantages and disadvantages of various methods and discuss outreach skills that support recruitment and retention.

Registration is required. Please contact Jillian Tonelli with questions.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

1. Boston Area Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center Pilot and Feasibility Research Grants

The Boston Area Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center is now accepting Pilot and Feasibility Research Grant Award Applications for studies of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

The Boston Area Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases (NIDDK) to support research in Diabetes and its complications. Research grants up to $30,000 will be awarded for meritorious proposals from candidates whose eligibility is defined by one or more of the following three criteria:

1. Junior faculty without past or current NIH support to conduct Diabetes research. (Not eligible if you have any support that is mandatory 100% effort where you cannot accept any federal funding.)
2. Established non-Diabetes researchers who have an innovative idea relevant to Diabetes.
3. Established Diabetes investigators who have an innovative idea/approach relevant to Diabetes that represents a distinct departure from their established line of investigation.
4. Co-PIs are not allowed, and if you are not accepting salary and or less than 5%, please mention if there is cost sharing.

It is anticipated that up to four meritorious applications will be funded.

Letters of Intent, Biosketch, Other support and Abstract due December 15, 2014
If proposal accepted, Applications due by January 12, 2014

If you qualify based on one of the three criteria listed above, please email a letter of intent in MS Word that includes your name, degree, title and email address and a brief description of your research. In addition to the LOI email, please include an abstract with the title of your project (NIH form page) of your research, a biosketch and OS page. If your proposed research is deemed compatible with the goals of the BADERC, instructions for the preparation of a five-page application for a Pilot and Feasibility Research Grant Award will be forwarded to you. The deadline for the Grant application will be January 12, 2015. Funding will be effective April 1, 2015.

Please send Letters of Intent and abstract page with the title of your project in word via (email) to
Prendable@molbio.mgh.harvard.edu

Joel Habener, M.D.
Director, Pilot & Feasibility Award Program
Endocrinology Research Center
Email: jhabener@partners.org
cc: mmunro@partners.org

2. 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.

• "Shark Tank" Competition for Innovative Epilepsy Products, Epilepsy Foundation
• Distinguished Scientist Awards, Sontag Foundation

Please click here for further details on these funding opportunities.

3. NIH Update for Week Ending December 12, 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

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

MLSC Cooperative Research Matching Grant Program
Application Deadline: February 13, 2015 

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

Research Nurse Book Club - January 27, 2015

Save the Date! SAC 2015 - April 1 & 2, 2015

2015 World Medical Innovation Forum - Neurosciences - April 27-29, 2015

Executive Committee On Research (ECOR) Massachusetts General Hospital

50 Staniford Street, Suite 1001, Boston, MA 02114

ecor@mgh.harvard.edu