Research News - August 11, 2017

The Insight Agreements module is undergoing a major overhaul to improve the total user experience.  This upgrade includes new pages and functions, improved navigation, new look and feel and the integration of the record creation and submission processes which are currently completed in InfoEd.  There are several demos planned throughout the summer so users can become familiar with the changes in Agreements.  Rollout is scheduled for December 2017.  For more information on the project or demo dates, please visit the Agreements 4.0 page. 

MGH has recently purchased licenses for the MGH research community for ChemOffice and PyMOL. ChemOffice Professional is an integrated suite of scientifically intelligent productivity tools that enables researchers to capture, store, retrieve and a share data and information on compounds, reactions, materials and their properties. PyMol is a molecular visualization system on an open source foundation, maintained and distributed by Schrödinger.  To use these resources, please follow the instructions provided below.

ChemOffice
The starting point for a ChemOffice download is http://sitesubscription.cambridgesoft.com/#M, which marks the head of a list of institutions with names beginning with M. Scroll down to the entry for Massachusetts General Hospital and click on the link. You must have an email address ending in mgh.harvard.edu to receive your activation code.

PyMOL
PyMOL may be downloaded from http://pymol.org/dsc. The invoice number is 23514, the username is 18jul16 and the password is tvcwoyc4.

The PeopleSoft upgrade to version 9.2 has been rescheduled! A better, more user-friendly PeopleSoft system will be available for your use on Monday, August 21 at 5 am.

As we announced previously, the upgrade will require a PeopleSoft downtime, starting on Thursday, August 17 at 3 pm and continuing through Monday morning, when the new system will be available.

The new version of PeopleSoft will look a bit “fresher.” Finding your paycheck, myBenefits, eBuy, Expenses and other favorite features will be easier than ever. Designed using a homepage and “tiles,” you will navigate the new PeopleSoft as you do apps on your phone or tablet. And, speaking of smart phones and tablets, many of PeopleSoft’s HR functions will be accessible on your mobile devices.

Get a sneak peek at the new tiles and home page by clicking here.
We will provide a reminder about the downtime next week and provide information about resources that will be available to you.

Thank you for your patience as we have worked to reschedule this upgrade. The new PeopleSoft will help us continue our commitment to better service for our employees. We are confident that all PeopleSoft users will appreciate the ease of use this new version will bring.

Wednesday, August 16, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Simches 3rd Floor, opposite lunchroom

J-1 and J-2 visa holders must always have a valid travel signature on their DS-2019 (not more than a one year old) when travelling internationally. A PIPS advisor will be at MGH to provide signatures:
Please bring the DS-2019s for all family members, as well as your MGH ID.

Signatures are also available by appointment at our Somerville office.  Please note that PIPS will be closed on September 4, 2017 (Labor Day). PIPS Advisors recommend avoiding afternoon appointments on the workday preceding each holiday, as Partners offices often close early on those days.  See the PIPS website calendar http://pips.partners.org/ for additional sessions.

Tuesday, September 5, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, Simches Auditorium 3.110 & Video-conferencing to CNY

AGENDA

• ECOR Grants and Awards:  Tips & Guidelines for Applicants                          
• Insight 4.0 Update - Research

Following each Research Council meeting, there will be a Researcher Resource Room in Simches 3.120, adjacent to the auditorium. Over 15 representatives will be on hand to distribute materials and answer your questions.

**Please note that the September Research Council will be held on a TUESDAY!**

All MGH Researchers welcome!

Tuesday, September 5, 10:30 AM, MGH Simches Building 3rd Floor

HMS Faculty and Postdocs are invited to attend and learn about HMS Foundation Funds opportunities.

Please join us for an informational meeting on Tuesday, September 5, 10:30 AM, MGH Simches Building 3rd Floor.

Please direct all inquiries to:
Clare Lamont, Program Coordinator
HMS Foundation Funds, Office of Academic and Clinical Affairs
617-432-7463, Clare_Lamont@hms.harvard.edu

Thursday, September 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Simches 3.120
Sponsored by the MGH Clinical Research Program and Partners Research Computing

Stacey Duey, Project Specialist, RPDR

This lecture will provide an overview of the Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) Query Tool. There is new functionality that includes match controls, patient analysis and mixed timing model. Match Controls allows investigators to assemble a list of patients that meet specific matched criteria in order to use them as a control set for their study. The Analyze Patients tab allows the user to further analyze and compare RPDR queries, patients and concepts. The new mixed timing model allows a user to select different timing options within the same query.

The RPDR is a centralized clinical data registry that gathers data from various hospital systems (MGH, BWH, NSMC, NWH, FH and SRH) and stores it in one place. The RPDR brings clinical information to researchers through the online Query Tool, which is used to query RPDR data for aggregate patient totals. With proper IRB approval, researchers can request more detailed medical record data on the user-defined group. For more information about the RPDR go to http://rpdr.com

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

Registration is required. Contact Cassidy Peters with questions.

Thursday, September 21, 12:30 – 1:30pm, Simches Room 3.120

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 and temporal query constraints

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 Cassidy Peters with any questions.

Wednesday, September 20, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Simches 3.120

Speakers: Elyse R. Park, Ph.D., MPH, Christina Psaros, PhD, Lara Traeger, PhD
Elyse Park is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School | MGH

Sponsored by the MGH Division of Clinical Research and the Mongan Institute of Health Policy

This one session course is designed to guide clinical researchers who are interested in developing a qualitative codebook and coding qualitative data. In addition to providing an overview of the codebook development process, a discussion of how to import the codebook and code data using a software package will also be provided. This course will focus on the use of NVIIVO. 

Registration is required. Please contact Tiereny Morrison-Rohlfs @ tmorrison-rohlfs@partners.org with questions.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, September - October 2017, 5:00pm – 6:30pm, Potts Conference Room

Sponsored by the MGH Division of Clinical Research, the Division of Infectious Diseases, and the Department of Psychiatry

Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials is an intensive thirteen-session course offered from early-September through late October. Physicians with a serious interest in clinical trials will be introduced to theoretical and practical issues facing clinical researchers.  Course participants will learn how to envision, plan, develop and execute effective clinical trials. Study content includes research designs, protocols, ethical patient recruitment, informed consent, regulations, and clinical trial management.

The course is ideally suited for clinical fellows starting their research years, junior faculty pursuing careers in clinical research, and physicians with an interest in becoming more actively involved in clinical research.  All participants are expected to use the course curriculum to develop and present a trial design at the final session of the course. 

Enrollment is limited to facilitate interaction and individual attention. To ensure placement in the course, early application is recommended. All applications will be reviewed in mid-August.

To submit an application and/or view a course schedule, please go to: Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials. Contact Cassidy Peters with any questions.

October 17-20, 2017

Applications due September 11th

This four-day survey course offers an introduction to the skills necessary to embark on a career in translational research, with a focus on the principles of translational medicine as they apply to the development of a new drug (small molecules and/or biologics), device, or diagnostics.

Please click here to learn more: http://catalyst.harvard.edu/services/ittm/

Please email for more information.

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 healthcare 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?
Thursday, October 12, 2017 – 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.

The MGH Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards
for Female Junior Faculty Investigators in Fundamental &
Clinical Research

Applications are now being accepted by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) for the
Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards!

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?
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 - 5:00 PM

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

(This award is designed for Canadian Citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens of Canada.)

What is it?
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country's economic, social and research-based growth. The award is designed for Canadian Citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens of Canada.

The objective of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship program is to:

• attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral talent, both nationally and internationally
• develop their leadership potential
• position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow 

There is no set cap on the number of applicants MGH can endorse, however there is a significant amount of institutional involvement required for this application process.  The internal application will be used to confirm the applicant's eligibility and to assist the applicant with obtaining the required institutional letter of endorsement. 

How much is each award?
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship is a stipend of $70,000 (taxable) per year for 2 years and does not support indirect costs (IDC).  There are no additional funds provided for travel/research.  This Fellowship is not subject to the MGH 15% IDC requirement.

When is the deadline?
MGH Internal Application Deadline: Monday, August 21, 2017
Sponsor Application Deadline: September 20, 2017

How do I learn more and apply?

• Click here to read more and apply online.
• To review the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship application guidelines and process, please click here.

Call for Proposals: Innovation Discovery Grants 2018
Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cognitive Computation, and Machine Learning

The Innovation Discovery Grants (IDG) program aims to enhance the commercial outcomes of the Partners HealthCare community and increase its innovative potential. It is designed to stimulate new inventive concepts, identify areas of commercially significant scientific strength and accelerate commercialization of PHS intellectual assets.

In 2018, the IDG program will fund ten projects – each up to $50,000 total cost (inclusive of 15% indirect costs) - focused on the advancement of opportunities in artificial intelligence, data science, cognitive computation, and machine learning. Project plans must demonstrate tangible outcomes towards commercialization opportunities that improve patient health or healthcare delivery.

Proposals will be evaluated in terms of the following criteria:

• Patient or healthcare impact
• Probability of meeting articulated milestones within the award period and budget
• Likelihood that achievement of target endpoints would lead to a licensing opportunity and/or creation of a spinoff company or an industry partnership
• Potential for attracting follow-on development investment

This PHS-wide initiative is managed by Partners Innovation and is open to any full-time employee at PHS or an institution within the Partners HealthCare System, or faculty member with a primary appointment at an institution within the Partners HealthCare System. Pre-proposals are due no later than September 25, 2017. Detailed program guidelines and instructions for submissions can be found at idg.partners.org.

If you have any questions about IDG policies or procedures contact Olga Kuperman, at idg@partners.org or Lesley Watts, at lwatts@partners.org.

Questions related to the business opportunity should be directed to your Innovation Licensing Manager or Market Sector Leader at 857-307-2440.

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.

• NIAMS Rheumatic Diseases Research Resource-based Centers (P30)
• Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (P30)
• George M. O'Brien Kidney Research Core Centers (P30)
• Population Dynamics Centers Research Infrastructure Program FY 2018 (P2C)

If there is a limited submission funding opportunity you do not see listed below or you have any additional questions, please let us know at ecor@mgh.harvard.edu.

Please note that any grant that brings in less than 15% in indirect costs (IDC) will need to be supplemented up to the 15% equivalent by existing investigator or departmental sundry funds. Resolution of this issue must occur prior to submission of the award.

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.

Week of 8/11/17

• Career Development Award, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
• Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Parkinson's Disease - Funded by Lundbeck, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
• Clinical Research Training Scholarship (Fellowship), American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
• Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Dementia with Lewy Bodies, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Headache, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Neuromuscular Disease, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• Clinician-Scientist Development Award in Interventional Neurology, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• Lawrence M. Brass, MD, Stroke Research Award (Fellowship), American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age Related Memory Loss, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
• Neuroscience Research Training Scholarship (Fellowship), American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
• Susan S. Spencer Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Epilepsy, American Academy of Neurology (AAN)/American Brain Foundation (ABF)
• Health Professional Training Grants - Cancer Control Career Development Awards for Primary Care Physicians (CCCDA), American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Mentored Research Scholar Grant, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and Their Families, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Research Professor and Clinical Research Professor Grants, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Research Scholar Grants, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• The Role of Health Policy and Health Insurance in Improving Access to and Performance of Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Services, American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Daland Fellowships in Clinical Investigation, American Philosophical Society (APS)
• Milstein Research Scholar Awards for Melanoma/Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer, American Skin Association (ASA)
• Career Development Award (CDA), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/Conquer Cancer Foundation
• Global Oncology Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/Conquer Cancer Foundation
• Young Investigator Award (YIA), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/Conquer Cancer Foundation
• Research Grant Program, Barth Syndrome Foundation, Inc. (BSF)
• Request for Proposals for Basic Research, Families of SMA (FSMA) (Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy)
• Gund-Harrington Scholar Award (Program), Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB)
• Target Advancement Program (Edmond J. Safra Core Programs for PD Research), Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF)
• Therapeutic Pipeline Program, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) 
• Biomedical Research Project Grants, Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) (MND Association)
• Accelerator Award, Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF/NET Research Foundation)
• Petersen Investigator Award, Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF/NET Research Foundation)
• Pilot Awards, Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF/NET Research Foundation)
• Evidence for Action:  Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
• TSF Nina Starr Braunwald Research Award, Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF)
• TSFRE Nina Starr Braunwald Research Fellowship, Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF)

MGH ECOR Formulaic Bridge Funding Support
Application Deadline: September 7, 2017; 7th day of each month

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

Responsible Conduct of ‘Omics’ Research - September 11

IRB Roundtable: New Submissions - September 14

MGH Clinical Research Day - October 5

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