Research News - March 4, 2016

Please click here to read the March edition of the MGH Research Safety Bulletin.

Please click here to read the latest news from the NIH Office of Extramural Research.

Monday, March 7, 2016, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, Simches Auditorium (3.110), Broadcast to Isselbacher Auditorium (CNY-149, 7th Floor)

Isuggest Launch
Gary Smith, Sr. Administrative Director
MGH Research Management

Insight 4.0: A Preview of What’s to Come
Scott McNeal, Corporate Director
Partners Research Applications and Analytics

(Lunch available at 11:45 AM)

All MGH Researchers welcome!

Thursday, March 17, 10:00am - 11:00am, Simches Research Building, 2nd floor, Garrod/Mendel Conf. Room

Enterprise Research Infrastructure & Services (ERIS) is seeking feedback from the research community for technical, feature and laboratory workflow requirements. We have identified a few Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) vendors that meet the business and security requirements for Partners HealthCare workforce members focused on scientific laboratory research. Now, we invite you to participate in internal, roundtable discussions to evaluate the products presented during vendor demonstrations.

Prior to attending one of the sessions, researchers are encouraged to evaluate the products based on their laboratory workflow requirements. To view vendor demo recordings, a vendor comparison summary, FAQ, visit rc.partners.org/eln/demos (Partners login will be required). In these sessions, ERIS will continue to gather end-user requirements, use cases, and identify labs interested in piloting the selected service. To find a roundtable discussion at a different institution, please visit: https://rc.partners.org/eln.

Registration is required. Please contact Jillian Tonelli with questions.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

The ORCD's Research Fellow Poster Celebration will take place on May 25, 2016. The annual Poster Celebration highlights the excellent research being done by MGH postdoctoral fellows. The Call for Abstracts is now open! All MGH postdocs are invited to submit your research abstract now to present your research to the MGH community at this high-profile event. Abstracts/posters will be evaluated by a review committee, and the top presentations will receive awards and cash prizes.

Abstracts are due at 5:00 pm on Fri, Mar 18.

Please click here for instructions and abstract submission materials.

Letters of Intent are now being accepted by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for the American Diabetes Association Pathways to Stop Diabetes Award

What are they?
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) Pathways to Stop Diabetes supports innovative basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, behavioral, or health services research relevant to any diabetes type, diabetes-related disease state, or diabetes complication. The ADA seeks exceptional candidates from a broad range of disciplines, including medicine, biology, chemistry, computing, physics, mathematics and engineering.

MGH is eligible to nominate one candidate to apply to the ADA for this award.

When is the deadline?  
MGH Letters of Intent: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 – 3:00 PM

How do I learn more and apply?
Click here for more information and to apply for this award.

The Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) is accepting applications for the April 1st deadline for the Deliberative Interim Support Funding.  April is the 2nd of three standing deadlines for these awards in Fiscal Year 2016.  The next deadline will be August 1, 2016.  

What are they?
Deliberative Interim Support Funding
This is open to Principal Investigators during a lapse or delay in their research funding from the NIH or another Federal agency (e.g., the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense).  Investigators must have applied for independent, long-term support (R01, R21, U01 and P01).  The Deliberative Interim Support process is open to:

1. Investigators whose grants were not scored or whose scores were not translated into a percentile ranking.
2. Investigators whose grants received scores >20th percentile.
3. Investigators who have already received Formulaic Bridge Funding or Deliberative Interim Support on their A0 grant application and are now requesting support for their A1 or A0 resubmission.  Investigators in this category must apply through the Deliberative Interim Support process for their A1 and A0 resubmission regardless of the score they received on their resubmitted grant.

When is the deadline?
Friday, April 1, 2016 - 5:00 PM

How do I learn more and apply?
Deliberative Interim Support Funding - Click here

The Center for Skeletal Research (CFSR), based in the Endocrine Unit at MGH, and funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (NIAMS) is announcing a request for Pilot and Feasibility Research proposals. Two grants ($30,000/year) will be awarded this year, which may be renewable for an additional year for a maximum of two years funding in total.   Awardees will be expected to present progress to CFSR members biannually and provide a written annual report.

For more information, visit: https://csr.mgh.harvard.edu/pilot-and-feasibility-studies

Submission deadline is Wednesday April 1, 5pm EST.  Funding is anticipated to start on or before June 1, 2016.

The Center for the Human Immunology (CHI) is a multidisciplinary program funded by NIAID.  CHI promotes the research of both basic and clinical scientists in areas related to the persistence of hepatitis C virus infection. 

These include, but are not limited to:
Immune and Inflammatory Responses to Pathogens (including innate immune recognition and antigen presentation)
Viral Pathogenesis (including virus-host cell interactions, but related to the immune response)

GOALS:  Funds have been made available to support Pilot/Feasibility Study grants consistent with the overall goals of the Center.  The goals of the CHI Program are to support:
Young investigators (junior faculty or senior fellows*) working in areas that will improve our understanding of basic processes relevant to viral persistence. 
Established investigators initiating a new area of research in their laboratories relevant to mechanisms underlying viral persistence.

The objective of a Pilot/Feasibility Study grant is to enable an investigator to complete sufficient preliminary studies to enable successful application for more substantial funding from other sources.  Pilot/Feasibility Study grants are not intended to supplement ongoing or currently funded projects.  

FUNDING:  The CHI will be funding grants of up to $50,000 direct costs through this program.  Pilot/Feasibility Study awards are made for a one-year period; a second year may be considered on a competing basis. 

APPLICATIONS:  May be obtained by sending a request to Barbara Steele via telephone at 617-724-7554 or via email at bsteele@mgh.harvard.edu.  The deadline for receipt of applications is March 4, 2016.

* Fellow must be in the final year of training and must have a documented commitment to a faculty appointment by the sponsoring unit or department.

The Andrew L. Warshaw, M.D. Institute for Pancreatic Cancer Research invites applications for pilot grant funding from MGH investigators. Applications are welcome from new investigators, established investigators in the field of pancreatic cancer, as well as senior investigators who have not previously worked in this area. The Institute is particularly interested in research directed towards identifying specific causes of pancreatic cancer; early detection, understanding factors that promote tumor growth; novel imaging modalities; understanding mechanisms of resistance to existing chemotherapy and radiation, as well as exploring novel therapeutic approaches. Basic, translational, and clinical research projects will be considered.

Awards:  Up to three pilot grants will be funded for one year at $50,000 (direct costs) renewable for a second year upon demonstration of significant progress.

Application Guidelines: 

Principal Investigator’s NIH formatted biosketch (2-page maximum) including key references emphasizing the Principal Investigator’s publications.
Three-page proposal including:
Project title with contact information for the Principal Investigator.
Abstract (200 words).
Description of project, including background, aims and experimental approaches. Graphs, tables and references are not included in the 3-page maximum.
Brief budget allocation.

Important Dates:

Due date for proposals is March 18,2016.
Proposals will be reviewed by the executive committee of the Warshaw Institute.
Funding will begin on July 1, 2016.
      
Submission Instructions:

Please submit a single PDF (and address inquiries) to:
Daniel Salvati, Administrative Director for Research, Department of Surgery

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.

• ALR-CTI Challenge Grant Program, Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Cystinosis Research Foundation
• Kyle Bryant Translational Research Award, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)
• Bronya J. Keats Award for International Collaboration in Research on FA, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)
• Interdisciplinary Research Leaders, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
• Clinical Scholars, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
• ASF, Macquarie, Pedersen Family, KFOC Alport Syndrome Research Funding Program, Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFOC)
• Stem Cells in Lupus Grant, Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
• LIFELINE Grant Program, Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
• Environmental Triggers of Lupus Grant, Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
• Health Outcomes in Pediatric Lupus Grant, Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
• Career Development Award, Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
• Research Fellow Award Program, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Grant, Society of Family Planning Research Fund

Please click here for further details on these 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:

• 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

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

• Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHS CC) (P30)
• National Health Education Lupus Program (NHELP)
• Consortium for Food Allergy Research: Leadership Center (UM2)
• Consortium for Food Allergy Research: Clinical Research Units (UM1)

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.

MGH ECOR Formulaic Bridge Funding Support
Application Deadline: March 7, 2016; 7th day of each month

MGH Physician and/or Scientist Development Award 2016
Application Deadline: March 18, 2016

MGH ECOR Deliberative Interim Support Funding (ISF)
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016

The Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORC-H) Pilot Feasibility Project Grants in Nutrition, Obesity, or Related Research Fields
Application Deadline:  April 1, 2016

KL2 Catalyst Medical Research Investigator Training (CMeRIT) Award
Application Deadline: April 14, 2016

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

Clinical Research Spotlight Series: Research Subject Support and Education – March 16

SAVE THE DATE! SAC 2016 - April 6 & 7

Innovation at Partners HealthCare: Fall Newsletter

Information Systems News - Fall 2015

Partners Office for Interactions with Industry’s FY15 Annual Report

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