April 2, 2024
Newsletter Sections

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Announcements
Good News!
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Seminars & Events
Open Research Positions
Research Resources
 
Announcements
 
Congratulations to the School of Medicine New Investigator Faculty Research Grant Awardees!
The overall goal of this funding mechanism is to help early-stage investigators in the School of Medicine obtain extramural funding and to promote collaborative interdisciplinary research. Applications are evaluated based on the potential for positive impact on future extramural funding. Interdisciplinary research is encouraged and this competition is released annually. 
Read more about the faculty research grant awardees.
 
Physician Scientist Collective: Distinguished Speaker Series
Hosted by the School of Medicine Office of Research, the Physician Scientist Collective Distinguished Speaker Series features speakers from diverse medical fields across national academic institutions who share their experiences and insights on physician scientist careers. Join us this Thursday for this exciting talk with Dr. Maryam Asgari. 
 
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


Register
 
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
 
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
 
Monthly on Mondays | Faculty Development Series 
Merits and Promotions for Senate Faculty, presented by Kyoko Yokomori, PhD, and Brian Cummings, PhDMonthly 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 


Register
 
Register for an NIH Grant Writing Workshop!
The School of Medicine Office of Research is hosting a full-day, in-person workshop, “Planning and Writing Successful NIH Proposals” hosted by Dr. Jon-Michael Knapp of Luminint Consulting Group. The workshop will offer valuable insights into the grant application process, covering topics from developing a project plan to reviewing proposal feedback.  

Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: UCI School of Medicine, Irvine campus 


Registration is limited. To participate, faculty, research staff and postdoctoral scholars must register by Wednesday, May 1, by completing this form and submitting a draft of their specific aims page.
 
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. 
 
Request for Information (RFI) Opportunity from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
This RFI solicitation seeks to gather insights, ideas and recommendations from UC and CSU staff, faculty and researchers on how to strengthen the collaboration between California State government agencies, and the UC and CSU systems.

The main objectives of this RFI include:
  • Understand current incentives, opportunities and barriers for active collaboration between the California State government and the UC/CSU system (research and non-research projects).
  • Identify specific methods, tools and strategies to activate and promote collaboration.
  • Determine which entities within the UC/CSU systems, including the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), can facilitate the partnerships and how.
Read the RFI.

RFI Receipt Deadline: Friday, April 19, 2024
 
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Good News!
 
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.

Geoff Abbott, PhD (Physiology & Biophysics) received an NIGMS R35 grant titled, “Ion Channel-Transporter interactions.” The award will fund mechanistic studies of ion channels and solute transporters, their interactions forming novel signaling hubs, and their therapeutic modulation by small molecules including plant metabolites and synthetic compounds.

Caryn Bradley, PhD, and Muhammed Aslam, MD (Pediatrics), received an NSF Phase 2 SBIR grant titled, “An Integrated Biomedical Platform and Custom Algorithm to Optimize Feeding Protocols for Preterm Infants.” 

 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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Funding Opportunities
 
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.

Postdocs & Early Career Faculty Funding Opportunities
 
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.
 
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
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 a webinar on Wednesday, April 10, 10-11 a.m. Register here

Letter of Intent deadline: Thursday, May 16, 2024, noon
 
New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-24-160)
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to encourage multidisciplinary investigators to develop new approaches or apply existing approaches in novel ways to measure brain activity, connectivity, genomics, or other aspects across the age spectrum of neurodevelopment. The overarching goal is to extend our understanding of brain development and aging, including studies of the neurodevelopmental origins of later health and disease. Read the funding opportunity

Earliest available deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Expiration date: May 8, 2027

 
NIH Director's Transformative Research Awards (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-RM-24-004)
The NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award supports individual scientists or groups of scientists proposing bold, groundbreaking, exceptionally innovative, original, and/or unconventional research with the potential to create new scientific paradigms, establish entirely new and improved clinical approaches, or develop transformative technologies. Read the funding opportunity.

Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024
 
NIH Director's Pioneer Award Program (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-RM-24-002)
The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program supports individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative research projects with the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important areas relevant to the mission of NIH. To be considered pioneering, the proposed research must reflect substantially different scientific directions from those already being pursued in the investigator’s research program or elsewhere. Read the funding opportunity.

Deadline: Monday, Sept. 9, 2024
 
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Upcoming Seminars & Events
 
Department of Biological Chemistry BC Seminar Series
Discovering a novel function for a key mediator of inflammasome signaling, by Reginald McNulty, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, UCI School of Biological Sciences

Wednesday, April 3, 11 a.m. to noon  
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall


 
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. 

Thursday, April 4, 2:50 to 3:20 p.m. 
Location: Sprague Hall, Conference Room 105


 
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. 

Thursday, April 4, 3:20 to 3:50 p.m. 
Location: Sprague Hall, Conference Room 105


 
AI in Pathology Seminar
Introduction: AI & Pathology, by Jana Lipkova, PhD, assistant professor, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and William Yong, MD, professor, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

This biweekly seminar hosted by the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine is held every second Friday at 2 to 3 p.m. PT and is dedicated to everyone interested in artificial intelligence, pathology, medicine and beyond.

Friday, April 5, 2 to 3 p.m. PT 
Via Zoom
 

Register
 
Department of Biological Chemistry BC Seminar Series
How fat talks – The role of lipids in cancer and metabolic disease, by Maria Rohm, PhD, Group Leader, Head of “Tissue Crosstalk” Division, Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Munich, Germany

Monday, April 8, 3 to 4 p.m.  
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall


 
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


Register
 
Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar Series 
Barcodes, bottlenecks and influenza A virus population dynamics, by Anice LowenPhD, professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine

Wednesday, April 10, 4 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and via Zoom

Contact Shanti Iyer to join via Zoom. 
 
Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Thursday Seminar Series 
Pathogens & You: Syphilis, by Catherine Diamond, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infection Diseases, and Alan Barbour, MD, distinguished professor, Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UCI School of Medicine

Thursday, April 11, 9 a.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Tamkin Hall, Room F114, and via Zoom

Contact Shanti Iyer to join via Zoom. 
 
Anatomy & Neurobiology Seminar Series 2024
Constructing Emotional Representations in the Brain, by Joshua Johansen, PhD, team leader, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, University of Tokyo. Hosted by the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology.  

Thursday, April 11, 11 a.m. PT
Location: Plumwood Room 166


 
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.

Register
 
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. 


Register
 
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)


Register
 
Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar Series 
Breaking the Clock: Post-translational Regulation of Chlamydial Development, by Scot OuelettePhD, professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center 

Wednesday, April 24, 4 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall, and via Zoom

Contact Shanti Iyer to join via Zoom. 
 
UCI Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome (CFAR-DS) Research Seminar Series
Using mouse genetics to understand Down syndrome, by Elizabeth FisherPhD, professor of neurogenetics, Institute of Neurology in Queens Square, University College London. Hosted by the UCI Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome (CFAR-DS).  

Friday, April 26, 11 a.m. PT 
Via Zoom 


Register
 
Grand Rounds and CME Symposia
For Continuing Medical Education (CME) opportunities, view the weekly Grand Rounds & CME Symposia email.
 
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Open Research Positions
 
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 
 
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
 
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.

PI: Ivan Marazzi, PhD 
Contact Dr. Marazzi if interested. View the posting in AP Recruit
Closing Date: Sunday, June 30, 2024 

 
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!

PI: Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD
View the posting in AP Recruit
 
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.

Submit Form
 
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Research Resources
 
How Grant Success Rates Do (Or Do Not) Track With the NIH Budget: A Model of Funding Dynamics
From 2014 to 2018, the NIH budget increased every year, and yet, the Research Project Grant (RPG) success rate remained relatively constant at ~20%. From 2003 to 2006, the NIH budget remained relatively flat, yet the success rate decreased dramatically from 30% to 20%. Why don’t success rates neatly track the NIH budget? Read more
 
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): UCI Apporto Virtual Computer Lab VCL (free)
  • Apps available now: Stata, SPSS, Cran R, R Studio and Matlab
  • Apps available soon: ArcGIS and Eviews  
 
What kind of grant support does the Research Development Unit (RDU) provide?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Intramural & Foundation Funding Opportunities Lists
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, please do not hesitate to email at somrd@hs.uci.edu.
 
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COVID-19 Information
 
Respiratory infection 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.
  • Free COVID-19 antigen tests continue to be available to employees at various locations on campus.
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.
Contribute to Research Insider!
 
Submit your funding opportunities and events to next week's email here: Seminar/Event or Funding Opportunity.

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