| | | Updates from the UCI Office of Research |
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| ZOT IRB + ZOT hSCRO: Limited Submissions and Data Migration |
| | Huron IRB (ZOT IRB) and Huron hSCRO (ZOT hSCRO) will launch on Sept. 15, 2025. In order to transition effectively, limited protocol submissions will begin on Aug. 4, 2025, and run through Sept. 14, 2025. This will allow additional time for HRP to clear their review queue, train on the new system and, importantly, the data migration process. 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. | |
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| In advance of the implementation of the revised National Institutes of Health (NIH) public access policy, effective July 1, 2025, an Office of Scholarly Communication/Project Transform joint working group (including UC faculty and representatives from UC libraries and research offices) has developed guidance for the UC OSC site to assist UC authors in understanding and complying with the policy. If you have any questions, you can contact:
- Mitchell Brown, UC Irvine Libraries Scholarly Communications Coordinator
- Becca Gates, UC Irvine Libraries Research Librarian for Health Sciences
Please note that NIH has also announced it intends to implement a cap on allowable publication costs starting in FY 2026. The Office of Research will share more information on this cap as it becomes available. | |
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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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| Learn More About International Shipping - Compliance is Required |
| Does Your Lab Ship Internationally?
Before shipping, consult the UC Irvine Office of Research website devoted to International Shipping. UC Irvine does not have a centralized shipping center for international or domestic shipments. In the absence of a centralized site, each sender must consider that regulatory requirements may apply depending on the item, destination, end-user and end-use.
To help ensure that UCI faculty, staff and students do not experience customs delays, seizure of goods, or inadvertent violation of federal export laws, please submit a Shipment Review Form to the Export Control Office. The review will help determine whether an export license is required.
Please note that international shipments include items hand-carried or packed in baggage during travel outside of the U.S. The guidelines for “Export Controls and International Shipping” can also be found at the School of Medicine Office of Research website.
Questions? Contact Export Control Officer Brian McCurdy. | | Back to top | | | |
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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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| 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 | For Physicians Planning or Starting to Pursue Research at UC Irvine |
| UC Irvine School of Medicine is currently accepting applications for the 2025 Physician Scientist Pathways Certificate Course.
This course is designed for residents, fellows and junior faculty physicians eager to pursue careers in basic, translational, clinical or epidemiological research. The course objectives are:
- Understand the different types of biomedical research pathways and the types of training required.
- Understand the process of formulating a research question and how to search for funding opportunities (through PIVOT, etc.)
- Develop an individualized training plan to obtain the necessary research skills for further career development.
- Understand how the latest research and clinical tools can be applied.
- Obtain a fundamental understanding of the grant application process and what is required to assemble a grant application that could be funded.
The course includes three in-person meetings (listed below) and three online modules. Learn more about the Physician-Scientist Pathways Certificate.
- Tuesday, Sept. 16, 4 to 6 p.m., UCI Main Campus
- Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4 to 6 p.m., UCI Main Campus
- Tuesday, Oct. 21, 4 to 6 p.m., UCI Medical Center
Deadline: Sept. 1, 2025 | | Back to top | | | |
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| Medha Pathak, PhD (Physiology & Biophysics), with colleagues, Ian Parker, PhD, Elliot Hui, PhD, and Mitradas Panicker, PhD, published their paper titled, “Visualizing PIEZO1 localization and activity in hiPSC-derived single cells and organoids with HaloTag technology,” in Nature. In this paper, they developed a new human stem cell platform that enables real-time visualization of PIEZO1 mechanosensitive channels, opening avenues for studying human diseases and screening targeted therapeutics for PIEZO1-related disorders.
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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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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| The University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program |
| The University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PDF) offers postdoctoral research fellowships and faculty mentoring to outstanding scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity.
Applicants must receive a PhD or terminal degree from an accredited university before the start of their fellowship. Fellowships are awarded for research conducted at any of the UC’s 10 campuses. Each award is for a minimum of 12 months and may be renewable for an additional term upon demonstration of academic/research productivity. Apply here.
Deadline: Nov. 1, 2025 | |
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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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| UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center - Call for Developmental Grant Proposals |
| The Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is pleased to announce the availability of funding for developmental projects. Grants of up to $100,000/year (direct costs) and 1–2 years may be proposed. This funding competition is open to all UC Irvine faculty members (senate and non-senate), with preference for investigators who are pre-tenured and new to the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD) research. Apply here.
Deadline: Oct. 17, 2025, 5 p.m.
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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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| The Art of Science, a special event held supplementary to the 2025 Center for Neural Circuit Mapping Conference: The Changing Brain, will feature artists, performers and talks from field professionals to highlight the powerful intersection between artistic expression and scientific discovery. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with one another and explore the ways in which the two disciplines work together to foster community and innovation. This event is co-hosted by the School of Medicine’s Medical Humanities and Arts Program, the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, and the Pacific Symphony.
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: Irvine Marriott, 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92612 | |
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| Rady Children's Health 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, Physician, San Diego Perinatal Center
Wednesday, Aug. 20, Noon to 1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
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| Bridging Barrio & Bench: How Community Collaboration Accelerates Translational Science in Hispanic/Latino Populations |
| Speakers: Christian Salazar, PhD, MPH, Associate Project Scientist & Epidemiologist, UCI MIND and Guillermo Alvarez, CHES, Programmatic and Operational Leadership, Latino Health Access
Come engage with Christian Salazar and Guillermo Alvarez as they share the story and early results of their Campus-Community Research Incubator (CCRI). This project harnesses promoter-led family-oriented education and neighborhood-level data to address social and behavioral determinants of Alzheimer’s disease among Hispanic/Latino adults in Orange County. They will discuss co-designing studies with community stakeholders, recruiting and retaining Hispanic/Latino participants in research, creating culturally tailored interventions, and lessons learned from their community-academic partnership.
Friday, Aug. 22, 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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