Research News - November 11, 2016

On November 3, Dr. Michael Lauer presented Evidence-Based Funding: Supporting Biomedical Research with Austere Budgets and held an “Open Mike” session with the MGH research community.

Please click here to watch the recorded seminar. Slides are also available: Part 1 & Part 2

The following communications have been posted to Research Navigator by research management over the past week.

• Rigor and Reproducibility? What does that mean?
• FY16 Research Management Annual Financial Report 
• Navigator's Top Departmental Users - Year to Date

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

Tuesday, November 15, 2016, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, Location provided upon registration

The Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Women’s Careers presents a seminar for MGH faculty with HMS academic appointments.

The OWC’s “Meet and Greet” networking series provides an opportunity for faculty to hear from a senior MGH faculty member about her career path, and is also a great way to meet colleagues in a relaxed setting. Connie Cepko, PhD, will join us as the guest speaker at this event. Join us to meet Dr. Cepko, hear about her career path and network with your MGH colleagues.

“Meet and Greet” Faculty Networking Reception with Dr. Connie Cepko
Speaker: Constance Cepko, PhD, Bullard Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience,
Professor of Ophthalmology, HMS, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator

Please click here to register by Fri, Nov 11.

Thursday, December 15, 2016, 2:30 – 4:00pm, Simches 3.120

Speakers: Karen K. Miller, MD and Andrew Nierenberg, MD

NIH mentored K awards are Career Development Awards that support mentored research and research training for up to 5 years. If you are thinking about applying for a K award, please join us for this general information session on the awards and application process.

Karen K. Miller, MD and Andrew Nierenberg, MD, will discuss topics such as:

• Which K is right for you?
• How important is mentoring? How do you choose a good mentor?
• What are the components of the grant application?
• When should you apply?
• What resources are available to help your write the proposal?

This will be an informal session with time for questions. Light refreshments will be served.

Please note: A formal, multi-session course on preparing a proposal for an NIH Career Development “K” Award will be offered in February 2017. The application process will begin in December 2016. The formal course is specifically for those who have started to work on a K award application and are planning to submit a proposal within the next year.

Registration is required. Please contact Jillian Tonelli with any questions.

Monday, December 19, 2016, 12:30 – 2:00pm, Simches 3.110

The Partners HealthCare Biobank is a large research data and sample repository. It provides researchers access to over 30,000 high-quality, consented samples to help foster research, advance our understanding of the causes of common diseases, and advance the practice of medicine. The Partners Biobank Portal at http://biobankportal.partners.org/ is a web-based tool that allows researchers to access and query clinical and genomic data about consented Biobank subjects as well as make Biobank sample requests for plasma, serum and DNA.

The first hour of the course will provide an introduction to the use of the Biobank Portal and aims to help participants achieve the following:

• Understand the types of data stored in the Biobank Portal
• Navigate through the main functions of the tool
• Create a query and make a request for clinical samples
• Understand concepts of Healthy Controls, Curated Disease populations, Genomic data

The last half hour of the course will be optional for any participants who would like additional time to see live demonstrations and work with a Portal expert directly regarding their queries and questions.
This course is geared toward investigators and staff at all levels interested in using the Biobank Portal for their research.  It is recommended that participants register to use the Biobank Portal at http://biobankportal.partners.org/ prior to the course.

Registration is required. Please contact Joseph Connolly with any questions.

The Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) is accepting applications for the December 1st deadline for the Deliberative Interim Support Funding.  December is the 1st of three standing deadlines for these awards in Fiscal Year 2017.  The next deadline will be April 1, 2017.  

What are they?
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?
Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 5:00 PM

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

Harvard Medical School (including its affiliated health care institutions) has been invited to nominate up to two candidates for the 2017 Mallinckrodt Scholar Program.  This program, established by the Trustees of the Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation provides support for early stage investigators engaged in biomedical research that has the potential to significantly advance the understanding, diagnosis, or treatment of disease. The Scholar Award provides $100,000 annually for four years.

Eligible candidates must:

• Hold M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees.
• Be within five to eight years of their appointment to Assistant Professor January 15, 2017 (Associate professors may be eligible).
• Have support to move their project forward to the point where other independent funding can be obtained. 

More information on the Mallinckrodt Scholar Program can be found at:
https://hms.harvard.edu/departments/office-academic-and-clinical-affairs/hms-foundation-funds/award-listing

To apply, a PDF that includes the following materials should be sent to Clare Lamont, Office of the HMS Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, 617-432-7463, clare_lamont@hms.harvard.edu

Required materials – Please send as a single PDF:

• Proposal (up to five pages).  A detailed description of the project for the scientific members of the Board.  The five-page limit includes data and figures, etc.  References are not included in the five-page limit.
• Project summary for the layperson (up to two pages).   Critical for non-scientist members of the Board.
• Letter of recommendation.   Written by a senior faculty member or members who can represent the support of the institution and who are acquainted with the qualifications of the applicant and the potential impact of their work.
• NIH Biosketch. (up to five pages).
• Support.  Provide an adequate budget with a breakdown showing how the funds will be used.  It is important to justify how the funds to be received will be used to advance the proposed project in a way that cannot be done with existing funds.  In addition, the proposal must detail the levels of support of any grants already available or pending.  Candidates may have an R01, however, the proposed project will be less competitive if it already has significant funding.  Salary is allowed. 

Applications are due November 21, 2016 by 5:00PM

Deadline: Tuesday, December 20th, 5pm EST

The Center for Skeletal Research (CSR), 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. ONE clinical grant ($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.

Eligibility is based on the criteria listed below:

1. Junior faculty proposing highly focused Skeletal Biology research projects with the goal of generating preliminary data sufficient to support an application for independent NIH research support. Applicants in this group must meet the NIH Early Investigator Criteria (New Investigators who have had less than 10 years of research or research training experience after the completion of their terminal research degree or medical residency, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm).  Awardees of K grants in their last 2 years of K funding may apply with committed effort but cannot receive salary from the P&F.
2. Established researchers from outside the bone field proposing innovative studies relevant to Skeletal Biology.
3. Established Skeletal Biology investigators proposing studies relevant to Skeletal Biology that represents a clear departure from their established line of investigation. Investigators must invest at least 1 calendar month of effort.  If salary requests do not reflect this effort, cost-sharing plans must be indicated. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents must have active visas permitting them to remain in the U.S. for the full period of the proposed research Funding is anticipated to start on June 1, 2017.

For submission details, go to https://csr.mgh.harvard.edu/pilot-and-feasibility-studies

Applications are now open for the PMI Challenge for the Underserved. Define solutions using tools and tech and win $25k in cash prizes. Pre-proposal deadline November 21st.

A call for all innovators inspired to build digital health tools that connect underserved populations to the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI). Partners, rules, application and more at PMIChallenge.org

This challenge is made possible through the collaboration of stakeholders from the public and private sector, including NHIT Collaborative, Partners Healthcare, TracFone, HIMSS and The National Human Genome Center at Howard University.  Prizes totaling $25,000 will be funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  The Consortium for the Improvement of Medicine through Innovation and Technology (CIMIT) at Massachusetts General Hospital is providing the Challenge application management infrastructure.

For more information, visit the PMIChallenge.org website for the application details.

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 November 17, 2016
If proposal accepted, Applications due by Thursday December 19, 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 December 19, 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
cc: MMUNRO@PARTNERS.ORG                                        

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.

• Centers for HIV/AIDS-Related Structural Biology (P50)
• Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) (U24)
• NINDS Institutional Center Core Grants to Support Neuroscience Research (P30)
• T Cell Reagent Research for the Study of Allergic Diseases (U19)
• 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.

• ADD/NIH Opportunities to Accelerate Funding for Drug Discovery and Development for Alzheimer's Disease, Cognitive Aging and Related Disorders, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)
• ABSM Junior Faculty Research Award, American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)/American Sleep Medicine Foundation (ASMF)
• AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• AACR-Aflac Inc. Career Development Award for Pediatric Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• AACR-AstraZeneca Fellowship in Ovarian Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• AACR-Janssen Fellowship in Cancer Interception Research, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards for Translational Breast Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• Stand Up To Cancer Colorectal Cancer Dream Team Translational Research Grant, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP), Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF)
• Clinical Neuroscience Research Grant Program, Dana Foundation
• Cancer Research Grants, Elsa U. Pardee Foundation
• New Investigator Fellowship Training Initiative (NIFTI-HSR) - Health Services Research, Foundation for Physical Therapy (FPT)
• Keith Michael Andrus Memorial Award, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)
• IASLC Lung Cancer Fellowship and Young Investigators Awards, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)
• I.M. Rosenzweig Junior Investigator Awards, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF)
• Albert Rose Established Investigator Awards, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF)
• SFARI Explorer Awards, Simons Foundation/Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)

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

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

NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs)
Application Deadline: November 15, 2016

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

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

How to Communicate Science and Influence People – November 17

IRB Roundtable: Consent Form Writing – December 1

QI Roundtable: Informed Consent Process – December 15

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