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| 2026 UC Irvine School of Medicine Research Awards |
| The School of Medicine Office of Research is pleased to announce our 2026 call for nominations for our sixth annual research awards to recognize research excellence and outstanding academic achievement in the School of Medicine. Each awardee will receive a monetary award and an individual plaque of recognition, and their names will be added to an enduring plaque on display in Irvine Hall.
Submit your nominations to Emily Dawidoff, edawidof@hs.uci.edu.
For more information, please refer to the call for nominations or the website.
Nominations Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026
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| 2026 UC Irvine School of Medicine Faculty Mentoring Awards |
| The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the 2026 call for nominations for our sixth annual faculty mentoring awards to recognize excellence and innovation in mentoring at UC Irvine School of Medicine — specifically in the domain of faculty mentoring other faculty (not students). Each awardee will receive $1,500 and a plaque. Winners’ names will be added to enduring plaques displayed in Irvine Hall.
Department chair and/or mentee nominations for each award category are due by March 23, to Senior Associate Dean Brian Cummings, cummings@hs.uci.edu, and Katherine Perez, katheap4@hs.uci.edu.
For more information, please refer to the call for nominations or the website.
Nominations Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026
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| The 2026 Faculty Research Retreat was a Success! |
| Please Respond to the Post-Event Survey
Whether you were able to attend or not, we would greatly appreciate your feedback on this year’s School of Medicine faculty retreat. Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey by March 27. Your response can remain anonymous. The organizers will use the data collected to plan future events. To contact us directly, please email Carey Berkowick.
Check out this recap of the day with a link to more photos. Learn more about the UC Irvine School of Medicine faculty research retreats.
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| Highlighting UC Irvine’s Shared Core Facilities for Researchers — The Optical Biology Core and the Facility for Imaging & Brain Research |
| Join this webinar to learn about these two shared core facilities: the Optical Biology Core and Facility for Imaging & Brain Research.
The Optical Biology Core (OBC) provides researchers access to state-of -the-art light microscopes, software for 3D and 4D analysis and technical support. Speaker: Adeela Syed, PhD, Manager of OBC
The Facility for Imaging and Brain Research (FIBRE) enables researchers to conduct cutting-edge research on brain structure, function and connectivity using high-resolution MRI technologies. Speaker: Craig Stark, PhD, Operations Director of FIBRE
Tuesday, April 14, Noon to 1 p.m.
Via Zoom
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| UC Irvine Alpha Clinic IND / IDE Support |
| The UC Irvine SCRC IND Office provides regulatory strategy and support for INDs and IDEs, from determining whether an IND or IDE is required through FDA meetings, submissions, maintenance, and close out, including NIH and CIRM-funded projects. Do you have questions about whether your project needs an IND or IDE, how to design an IND-enabling preclinical package, how to plan for FDA meetings, or how to manage sponsor-investigator responsibilities and safety reporting?
Investigators developing FDA-regulated clinical research, particularly those preparing NIH or CIRM preclinical or clinical applications, are encouraged to reach out early in the planning process to discuss regulatory strategy, timelines and available support. Brief exploratory questions are welcome.
For non-oncology IND/IDE or NIH/CIRM-related regulatory questions or to request a consultation, email SCRCIND@hs.uci.edu.
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| NIH Career Development Grant Writing Workshop K-Club |
| The Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) has coordinated a K-Club grant writing series intended for early-career faculty and postdoctoral scholars preparing to submit applications for NIH Mentored Career Development awards. These awards are designed to promote the career development of scholars looking to transition to research independence. This workshop is intended for scholars preparing competitive grant applications for the October 2026 NIH K deadlines, but all interested applicants are welcome to register. Scholars looking for information to determine if the K award mechanism is right for them are also encouraged to attend. Register by March 20.
March 26 – Introduction
April 2 – Assembling Your Application
April 9 – Specific Aims, Career Development Plan and Mentor Qualification
April 16 – K Award Panel Discussion
Thursdays, March 26, April 2, 9 & 16, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: UC Irvine Campus, Hewitt Hall, Large Conference Room, Room 1042
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| School of Medicine Applications for Bridge Funding Due March 25 |
| Please note that the next UC Irvine Office of Research deadline for Bridge Funding is Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Complete applications must include a signed letter of support by your department chair showing financial commitment. Bridge Funding applications are due to the School of Medicine Office of Research by Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
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| Seeking Volunteer Judges for Excellence in Research Projects |
| Faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and other senior laboratory staff are invited to judge Biological Sciences 199 Excellence in Research projects. There is a large group of 140 student presenters this year, and your help is needed to evaluate their work and select finalists for research awards. Volunteers will evaluate written reports and posters. The poster session is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, 9 a.m. to noon. Note: Judges will only attend a single 90-minute time slot.
If interested, please complete this brief survey. Detailed instructions will be emailed to you. The deadline for registration is Friday, April 3. Questions? Contact Sean Ostlund or Shahrdad Lotfipour. | |
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| Vote for UC Irvine in Round 3 of STAT Madness! |
| Great news! Our team has advanced to Round 3 of STAT Madness, an annual competition that brings together the best biomedical research from the past year. Show your UCI pride and take a moment to cast your vote for UC Irvine by Monday, March 23, at 1 a.m. PT.
Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD (Physiology & Biophysics, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences): “Explaining Age-Related Vision Loss”
To vote, you will need to create a free account. You can vote once a day, up to five times per round. Vote now for this important research and help send UC Irvine into Round 4! | |
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| Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) 101 | Physician Scientist Collective 2025-26 Distinguished Speaker Series |
| Join this webinar for an overview of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) by a program officer, including: What PCORI funds and funding announcements, the application and review processes, and applicant resources PCORI offers. Additional time will be set aside for Q&A.
Presenter: Ari Tabaac, PhD, is a senior program officer in clinical effectiveness research (CER), and they were previously employed at Boston Children's Hospital as a research scientist specializing in sexual and reproductive healthcare and cancer surveillance. They have a doctoral degree in health psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and previous experience in both epidemiology and community-engaged research methods.
Tuesday, March 31, 7 a.m. | |
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| Call for Applications: Robert & Sylvia Mapel Research Innovation Award |
| UC Irvine School of Medicine is pleased to announce a 2026 call for applications for the Robert & Sylvia Mapel Research Innovation Award. This award is aimed at promoting the early exploration of high-risk research ideas focused on emerging areas of basic and applied biomedical science. Funding will support one $50,000 grant to a PhD mentor and PhD student team of UC Irvine School of Medicine faculty member and graduate academic researcher.
Deadline: April 9, 2026, by 5 p.m. | | Back to top | | | |
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| Bernard Choi, PhD (Surgery & Biomedical Engineering), with MPI team, Michelle Khine, PhD (Biomedical Engineering) and Amir Rahmani, PhD (Nursing), received an NIH R21 titled, “Patch for hemodynamic and hemorrhage monitoring.” This project aims to tackle the global challenge of trauma, a leading cause of death, by focusing on hemorrhage - a preventable factor in many cases. By developing a wearable technology that monitors vital signs and predicts the risk of bleeding, we aim to make early detection and intervention possible, potentially saving millions of lives. This technology, designed to be inclusive and effective across all skin types, represents a significant step towards personalized, timely medical care, addressing the immediate needs in trauma management and broader health disparities.
Do you or someone on your team have research-related good news to report (e.g., research funding/award, publication, other accolade)? We would like to know! Please fill out this short Good News submission form.
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| Find funding opportunities for trainees, postdocs and early career faculty, and all faculty. For more funding opportunities and resources to help in your funding search, visit the Funding Opportunities page.
The Research Development Unit (RDU) has created lists of intramural funding opportunities and foundation funding opportunities. If you have additional opportunities that should be included, contact the RDU.
Considering applying for a Limited Funding Opportunity? Typically, you submit a pre-proposal to the Office of Research via UCI Review. If the opportunity is not listed, contact the RDU.
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| | Postdocs & Early Career Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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Anti-Cancer Challenge Supported Pilot Project - Early Stage Investigator Award
Eligibility: The PI must meet the basic eligibility requirements and be an early-stage investigator (ESI) as defined by NIH.
Deadline: March 20, 2026
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| Limited: American Diabetes Association - Pathway to Stop Diabetes Grants |
| The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is inviting nominations for the Pathway to Stop Diabetes initiative, which supports innovative basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, behavioral, or health services research relevant to any diabetes type, diabetes-related disease state, or diabetes complication. This call for nominations will prioritize investigators across the spectrum of diabetes research, spanning basic science through public health research and implementation science. Each institution is allowed a maximum of two nominations: one nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one nomination spanning clinical through public health research. The nominations can be in one of the two available Pathway award types: - Initiator - For researchers in postdoctoral training (up to 7 years from PhD). Phase One: Request up to $100,000 per year, 2 years max. Phase Two Support (contingent): Up to $325,000 per year, 5 years max.
- Accelerator - For early-career diabetes investigators (prior to submitting R01/U01 renewal or second R01/U01, regardless of outcome; may hold first R01 or other NIH funding). Up to 5 years of funding support, not to exceed $325,000 per year (including 30% indirect costs) for a maximum total budget up to $1,625,000 USD over 5 years.
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| Call for Applications: ICTS T32 Postdoctoral Scholar Appointment |
| The UC Irvine Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) has an NIH-funded T32 training program designed to integrate training in clinical research and translational science into the core curriculum of students in medicine, biology, public health, nursing, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical and social sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and informatics. The program aims to fund promising postdoctoral-level scholars who are early in their training (no more than two years of postdoctoral training completed). ICTS will have one open slot to fill starting July 1, 2026. For more information, please visit our website, or contact Brooke Piercy at piercyb@hs.uci.edu. Deadline: March 29, 2026 | |
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| Limited: Schmidt Science Fellows (Postdoc Fellows Program for Graduating PhD Students) |
| UC Irvine has received the distinguished honor of being invited to nominate candidates for the Schmidt Science Fellows program — one of only a select number of institutions worldwide to receive this invitation. This prestigious postdoctoral fellowship supports exceptional graduating PhD students as they pivot from their doctoral discipline to pursue bold, interdisciplinary research in the physical and biological sciences, mathematics, engineering and computing. UC Irvine may nominate two doctoral students for the 2027 cohort.
Deadline: March 31, 2026
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| Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award (Winn CDA) |
| The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award (Winn CDA) is a rigorous 2-year program designed to train early-career investigator-physicians to design and implement clinical trials that engage more communities. Through structured education and mentorship, Winn CDA Scholars become community-oriented clinical trialists who have the skills and expertise to transform the ways that communities conduct research and deliver care. Current Winn CDA clinical research areas include cancer, cardiovascular and cardio-metabolic disease, and neuropsychiatry. The Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA) provides $120,000 annually for two years, intended to cover a portion of the scholar’s salary — approximately 40% of their time — allowing them the protected space needed to fully engage in the program’s intensive training and research activities. Deadline: May 4, 2026 | |
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| | All Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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ARPA-H Funding Opportunities | |
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| UC Research Initiatives - Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) Pilot Awards |
| The University of California is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for multicampus pilot research programs. Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) Pilot Awards are multicampus or systemwide research collaborations that go beyond individual Principal Investigator (PI)-driven projects to launch pioneering research in multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary areas; benefit the UC research enterprise; strengthen UC’s position as a leading public research university; enhance education and training; and benefit California and its people.
Proposals must be submitted by UC PIs. Pilot proposals require the participation of at least three UC campuses and may also include collaboration with one or more UC-affiliated sites, including UC-affiliated national laboratories, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, and UC Law San Francisco. Learn more about how to apply for MRPI Pilot Awards.
Required Letters of Intent (LOI) Deadline: March 19, 2026 at Noon | |
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| Anti-Cancer Challenge Supported Pilot Projects |
| Standard Award (Up to $50,000) - Advance innovative cancer research at all career stages
Re-entry After Dependent Care Award ($40,000) - Supports investigators returning to research after temporary leave
Multi-PI (Team Science) Award ($60,000) - Catalyze multi-PI projects requiring team science approach
Deadline: March 20, 2026
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| Research Commercialization Funds – PoP Grants Request-for-Proposals |
| UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation (BAI) has launched the Spring 2026 round of its Proof of Product program. Through this program, BAI competitively awards up to $100K for faculty researchers to advance their discoveries towards market to measurably improve lives.
Letters of Intent Deadline: March 20, 2026 | |
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| Center of Excellence Impact of Cannabinoids Across the Lifespan (ICAL) 2026 Pilot Grant |
| The NIH-supported UCI Center of Excellence for studying the Impact of Cannabinoids Across the Lifespan (ICAL) includes a Pilot Grant Program with the goal of fostering independent and collaborative research on the influences of cannabinoid exposure during different life stages. The purpose of the Pilot Grant program is to capitalize on the research expertise within the UC Irvine community to integrate innovative ideas into ICAL research programs and to gain insight into age-specific effects of cannabinoid drugs on the brain and other organ systems.
The center is accepting proposals for Basic Science pilot grants of up to $25,000 total costs for the funding period of 6/1/26 to 5/31/27. This funding opportunity is open to all UC Irvine faculty members (senate and non-senate) of all ranks.
Deadline: May 1, 2026
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| Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) Pilot Studies Award |
| UC Irvine Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) is pleased to announce a new call for the Pilot Studies Program. A minimum of two one-year awards in the amount of $25,000 will be conferred in this round.
Purpose: To encourage early exploration of research ideas that address growing health challenges and add to the evidence base of integrative health practices.
Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) must be full-time UC Irvine faculty from any school or discipline. Junior and mid-career faculty, as well as established investigators, pursuing novel research lines are encouraged to apply.
Eligible Projects: Integrative health research projects currently not funded and aimed at obtaining preliminary results for a full application for extramural funds will be given priority. Emphasis will be placed on innovation and transformative potential of submitted proposals. The content of proposals, while linked to applicants’ current research, should demonstrate a clear evolution towards novel, relevant and untested research areas.
Deadline: May 1, 2026
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| | | Upcoming Seminars & Events |
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| Department of Biological Chemistry BC Seminar Series |
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Decoding Multiomic Landscapes using land-Expansion Microscopy and GEMclear Spatial Multiomics, by Xiaoyu Shi, PhD, Associate Professor, Departments of Developmental & Cell Biology, Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering, UC Irvine
Wednesday, March 18, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
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| Stata: Structural Equation Modeling |
| This free noontime workshop introduces the concepts and jargon of structural equation modeling (SEM), including path diagrams, latent variables, endogenous and exogenous variables, and goodness of fit. The similarities and differences between Stata's -sem- and -gsem- commands are described, followed by a demonstration of how to fit many familiar models, such as linear regression, multivariate regression, logistic regression, confirmatory factor analysis, and multilevel models, using -sem- and -gsem-. The workshop wraps up by demonstrating how to fit structural equation models that contain both structural and measurement components.
Instructor: Chuck Huber, PhD
Wednesday, March 18, Noon to 2:15 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar |
| Non-Nuclear Functions of the Pre-mRNA 3’ End Processing Factor Symplekin, by Marielle Valdez, Graduate Student, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Thursday, March 19, 9 a.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and Via Zoom
Contact Katrina Pagdayunan to join via Zoom.
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| UCI SKIN: A Skin Biology Resource Center Distinguished Speaker Series |
| New Insights into UV-Induced Skin Cancer and Atopic Dermatitis, by John Seykora, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania. Hosted by the UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, March 20, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Thorp Conference Center, 4001 Gross Hall | |
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| UC Irvine Research Associates Madeline Martin Swinden Memorial Lecture |
| UC Irvine Research Associates hosts its spring lecture series on Research Innovations in Brain Health – Part I, with featured speakers: Mahtab Jafari, PharmD, Diego A. Pizzagalli, PhD, Emily Tan, ND, BCN, BCB, and Federico E. Vaca, MD, MPH
Tuesday, March 24, 5 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Rady Children's Health and UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series |
| Efficient Gene Delivery: New Approaches to Treating Cancer and Cystic Fibrosis, by Steven J. Jonas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Associate Program Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Wednesday, March 25, Noon to 1 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Experimental Pathology Research Conferences |
| Decoding Dementia: Environmental Risk Factors and Mechanisms Throughout the Lifespan, by Kelly Bakulski, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan
Monday, March 30, 11 a.m. to Noon PT
Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 955 3602 9351/ Passcode: 998046 | |
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| Stem Cell Seminar Lecture Series |
| Using 3D Engineered Cardiac & Skeletal Muscle Tissues for DMD Disease Modeling & Drug Discovery, by David Mack, PhD, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Bioengineering, University of Washington. Hosted by the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, April 3, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center (4th Floor)
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| Feedback Wanted: Developing the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2027–2031 |
| NIH seeks community feedback on the next Agency-Wide Strategic Plan. This plan will guide their work over the next five years to fulfill their mission.
NIH will hold webinars to gather input from the research community, stakeholders and the public on the framework that will inform development of the plan:
Wednesday, April 8, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT
Via Webinar
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| UC Irvine Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome Research Seminar Series |
| The Interferonopathy of Down Syndrome: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications, by Kelly Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Hosted by the UC Irvine Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome (CFAR-DS).
Friday, April 10, 11 a.m. to Noon PT
Via Zoom
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| Join the Southern California Flow Cytometry Association (SoCal Flow) for our local flow cytometry conference on April 13–14! Early bird registration ends March 18.
- Get exposure to different flow applications and fields
- Practice your poster talks by submitting an abstract in a low-pressure, personal environment
- Last, but not least, breakfast, lunch, and a happy hour will be provided.
April 13–14, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: The Beckman Center, 100 Academy Way, Irvine, CA 92617 | |
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| Stata: Introduction to Machine Learning and AI |
| This free noontime workshop (75 minutes) will briefly review the history of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), introduce the concepts and jargon, and demonstrate how to use these tools in Stata. Specific examples will include Lasso and elasticnet methods, Bayesian methods and MCMC, support vector machines (SVM) using Python integration, random forests and gradient boosting machines using H2O, and the user-written commands "chatgpt," "claude," "gemini," and "grok."
Instructor: Chuck Huber, PhD
Wednesday, April 15, Noon to 1:15 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Imaged-Based Spatial Transcriptomics: From Technology to Analysis | Panel Discussion |
| Hear quick, high-impact presentations (three 15-minute talks), join lively discussions, and network with peers to spark fresh ideas and collaborations driving the next wave of discovery in single-cell biology. Speakers: Jenny Wu, PhD, Fangyuan Ding, PhD, and Anand Ganesan, MD, PhD Learn more about this panel discussion hosted by the UCI Genomics Research & Technology Hub.
Wednesday, April 15, 2 to 4 p.m.
Location: UC Irvine Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, Thorp Conference Center | |
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| Grand Rounds and CME Symposia |
| | For Continuing Medical Education (CME) opportunities, view the weekly Grand Rounds & CME Symposia email. | | Back to top | | | |
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| Postdoctoral Fellow - Neurological Clinical Informatics and Data Science Lab |
| The Neurological Clinical Informatics and Data Science Lab led by Ali Ezzati, MD, is recruiting for a postdoctoral fellow to work on clinical research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The position involves large-scale data analysis, digital health, and translational research. Candidates with strong quantitative and clinical research backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Please reach out if interested or share with potential candidates.
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
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| Do you have an open research-related position you would also like announced in Research Insider? Please fill out this form to have your open position listed.
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| Sign up for the Office of Research Listserv & Keep Updated |
| | To keep up to date with the latest updates from the Office of Research amidst all of the federal funding changes, be sure to subscribe to the CG-News listserv. You can sign up by sending a blank email to: cg-news+subscribe@uci.edu. Also, bookmark the Office of Research Impact of Federal Executive Orders and Directives on Federal Grants and Contracts. | |
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| What kind of grant support does the School of Medicine Research Development Unit provide? |
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| What kind of grant support does the RDU provide to Physician Scientists? |
| Along with the general grant support the RDU provides (outlined above), there are multiple programs available outlined on the Physician Scientist Resources page. - Physician Scientist Collective: Monthly seminar series with visiting speakers
- Physician Scientist Pathways Certificate Course: Six-week, 12-hour hybrid course that introduces clinicians to research pathways
- Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP): Helps physician scientists apply for their first K award
- Dean’s K Scholar: Provides awardees the protected time and mentorship needed to obtain NIH K/ equivalent funding
- Clinical Trialist Training Program (CTTP): Supports junior faculty on externally funded clinical trials through a 2-year partnership program with senior investigators already running clinical trials
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