Research News - September 23, 2016

2016 ECOR Annual Elections
for ECOR Representatives from the MGH Research Community

Nominations OPEN for 2 Openings
1 Assistant Professor
1 Associate Professor

Nominate Yourself or a Colleague!

The Nomination form can be found at: https://ecor.mgh.harvard.edu/elections/

For more information about ECOR and ECOR Representative responsibilities go to:
https://ecor.mgh.harvard.edu

Questions? ecor@mgh.harvard.edu

The 15% minimum IDC policy for research grants (see attached), was announced on September 6th. Concerns have been raised that an effective start date of October 1st may leave some departments, investigators or administrators without sufficient time to implement the policy. In order to accommodate these reasonable requests, the new effective date of the IDC minimum policy will be December 1st.

All applications received by research management on or after 12/1/16 or that have a submission deadline on or after 12/1/16 must comply with the new policy.

The policy announcement also generated other questions about the rationale for the policy, how low indirect grants impact the hospital, the actual amount of the annual loss, etc.  To help answer these questions and clarify the process by which the indirect rate is determined, please click here to view a FAQ document.

The MGH Youth Programs team is seeking volunteers to mentor Boston middle school students through their science fair projects. Mentors meet with students at MGH or the Charlestown Navy Yard on two Friday mornings each month, October through January. No particular expertise in mentoring or science fair projects needed! The MGH Youth Programs team provides ongoing mentor training and support. For more information, please contact Tracy Stanley at (617) 724-6424 or tstanley2@partners.org.

The Seahorse BioFlux Analyzer is a great tool to study the bioenergetics of all types of cells as well as isolated mitochondria in hypoxic and anoxic conditions. At the current time, there is not such an instrument at the CNY campus and users must transport samples for these sensitive assays off-site. We are gauging interest in the purchase of a Seahorse for the CNY campus.  Please click on the link below to take a brief survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GGXT2PR or contact Bhavana Priyadharshini at bpriyadharshini@mgh.harvard.edu for further information.

Partners is pleased to offer Dropbox Business as an approved storage and collaboration solution for business purposes. Your institution has agreed to pay through direct allocation based on usage. This Dropbox version provides unlimited storage, fully encrypted data and is compliant with Partners’ policies and procedures. If you have a Dropbox account linked to an institutional email address and it contains business information, you must prepare to convert it to Dropbox Business at Partners HealthCare. By Wednesday, September 28, verify that your Dropbox account uses your primary institutional email address. See instructions. 

On Tuesday, September 20th, 2016, Apple is releasing their next Operating System (OS) for Mac laptops & desktops, macOS Sierra. At this time, we recommend you do not upgrade your Mac as this upgrade may impact your ability to use enterprise services… click for more.

Thursday, November 3, 2016, 9:30 - 11:30am, Simches Research Center, Room 3.110
Streaming to CNY 149, Isselbacher Auditorium

SAVE THE DATE!
Dr. Michael Lauer, Deputy Director of Extramural Research at the NIH will be visiting MGH on Thursday, November 3, 2016 to speak exclusively to the MGH research community!  Dr. Lauer’s talk will focus on
“Evidence-Based Funding: Supporting Biomedical Research with Austere Budgets”, followed by an “Open Mike” session. 

Please plan to arrive early, as seating is limited.

Friday, October 7, 2016, 8:00 – 11:00 am, MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center, 151 Everett Avenue, Chelsea, MA (outside in the parking lot)

Please join the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center Community Research Day Celebration. This will be an opportunity to learn about research at the Health Center dedicated to improving community health.

Thursday, September 29, 12:00 - 2:00p.m., WebEx or Prudential Center

This month, Anne Klibanski, MD, Chief Academic Officer, Partners HealthCare, will update us on leveraging the scale of Partners HealthCare to advance clinical research, research, continuous learning and practice. Rich Copp, PHS Vice President of Communications and David King, PHS Director of Internal Communications, will present on Partners Pulse and how it can be a valuable resource for the research community. RSVP Online by 9/27 and note if you plan to attend remotely so that details are sent. Contact rcc@partners.org with questions about Tech Lunch.

Tuesday, September 27, 4:00 – 5:00 PM, CNY 149, Room 2.204                                              

Instructive cues for neural stem cells in the cerebrospinal fluid
Maria Lehtinen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Boston Children's Hospital

Applications are now being accepted by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for the MGH Research Scholars Program

What is it?
The Massachusetts General Hospital Research Scholars Program was established with the aim of supporting MGH research faculty who are pursuing either fundamental (basic) or clinical research at the level of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor.  The intent of these awards is to support the careers of outstanding MGH investigators doing cutting-edge research that is highly innovative and expected to result in fundamental scientific discoveries and/or clinical applications. This year, we are asking applicants to choose one of three categories based on the research proposed in the application: Clinical research, Fundamental research, or Population and health research.

How much is each award?
These awards are for $500,000 over 5 years; and will be funded at $100,000 per year, including 15% indirect costs.

When is the deadline?
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 – 5:00 PM

How do I learn more and apply?

• Click here to read more and apply online.
• Click here to see a list of past recipients.
• Visit the ECOR website for other funding opportunities.

Applications are now being accepted by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for the MGH Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards for Junior Faculty Women Investigators in Fundamental (Basic) & Clinical Research.

What are the Claflin Awards?
Although women scientists are recruited to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) programs, their advancement to senior faculty positions is still far less frequent than that of their male counterparts.  In 1993, The Women in Academic Medicine Committee, originally chaired by Mrs. R. Morton Claflin, Honorary Trustee, was established to facilitate the academic careers of women in science at MGH.  Recognizing that a significant obstacle to career advancement is the difficulty of maintaining research productivity during the child-rearing years, this Committee, with the sponsorship of the Executive Committee On Research (ECOR), established the Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards.  It is intended that this funding will increase opportunities for women to advance to senior positions in academic medicine.

How much is each award?
These are two year awards for $50,000 per year in direct costs, plus 15% for indirect costs.

When is the deadline?
Tuesday, October 12, 2016 - 5:00 PM

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

Each year several foundations invite HMS faculty and postdocs to apply for their fellowships and grants, which serve as critical funding at the early stages of a research career.  Interested investigators must first apply for the HMS nomination through the HMS Foundation Funds, and a committee will select the final candidates to submit applications to the foundations. 

Awards include:

• Brain Research Fund Fay/Frank Seed Grant Program
• Dana Foundation David Mahoney Neuroimaging Program
• Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award
• Macy Foundation Faculty Scholars Program
• Mary Kay Innovative/Translational Cancer Research Award
• Packard Fellowships in Science and Engineering
• Rita Allen Faculty Scholars Program

Faculty and postdocs interested in applying for any of the awards listed above can apply for the HMS nomination by submitting an application online no later than October 17, 2016 at 5:00PM.

Information on funding opportunities offered through the HMS Foundation Funds is available online at: www.hms.harvard.edu/foundationfunds

 Please direct all inquiries to Clare Lamont, Office of the HMS Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, 617-432-7463, clare_lamont@hms.harvard.edu.

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-PI’s 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 Thursday October 13, 2016
If proposal accepted, Applications due by Thursday November 17, 2016

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 November 17, 2016.  Funding will be effective April 1, 2017.

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

Foundation Fighting Blindness and Harrington Discovery Institute are currently accepting letters of intent for the 2017 Gund-Harrington Scholar Award. The Gund-Harrington Scholar Award supports innovative research efforts that could prevent, treat or cure blindness.

Applicants have the opportunity to receive:

• Funding totaling up to $900,000 over three years based on progress made towards milestones
• Committed drug development and project management support through the Harrington Discovery Institute’s Innovation Support Center team of pharmaceutical experts for the three-year term

Letters of Intent are being accepted through midnight EST on October 14, 2016.

Selected applicants will then be invited to submit a full application. Final applications will be due by midnight EST on January 13, 2017.

For more information and to apply, visit www.HarringtonDiscovery.org/Gund

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.

• BD2K Research Education Curriculum Development:  Data Science Overview for Biomedical Scientists (R25)
• Centers for HIV/AIDS-Related Structural Biology (P50)
• Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) (U24)
• Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (U19)

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 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.

• AFAR Research Grants for Junior Faculty, American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR)
• Biomedical Research Grant (RG), American Lung Association (ALA)
• Clinical Patient Care Research Grant (CG), American Lung Association (ALA)
• Dalsemer Research Grant (DA), American Lung Association (ALA)
• Senior Research Training Fellowship (RT), American Lung Association (ALA)
• Social-Behavioral Research Grant (SB), American Lung Association (ALA)
• The Treat FTD Fund (AFTD in partnership with ADDF), Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) 
• AFTD Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)
• Early Career Investigator Award, Bayer AG
• Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program (CLIP) Grants, Cancer Research Institute (CRI)
• Senior Research Awards, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Inc. (CCFA)
• Mahlon DeLong Young Investigator Award, Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF)
• Pediatric Research Grants, Gerber Foundation
• Prize in Developmental Biology, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
• Research Grant, Mend a Heart Foundation
• Transition to Independence Award (TIA), National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC)
• Pilot and Exploratory Project Support Grant, National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC)
• Junior Faculty Career Development Award, National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships for Clinical Neurologists (Postdoctoral Fellowship for Neurologists), Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF)
• SFARI Pilot Award, Simons Foundation/Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)
• SFARI Research Award, Simons Foundation/Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)
• Global Fellowship Program, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)

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

Howard M. Goodman Fellowship
Application Deadline: October 3, 2016

Tosteson & Fund for Medical Discovery (FMD) Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards
Application Deadline: October 3, 2016

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

The MGH Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards
Application Deadline: October 12, 2016

NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs)
Application Deadline: November 15, 20116

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

Social Market and Health Outcomes – October 5

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