| | | Updates from the UCI Office of Research |
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| IRB & hSCRO Data Migration and Draft Protocol Narrative |
| Huron IRB (ZOT IRB) and Huron hSCRO (ZOT hSCRO) will launch on Sept. 15, 2025. In order to transition, the HRP must migrate current data in Kuali Research Protocols (KRP). hSCRO researchers need to maintain their own research records, and IRB Principal Investigators need to maintain complete IRB protocol records. Review the hSCRO and IRB notices to understand what researchers need to do to remain compliant and what will be migrated to ZOT IRB and hSCRO.
To subscribe to HRP News & Announcements, send a blank email to: or-irb-hrp+subscribe@uci.edu
To subscribe to hSCRO News & Announcements, send a blank email to: or-hscro+subscribe@uci.edu
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| Sign up for the Office of Research Listserv |
| | To keep up with the latest updates from the Office of Research amid all the federal funding changes, be sure to subscribe to the CG-News listserv. Sign up by sending a blank email to cg-news+subscribe@uci.edu. | |
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| Due to shifts in the federal agency funding landscape, do not sign any certifications or acknowledgments, complete any surveys, or respond regarding grant compliance, change in abstract or scope of work, or project activities. Instead, forward such communications to Jeff Warner, Senior Director, Sponsored Projects Administration. Authorized Organizational Representatives (AORs) in the Office of Research will handle these matters. If you have trouble getting in touch with your Sponsored Programs offices/Contracts and Grants office, contact Nancy Lewis, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration. Learn more about the impact of federal executive orders and directives on federal grants and contracts.
For other questions or concerns, contact Paul Lekutai, Director, Federal and Non-Federal Sponsored Projects, or Jeff Warner.
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| NIH Guidance Regarding AI in Applications |
| | NIH will not consider applications that are either substantially developed by AI, or contain sections substantially developed by AI; it is expected that all applications be entirely original ideas of applicants. Additionally, NIH will only accept six new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications from an individual Principal Investigator/Program Director or Multiple Principal Investigator for all council rounds in a calendar year. This policy applies to all activity codes except T activity codes and R13 Conference Grant Applications.This policy is effective for applications submitted by the Sept. 25, 2025, receipt date and beyond. Review the notice. | |
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| From Idea to Impact: Why Storytelling Matters |
| In a time of shrinking research dollars and growing public skepticism, a good idea isn’t enough. It needs a story. Read how UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation is helping researchers bridge the gap between discovery and real-world impact through communication-forward programs like Proof of Product (PoP), I-Corps, SBIR/STTR support, and Born in California in the feature article “Why Science Needs a Story.”
Have a project that needs support? Reach out to Matt Hanson, Director of New Ventures.
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| School of Medicine Dean's Research Council Meeting |
| School of Medicine Dean Michael J. Stamos and Associate Dean for Research Administration William E. Bunney invite you to attend this quarterly meeting featuring two distinguished research presentations:
Decoding Melanoma’s Morse Code: Mutation, Signaling, and State Shifts in Tumorigenesis by Anand K. Ganesan, MD, PhD, Professor, Departments of Dermatology and Biological Chemistry; Associate Dean, Physician-Scientist Development, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Bridging Imaging and Physiology: Non-Invasive CT-Based Quantification of Cardiovascular Disease by Sabee Molloi, PhD, Professor, of Radiological Sciences, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Vice Chairman of Research, Department of Radiological Sciences, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Tuesday, Aug. 12, 5 to 6 p.m.
Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 968 2620 4626 | Passcode: 109533 | |
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| Applications open! 2025 Physician Scientist Pathways Certificate Course |
| UC Irvine School of Medicine is currently accepting applications for the 2025 Physician Scientist Pathways Certificate Course. This course will prepare physician scientists by enabling them to combine their clinical knowledge with skills in scientific investigation. The School of Medicine strives to advance individual and population health and this fundamental certificate course will equip physician scientists with the basic knowledge required to address their research questions. This will allow UC Irvine to deliver top-level care to our patients, as we will have physicians able to leverage ongoing breakthroughs while advancing research in their fields. There is no tuition fee to participate in the course.
Deadline: Sept. 1, 2025 | | Back to top | | | |
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| Zhina Sadeghi, MD (Urology), received an NIH K08, “Investigation of Urethral Dysfunction in Female Urinary Incontinence.” Urinary incontinence affects up to 60% of women and rises with age, costing nearly $10 billion annually and significantly reducing quality of life. Current treatments often leave many women with persistent or recurrent symptoms, and do not address urethral dysfunction, highlighting the urgent need for deeper understanding and novel therapies. This research aims to elucidate the cellular and tissue-level mechanisms underlying urethral dysfunction accompanying aging, paving the way for more effective treatments and improved outcomes for affected women.
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. | | Back to top | | | |
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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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2026 Sloan Research Fellowships
Each year, the Sloan Foundation awards approximately 120 $75,000 grants in seven research areas: Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Earth System Science, Neuroscience and Economics. Please make sure that your research fits under one of the listed subcategories before applying.
UC Irvine may nominate three candidates per department; therefore, interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to the Office of Research via InfoReady.
Deadline: Aug. 4, 2025
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| McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss |
| The McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF) and the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) will provide up to two 3-year awards of $750,000 (USD) each to advanced Assistant Professors and recently appointed Associate Professors (MDs and PhDs). One award will be made to support studies focusing on clinical translational research and another award toward understanding basic biological mechanisms underlying cognitive aging and age-related memory loss. Learn more about the McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss.
UC Irvine Health Advancement will support the application process, especially considering the Aug. 12 deadline. Please contact Kathleen Lago, Director of Development, UC Irvine Health Advancement.
Deadline: Aug. 12, 2025
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| Available Postdoctoral Fellowships for the Hewitt Foundation for Biomedical Research |
| The Hewitt Foundation for Biomedical Research supports outstanding mentors and postdoctoral fellows. In addition to the Salk Institute and the Scripps Research Institute, the foundation offers positions to mentors and fellows in the Schools of Medicine, Biological Sciences, Engineering and Physical Sciences at UC Irvine. It aims to nurture the next generation of biomedical research leaders.
Mentors are invited to apply on behalf of potential fellows.
Postdoctoral fellowships are awarded for three years, carry yearly stipends of $72k, $74k and $76k. In addition, a yearly allocation of $15k is made to the fellow's sponsoring laboratory to cover health insurance, travel to scientific meetings, and to partially support their research expenses.
Learn more about available postdoctoral fellowships for the Hewitt Foundation for BioMedical Research at the Conte Center’s website.
Deadline: Aug. 15, 2025 | |
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| Estée Lauder Epigenetics Fellowship, in honor of Paolo Sassone-Corsi |
| UC Irvine School of Medicine’s Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism is pleased to announce the Estée Lauder Epigenetics Fellowship program in honor of the late Paolo Sassone-Corsi, PhD, who was UC Irvine’s Donald Bren Professor of Biological Chemistry and director of the campus’s Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism.
The Estée Lauder Epigenetics Fellowship supports the training of PhD graduate students who carry out groundbreaking research in epigenetics and the molecular mechanisms underlying human disorders/diseases. Research that seeks to establish new paradigms, develop innovative new technology and/or methodology, remove roadblocks that restrict progress in the epigenetics or metabolism fields, or answer intractable problems, is given priority. Each year, the Estée Lauder Epigenetics Fellowship will reward a promising graduate student and support future generations of scientists dedicating their careers to education, research and outreach.
Deadline: Aug. 21, 2025, 5 p.m. | |
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| A.P. Giannini Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and Leadership Award |
| The A.P. Giannini Foundation invites physician-scientists and junior researchers with three to 36 months of postdoctoral research experience to apply to the 2026 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship & Leadership Award. Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to apply to the 2026 program if they have completed no less than three months and no more than three years in their mentor’s laboratory as of Dec. 31, 2025.
The Fellowship and Leadership Award supports innovative research in the basic sciences and applied fields and trains fellows to become established investigators and to pursue scientific leadership positions in academia, industry, public and non-traditional career pathways. Research projects should advance the translation of biomedical science into preventions, treatments and cures for human diseases.
For questions about the application process, reach out to Dr. Leslie Thompson.
Deadline: Nov. 6, 2025, 3 p.m. | |
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| | All Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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ARPA-H Functional Repair of Neocortical Tissue (FRONT)The Functional Repair of Neocortical Tissue (FRONT) program aims to restore brain tissue, enabling individuals with brain damage to recover cognitive functions. The program seeks to develop methods to make non-specialized cells form into normal tissue. After these cells are grafted, FRONT will measure how well they integrate with the surrounding healthy neocortex tissue, proper layered structure of normal cortical tissue, and functional recovery. The program’s goal is to alleviate the personal and financial burdens of previously ‘permanent’ brain damage. Solution Summary Deadline: Aug. 18, 2025 | |
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| Forecasted Federal Funding Opportunities |
| While the number of federal funding opportunities decreased over recent months, there has been an uptick in forecasted NIH and other federal opportunities. Forecasted opportunity postings provide applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. Below are some examples. Go to Grants.gov to view the complete list.
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| | | Upcoming Seminars & Events |
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| UC Irvine Center for Neuropolitics Lecture Series |
| From Democracy to Autocracy: Suicide by False Belief, by Joe Pierre, MD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco. This event is hosted by the UC Irvine Center for Neuropolitics. Register today for this FREE, virtual lecture! Friday, Aug. 8, Noon to 1:15 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Experimental Pathology Dissertation Defense |
| PET and Fluid Biomarkers of Tau Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease of Down Syndrome, by Nazek Queder, Graduate Student, Elizabeth Head Lab, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Friday, Aug. 8, 2 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center Room 4001, and via Zoom
Meeting ID: 919 6442 8338
Passcode: 363341 | |
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| CHOC Research and UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series |
| A Machine Learning Decision Support Tool to Optimize Whole Genome Sequencing in the NICU, by Rebecca Reimers, MD, MPH, FACOG, Physician, San Diego Perinatal Center
Wednesday, Aug. 20, Noon to 1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
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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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| 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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| 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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