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| The First-Ever Joint Faculty Retreat with the Samueli School of Engineering was a Huge Success! | 
Keynote speaker, Bruce Tromberg, PhD, on “Accelerating Innovation and Technology Development through Engineering-Medicine Partnerships.”
On March 11, UCI hosted a groundbreaking Joint Faculty Research Retreat, collaborating for the first time between the Samueli School of Engineering and the School of Medicine. Themed "Advancing the Frontiers," the event aimed to foster thrilling partnerships and inspire future collaborations in medicine and engineering.
The day’s program kicked off with insightful talks from Engineering Dean Magnus Egerstedt and School of Medicine Dean Michael J. Stamos, setting an ambitious tone for the retreat by highlighting current achievements and future aspirations for their respective schools. A highlight was the keynote address by Dr. Bruce Tromberg, director of the NIH's National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, emphasizing the power of collaborative innovation in tackling healthcare challenges.
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Faculty groups were deeply engaged in a collaborative “icebreaker” to address unmet needs.
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A town hall panel included (from left to right) Engineering Dean Magnus Egerstedt, School of Medicine Dean Michael J. Stamos, Associate Dean Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, Vice Dean Geoff Abbott and Vice Dean Daniela Bota. | | |
Attendees engaged in a variety of activities, from an icebreaking exercise to exploring resource tables packed with information from across campus to attending in-depth scientific presentations on topics like neurorehabilitation, brain-computer interfaces, and rapid antibody evolution. These sessions underscored the transformative potential of merging engineering and medicine.
Breakout sessions delved into critical themes such as funding opportunities across schools, accelerating research from the laboratory to the marketplace, and educational strategies in a changing environment. A reflective town hall with Deans Stamos and Egerstedt, along with faculty members from both schools, wrapped up the discussions, reiterating the retreat's success in laying the groundwork for future interdisciplinary innovations.
We invite all attendees to share your feedback in this post-event survey.
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| Vote for UCI in STAT Madness — Round 4 | Our UCI research team has made it to the fourth round of STAT Madness 2024. Vote for our researchers in Matchup 2 for their study on “Stress-Related Brain Disruption.” Our researchers include Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD, senior author and UCI Donald Bren Professor and Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Pediatrics, Neurology and Physiology & Biophysics, as well as lead authors and postdoctoral researchers Matt Birnie and Annabel K. Short.
To vote, you will need to create a free account. You can vote once a day! Voting for Round 4 is open until Wednesday, March 27, at 9 p.m. PST. Vote now and help send UCI to the semifinals!
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| Seeking Faculty Volunteers to Judge Excellence in Research Projects | We are seeking volunteers to judge Biological Sciences 199 Excellence in Research projects. We have a large group of 75 student presenters this year and will need your help evaluating their work and selecting finalists for research awards. BioSci199 faculty mentors are strongly encouraged to volunteer – without your help, this program is not possible. Please also encourage your graduate students, postdocs, and other senior lab staff to volunteer – this is a great way for them to build their CVs. Clinical faculty judges are also needed as we have many clinical projects this year. As always, participation counts for teaching and service credit for academic merit and promotion. Volunteers may choose to evaluate written reports, posters or a combination of the two. The poster session is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. to noon.
Note: Judges will only attend a single 90-minute time slot.
If you are interested, please complete this brief survey to indicate your preferences. We will follow up by email with detailed instructions.
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 5, 2024
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| Call for applications: Robert & Sylvia Mapel Research Innovation Award | The UCI School of Medicine is pleased to announce a 2024 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 $45,000 grant to a PhD mentor and PhD student team of UCI School of Medicine-based researchers.
Application Deadline: Friday, April 5, 2024, by 5 p.m.
Read More |
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| School of Medicine Research Development Unit (RDU) can help with your NIH S10 application! | The NIH Shared Instrument Grant (SIG) Program (PAR-22-080) and High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant Program (PAR-22-079) encourage applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase or upgrade a single item of high-priced, specialized, commercially available instruments or integrated instrumentation system. applyThe June deadlines are approaching, so if you plan to apply, please complete this intake form as soon as possible. These applications are time-intensive and at least a three-month lead time is recommended. The RDU can help with obtaining letters of support (e.g., from School of Medicine leadership), collecting and reviewing biosketches and overall project management support.
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| Register for UNI 231 STU SEMA: Fellowship Success for PhD Students & Postdocs | The goal of the NIH Fellowship Writing course is to increase the number and success rate of F-series applications (F30, F31, F32) among UCI trainees. View the flyer for more information. Students in their 2nd or 3rd year of PhD training are encouraged to enroll with the goal of submitting (or resubmitting) a fellowship application in August or December of 2024. Early-stage postdocs are also welcome. Postdocs can join as auditors by emailing Dr. Harinder Singh.
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| We have been collecting information about new awards sent in by the School of Medicine research community and have created this space to share the news.
Elizabeth Head, PhD (Department of Pathology), was awarded an NIH R13 grant that provides travel awards to U.S. trainees to support attendance at the upcoming T21RS international Down syndrome conference in Rome, Italy. Of note, March 21 was International Down Syndrome Day. Jennifer Yonan, PhD (Oswald Lab, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology), was awarded the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and Leadership Award from the A.P. Giannini Foundation. Have you or someone on your research team received research funding or an award? The School of Medicine Office of Research would like to know! Please fill out this short New Research Funding or Award Survey form. |
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| Find funding opportunities for trainees, postdocs and early career faculty, and all faculty.
To learn more about opportunities and resources for your funding search, visit the Office of Research’s Funding Opportunities page.
For a curated, searchable and filterable list of funding opportunities by NIH in their weekly NIH guide listserv, check out the School of Medicine Funding Search Tool. |
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| Postdocs & Early Career Faculty Funding Opportunities |
| 1907 Research’s Trailblazer Award (Limited Opportunity) | 1907 Research has invited UC Irvine to nominate three early-career faculty members for the Trailblazer Award, which supports disruptive but actionable basic to preclinical research into the causes and cures of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Each total award is limited to $100,000 for research costs plus a $20,000 prize. The program does not support indirect costs.
Eligibility: The nominees must be no more than 10 years from completing their last terminal degree (MD or PhD) as of Feb. 23, 2024, and be PIs in independent labs. Interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to the Office of Research via the UCI Review application portal.
Deadline: Thursday, March 28, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. |
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| Emerging Leader Award | The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Emerging Leader Awards support innovative cancer research from the next generation of leaders. These grants are awarded to outstanding early-career investigators to support high-impact, high-risk projects that are distinct from their current research portfolio. The awards are $750,000 total over a three-year term.
Eligibility: Applicants must be three to eight years from the start of an independent faculty research appointment (start date must fall within 2016–21). Applicants must demonstrate multiyear independent funding that sustains the central activities of the laboratory (e.g., at least one or two grants such as NIH/R01, NSF/CAREER, or equivalently substantial multi-year awards). Read for more details.
Letter of intent deadline: Monday, April 29, 2024 by 2 p.m.
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| Call for Cancer Research Proposals | This is a one-year American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant to fund several proposals up to $60,000 per award, providing pilot funds for research in both basic and clinical cancer-related problems.
Eligibility: Investigators within the first six years of their first independent faculty position and in the following series are eligible: In Line, In Residence, Adjunct, Clinical-X, Clinical and Researcher. Awardees may not hold a competitive grant from a national agency (e.g. NIH, ACS, etc.) or be a previous recipient of an ACS-IRG seed grant. U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or visa status that permits completion of the proposal is required. Read for more details.
Deadline: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 |
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| All Faculty Funding Opportunities |
| UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) RFP | UC Research Initiatives in the UC Office of the President has issued the UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives Request for Proposals, which includes opportunities for both Planning/Pilot Awards and Program Awards. The MRPI opportunity is open to UC faculty and researchers in any field of research and scholarship. Proposals require collaboration among at least three UC campuses to pursue pioneering research in thematic, multidisciplinary, or inter-disciplinary areas that enhance the UC research enterprise, strengthen UC’s position as a leading public research university, and benefit California and its people. Read more for details.
We encourage applicants to attend one of the following webinars: Tuesday, April 2, 2024, 2:30-3:30 p.m. (Register here) or Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 10-11 a.m. (Register here).
Letter of Intent deadline: Thursday, May 16, 2024, noon
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| Open Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding Opportunities | PCORI is the leading funder of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research in the United States. Research funded by PCORI concentrates on healthcare challenges that confront families every day, including cancer, diabetes, maternal mortality, opioid addiction, mental health, and equitable access to care, among many others.
They have recently released several upcoming funding opportunities. View all active PCORI funding announcements. |
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| Upcoming Seminars & Events |
| NIH K Award Grant Writing Workshop Series | The Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) has coordinated a four-week 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. The objective of this series is to prepare candidates for submission of NIH K awards, to create the strongest possible funding proposal, and guide scholars through the K application components. Those seeking informational insight to determine if the K award mechanism is right for them are also encouraged to attend. Register by March 29. Learn more. Mondays, April 1, 8, 22 and 29, 9 to 10:30 a.m. Location: UC Irvine Campus, Hewitt Hall, Large Conference Room, Room 1042 |
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| Cancer Chemoprevention: New Opportunities | Seminar by Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, Professor and Cancer Prevention and Control Program Co-Leader, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Hosted by Xiaolin Zi, PhD. Sponsored by the Department of Urology.
Location: Sprague Hall, Conference Room 105
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| Functional Heterogeneity in Head and Neck Cancer | Seminar by Rana P. Singh, PhD, Professor of Cancer Biology, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Hosted by Xiaolin Zi, PhD. Sponsored by the Department of Urology.
Location: Sprague Hall, Conference Room 105
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| Physician Scientist Collective: Distinguished Speaker Series | Advancing Physician Scientist Careers in Dermatology, by Maryam Asgari, MD, PhD, Endowed Chair, Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado
Thursday, April 4, 4 to 5 p.m. PT
Location: Sprague Hall, Conference Room 105
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| Monthly on Mondays | Faculty Development Series | Merits and Promotions for Senate Faculty, presented by Kyoko Yokomori, PhD, and Brian Cummings, PhD. Monthly on Mondays, presented by Nimisha Parekh, MD, and Brian J. Cummings, PhD, associate deans of faculty development, is a monthly seminar series covering a wide range of topics focused on faculty development.
Monday, April 8, 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
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| To Postdoc or Not: Planning Your Post-PhD JourneyTo Postdoc or Not: Planning Your Post-PhD Journey | The Career & Professional Development Club of Physiology & Biophysics presents “To Postdoc or Not: Planning Your Post-PhD Journey.” In this session, PhD students will learn if postdoctoral training is for them; how to find a postdoc that aligns with their career goals; is postdoctoral training required for transition into nonacademic careers; current job trends for STEM PhDs; and navigating academic and industry job landscape in the US as an international scholar. Speakers will include Harinder Singh, PhD, associate director of graduate and postdoctoral success in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics and David Fruman, PhD, academic director of graduate professional success in STEM (GPS-STEM). Lunch will be provided.
Tuesday, April 9, Noon to 1 p.m.
Location: Natural Sciences-II #4201
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| Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar Series | Barcodes, bottlenecks and influenza A virus population dynamics, by Anice Lowen, PhD, professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine
Wednesday, April 10, 4 p.m. PTLocation: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and via ZoomContact Shanti Iyer to join via Zoom. |
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| NIH Simplified Review Framework for RPGs: Implementation and Impact on Funding Opportunities Webinar | You may have heard that NIH is simplifying the framework for the peer review of most Research Project Grant (RPG) applications, effective for due dates on or after Jan. 25, 2025. Hear the latest updates, timelines and how these changes will impact existing and new funding opportunities.
Wednesday, April 17, 10 to 11 a.m.
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| Institute for Precision Health's Distinguished Lecture Series | Data as a Public Good for the Public Good to Solve Immediate Real-World Challenges, by keynote speakers Jay Schnitzer, MD, PhD, senior vice president, corporate chief engineer and chief medical officer, The MITRE Corporation, and Jonathan Watanabe, PhD, associate dean of pharmacy assessment and quality, professor of clinical pharmacy, director of the Center for Data-Driven Drugs Research and Policy, UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Friday, April 19, 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Location: The Beach at UCI Beall Applied Innovation, 5270 California Ave #100, Irvine, Calif.
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| UCI Spatial Omics Symposium | The Genomics Research & Technology Hub and Precision Health Omics are excited to bring you the UCI Spatial Omics Symposium, an afternoon of recent progress in spatial omics research. Please join us for lively discussions of progress, challenges and future applications of these technologies. Please register by April 15 as space is limited.
Tuesday, April 23, 1 to 6 p.m.
Location: Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center – Thorp Conference Center (4001)
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| Postdoctoral Scholar - Immuno - Virology and Vaccine Development | The Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology of the UCI Gavin Herbert Eye Institute has two postdoctoral scholar openings. Applications are being sought from recent PhD, or MD/PhD graduates in the Biological/Immunological Sciences. Interdisciplinary skills and approaches in Genomics, Bioinformatics, RNA Sequencing, CyToF, FACS, Advanced Imaging, Biochemistry, Immunology and Cell Biology are strongly desired.
PI: Lbachir Benmohamed, PhD
View the posting in AP Recruit.
Closing date: May 15, 2024
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| Postdoctoral Scholar-Della Martin Fellowship / Psychiatry and Human Behavior | An exciting and unique opportunity to study neuropsychiatric disorders at the molecular level and develop translational research programs in clinical populations using state-of-the art technologies including single cell RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, and cellular models derived from patients and controls. Successful candidate will be familiar with molecular and cellular laboratory methods and bioinformatics.
PI: William E. Bunney
View the posting in AP Recruit.
Closing date: Sunday, June 30, 2024
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| Postdoctoral Scholar in the Marazzi Lab / Biological Chemistry | The Marazzi Lab is seeking a highly motivated and talented individual to fill the position of Postdoctoral Researcher. A successful candidate will join a dynamic and innovative research team dedicated to advancing our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms and their role in human health and disease.
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| Postdoctoral Scholar in Neuroscience / Conte Center | Wish to manipulate new stress-sensitive projections? Discover how early-life stress/adversity impacts brain maturation? Postdoc in amazing South California? Join the team!
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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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| Did you know about these UCI-offered resources? | These three books are available to download and can be accessed via the UCI Libraries (must be on campus or using VPN): - Designing Science Presentations: A Visual Guide to Figures, Papers, Slides, Posters, and More, by Matt Carter, 2020
- The Physician Scientist’s Career Guide, by Mark J. Eisenberg, 2011
- The Essential MD-PhD Guide, by Eisenberg and Cox, 2021
UCI Apporto Virtual Computer Lab VCL (free)
- Apps available now: Stata, SPSS, Cran R, R Studio and Matlab
- Apps available soon: ArcGIS and Eviews
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| What kind of grant support does the Research Development Unit (RDU) provide? | |
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| NIH Training Grant Incentive Program | Training Grants (e.g., NIH T32) play a key role in supporting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and increases our ability to recruit the best among them. The School of Medicine Office of Research appreciates the time commitment required to prepare and direct training grants and has the Training Grant Incentive Program for first-time submissions of new or competing renewal applications. Read the guidelines on the intake form.
Also, the School of Medicine Research Development Unit supports the preparation of training grant proposals; email somrd@uci.edu to get started. View current UCI Training Grants. View active NIH T32 funding calls. |
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| Interested in submitting for an NIH multi-component grant? | If you are interested in submitting for an NIH multi-component grant, such as the P or U mechanism, please remember to reach out to Dr. Al La Spada, Associate Dean for Research Development (alaspada@uci.edu). He can guide you through the process and connect you with potential collaborators.
Also, remember that the Research Development Unit (RDU) provides project management support for these mechanisms. To request RDU services, submit this Grant Support Request intake form. There is also an incentive program for these submissions, with more details in this Incentive Program intake form. |
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| Are you considering applying for Limited Funding Opportunities? | | In most cases, interested applicants submit a pre-proposal to the Office of Research where a committee reviews all submissions and makes a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor for Research about which proposal should go forward from UCI. Limited opportunities are advertised on fundopp.uci.edu with a link to apply. However, if you do not see a limited opportunity listed, please contact the Research Development Unit. We can relay your application plans to the UCI Office of Research so they are aware of the number of interested PIs/units on campus and, if necessary, coordinate PIs or create a review process. |
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| Respiratory infection reminders | COVID-19, flu and RSV continue to circulate in the area at high levels. Some reminders: - Employees are encouraged to stay home when ill to help reduce the spread of infections.
- Employees, including student employees, are strongly encouraged to report cases of COVID-19 to Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services at contacttracing@uci.edu or 949-824-2300. CTVNS will follow up with a case investigation and employee close contact notifications.
- Free COVID-19 antigen tests continue to be available to employees at various locations on campus.
Free masks and N-95 respirators are also available to employees at various locations.
All employee-related information can be found at Human Resources Working Well webpage. For UCI Health updates, please visit UCI Health's COVID-19 page on SharePoint.
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