| | | Updates from the UCI Office of Research |
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| Important NIH Update: New Application Structure for International Collaborations (NOT-OD-25-155) |
| The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced significant changes to the application and award structure for grants involving international collaborations (NOT-OD-25-155). NIH published an article on Sept. 18, 2025, stating that “effective for due dates on or after Jan. 25, 2026, competing applications must be in response to a funding opportunity using a new grant type when requesting NIH funding for one or more foreign components.”
Key Changes
- New Activity Codes Required:
- The new structure will leverage NIH's multi-component or complex application package
- Applications with foreign components must now use PF5 (grants) or UF5 (cooperative agreements) activity codes
- International components will receive separate awards with RF2 or UL2 activity codes
- Application Requirements:
- Primary applicant organization must be domestic
- Leadership must include at least one PD/PI from UC Irvine and one from each international partner
- Applications must be submitted to NOFOs supporting the new complex mechanism activity codes
- Award Process:
- NIH will disaggregate funded applications, issuing separate awards to domestic and international organizations
- Each organization will be independently responsible for meeting their award terms and conditions
- Just-in-time documentation (IRB approvals, current/pending support) required from all organizations
ResourcesNIH is developing additional resources, FAQs, and training materials for these new activity codes. Sponsored Projects will distribute updates as they become available. Please reach out to Paul Lekutai at plekutai@uci.edu or Jeff Warner at warnerj@uci.edu if you have any questions. | |
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| ZOT IRB and ZOT hSCRO are Live! |
| | As of Sept. 15, 2025, ZOT IRB and ZOT hSCRO is live and has replaced Kuali Research Protocols ("KRP"). | |
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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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| Save the Date: 2026 Faculty Research Retreat |
| The 2026 School of Medicine Faculty Research Retreat will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m at Beall Applied Innovation. Registration and comprehensive information about the event will be available soon on the retreat website.
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| FAQ Available for NIH Policy on AI in Research and Limit of Six Applications Per Year |
| NIH released a notice that details their policy on AI in research and limits applications to six per calendar year. This policy is effective Sept. 25, 2025.
There is now an FAQ available that provides clarifications about this new policy. | |
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| Federal Agency Intelligence Guides Available |
| UC Irvine partners with McAllister & Quinn, a federal grant consulting firm. One of the resources the firm provides are federal agency guides. These guides provide comprehensive overviews of various federal agencies or funding mechanisms. Three guides are available for request: - NIH Agency Engagement Guide
- NIH R01 Intelligence Guide, and
- DOD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Program Intelligence Guide
Please do not distribute these guides. If you would like to share with a UCI colleague, please have them complete the request form. | |
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| Institute for Clinical & Translational Science Launches Membership |
| | The Institute for Clinical & Translational Science (ICTS) is proud to officially launch ICTS membership, a free membership program aimed at enhancing and accelerating clinical translational science. ICTS membership is now required to access their services and resources. Whether you’re a community member, early-stage investigator or well-established, ICTS membership can make an impact on your research and career. It’s FREE and easy to sign up! | |
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| Physician Scientist Collective Network Hosts Miguel Villalona, MD |
| Navigating Through Research and Administration in Academic Medicine: The Pursuit of a Dream, Decision Points and Reflections on the Paths Not Taken, by Miguel Villalona, MD, Professor and Chief, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine; Deputy Director, UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Thursday, Oct. 23, 4 to 5 p.m.
Via Zoom | | Back to top | | | |
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| Suhas Sureshchandra, PhD (Wagar lab, Physiology & Biophysics), received a NIH K99 titled, “Targeting T follicular helper cells for rejuvenating the aging germinal center.” The population of the world is aging. Age impacts the body’s response to vaccines by reducing the quality and quantity of antibodies which are the main way vaccines provide protection from infectious disease. This proposal will study how aging affects T follicular helper cells, the cells that support B cells in producing high-quality neutralizing antibodies, and test strategies to rejuvenate declining vaccine responses in older adults.
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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Pershing Square Foundation MIND Prize
Eligibility: Applicants must hold an MD, PhD or MD-PhD degree (or equivalent) and must have completed at least one but no more than eight years of independent research experience as tenure-track faculty (or equivalent) by May 2026
Letter of Intent Deadline: Sept. 29, 2025
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| Limited: 2026 Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant Program |
| The Brain Research Foundation (BRF) has invited UC Irvine to nominate one faculty member to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the 2026 Seed Grant Program.
Eligibility: The PI must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor working in the field of neuroscience, neurobiology, physiology, psychiatry, psychology, or related disciplines, proposing scientific projects with a focus on brain health and disease, including cancer.
Interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to the Office of Research via UCI Review.
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2025
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| Graduate or Postdoc Position - NINDS T32 Training Program in Epilepsy Research |
| Nominations are requested for an additional, unexpected position in the NINDS T32 Training Program in Epilepsy Research starting July 1, 2025. New appointments are for one year with potential to be reappointed for a second year. The training program supports both senior graduate students and new postdoctoral scholars.
Graduate student nominees must have completed at least two years of academic training by July 1, 2024 (i.e., beginning their third or fourth year of study). Postdocs should be in the first two years of training. Apply here.
Deadline: Oct. 3, 2025, 5 p.m. | |
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| NIH K12 Early-Career Scholar Award |
| The UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science (ICTS) has an open call for applications to the NIH-funded K12 award, intended to support early-career faculty for a period of mentored career development in preparation to transition to research independence or enable and expand the candidate’s potential to make significant contributions in the biomedical, behavioral and clinical translational sciences.
This award requires the candidate to hold a full-time junior faculty appointment above the clinical instructor level, and devote a minimum of 75% research effort of that appointment to the K12 program (50% for surgeon-scientists). Our goal is to increase the quantity and quality of exceptionally gifted clinical researchers and translational scientists throughout the training pipeline. Visit the ICTS website for further details and eligibility information. Apply here.
Deadline: Oct. 5, 2025
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| Limited: W. M. Keck Foundation Bridge Funding Initiative for PI/PhD student partnerships |
| The W. M. Keck Foundation has announced a one-time bridge funding program for up to six Faculty/PhD student pairs conducting research that fits within their focus on basic research that enables pioneering discoveries creating new knowledge. Funding is $200,000 over two years per partnership. Keck funds basic research in STEM fields.
Eligibility: PI is Assistant or Associate Professor as of January 2026 and student will be enrolled in PhD program for next two years (i.e., through January 2028).
Interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary concept paper to the Office of Research (OR) via UCI Review.
Deadline: Oct. 10, 2025
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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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UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center - Call for Developmental Grant ProposalsThe 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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| Advancing Technologies for Spatiotemporal Omics in Live Tissue |
| Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invite applications for two-year initial research projects that merge cutting-edge engineering with deep biological inquiry to illuminate the dynamic molecular landscape of health and disease, unlocking new frontiers in high-precision interventions. This RFA represents a strategic investment in transformative research with the potential to drive breakthroughs that significantly advance our health. Learn more about Advancing Technologies for Spatiotemporal Omics in Live Tissue.
Deadline: Nov. 13, 2025, 2 p.m. | |
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| Implementation of Synthetic Biology Principles in Immunology |
| Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invite applications for two-year initial research projects that harness synthetic biology to revolutionize our understanding and treatment of immune-related disorders. This RFA represents a strategic investment in transformative research that has the potential to yield breakthroughs with far-reaching impact on public health. Learn more about the Implementation of Synthetic Biology Principles in Immunology.
Deadline: Nov. 13, 2025, 2 p.m. | |
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| Forecasted NIH Opportunity: Biomedical Technology Optimization and Dissemination Center (BTOD) |
| The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Biomedical Technology Optimization and Dissemination Centers (BTOD) program supports optimization of late-stage technologies that have demonstrated laboratory feasibility. The centers will move the technologies to the point where they can be widely used and will promote their dissemination within the biomedical research community. NIGMS intends to reissue a Notice of Funding Opportunity to continue to support the BTOD Centers program. Learn more.
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| | | Upcoming Seminars & Events |
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| Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar |
| When RNA Processing Met Degradation, by Yongsheng Shi, PhD, Professor and Chancellor’s Fellow, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Thursday, Sept. 25, 9 a.m. PT
Location: Plumwood House, Room 166 | |
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| Join Scientist Solutions and UC Irvine School of Medicine for a life science vendor show. Lunch will be sponsored by the School of Medicine.
Friday, Sept. 26, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Grassy area between Sprague Hall and Gillespie Neuroscience
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| Early-career investigators! Advanced Workshop on Research Skills in Oncology |
| This NCI-funded intensive 3-day virtual workshop is designed to provide early-career principal investigators a foundation in these critical skills within a short period of time. Beginning with personal assessments, participants will learn how to use their specific strengths to lead more effectively, increase collaborations, and stay resilient in the face of challenges. The workshop will have two tracks to allow for more tailored content for clinical and basic science researchers in oncology. Learn more about the Advanced Workshop on Research Skills in Oncology.
Eligibility: Early-career principal investigators in all areas of oncology research who have career development awards or other research grants with at least $100,000 in total direct costs over the course of the award. Participants must have a doctoral degree.
Application Deadline: Sept. 28, 2025
Workshop Dates: Jan. 21–23, 2026 | |
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| Department of Biological Chemistry Special Seminar |
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Advancing Human Disease Research with Long-Read and Single-Cell Technologies, by Lan Lin, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
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| 2025 Third Annual Symposium for the Center for Neurotherapeutics: "Shifting Paradigms in Neurotherapeutics" |
| The 2025 Third Annual Symposium for the Center for Neurotherapeutics will feature speakers from across the country who will discuss different topics related to translational neuroscience research. Register for this FREE symposium by Friday, Sept. 26.
Friday, Oct. 3, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, Sue Gross Auditorium, 845 Health Sciences Quad, Irvine, CA 92697 | |
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| Science Day x Stem Cell Awareness Day |
| Join the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center for Science Day and Stem Cell Awareness Day! In collaboration with the UCI Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center, the Stem Cell Research Center is hosting a community outreach event for kids ages 5–18. They’ll have various science experiences designed for kids and tours of the Stem Cell Research Center. Register by Friday, Sept. 26, for a two-hour block of time. Volunteer opportunities available.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Sue & Bill Gross Hall, 845 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, CA 92617 | |
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| 10x Genomics Single Cell Data Analysis Workshop |
| In this workshop, you will be introduced to the single cell gene expression analysis journey. Learn more at the UCI Genomics Research & Technology Hub website. This event is free but registration is required.
Thursday, Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: UCI Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building (ISEB) - Room 1010
Morning Refreshments & Lunch Provided
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| UC Irvine Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome Research Seminar Series |
| From Development to Neurodegeneration: Biological, Environmental and Psychosocial Influences on Cognition in Down syndrome, by Christy Hom, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, UC Irvine School of Medicine. Hosted by the UC Irvine Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome (CFAR-DS).
Friday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Monthly on Mondays | Faculty Development Series |
| Personal Finance, presented by David Brownstone, PhD. Monthly on Mondays, presented by Nimisha K. Parekh, MD, and Brian Cummings, PhD, associate deans of faculty development, is a monthly seminar series covering a wide range of topics on faculty development.
Monday, Oct. 13, 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
Via Zoom | |
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| Effective Mentorship – Fall 2025 Short Course |
| Presented by the UC Irvine Office of Research, GPS-STEM, the Institute for Clinical & Translational Science, and the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, this course is for current PhD students and postdocs. Learn about aligning expectations, what it means to be a good mentor and developing a mentor philosophy.
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Lunch provided) & Tuesday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to Noon
*Both days required
Location: NatSci I – 1114 | |
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| Rady Children's Health and UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series |
| Personalized Research Methodologies That Enhance Pediatric Healthcare Outcomes, by Amir Rahmani, PhD, Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Centralive, Professor of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and Nursing, University of California, Irvine (UCI) and Associate Director, UCI Institute for Future Health (IFH)
Wednesday, Oct. 15, Noon to 1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
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| Physiology & Biophysics Seminar Series |
| Think Positively: Novel Mechanisms of Modulating Synaptic Plasticity and Pain, and Implications for Brain Disease, by Kevin T. Beier, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, UC Irvine School of Medicine Thursday, Oct. 16, 4 to 5 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House Lecture Hall and Via Zoom
Contact Claire Chen to join via Zoom.
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| Stem Cell Seminar Lecture Series |
| Mechanobiology of hiPSC Heart Muscle Cells, by Beth Pruitt, PhD, Professor and Mehrabian Chancellor’s Chair, Department of Bioengineering, UC Santa Barbara. Hosted by the UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center (4th Floor)
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| Third Annual Paolo Sassone-Corsi Lectureship | Michael Greenberg, PhD |
| How Nature and Nurture Conspire to Control Brain Development and Function, by Michael Greenberg, PhD, Nathan Marsh Pusey Professor of Neurobiology, Professor of Neurology, Director, Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research, Harvard Medical School
The Paolo Sassone-Corsi Lectureship is presented and organized by the Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism in honor of Paolo Sassone-Corsi's legacy in epigenetics and metabolism.
Monday, Oct. 20, 5 to 8 p.m.
Location: Sue Gross Auditorium, Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, 856 Health Sciences Quad, Irvine, CA 92697 | |
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| UCI SKIN: A Skin Biology Resource Center Distinguished Speaker Series |
| Mapping Stromal-Immune Communication in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, by Courtney Johnson, MD, PhD, Clinical Associate, Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Hosted by the UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Hybrid event at Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center (4th Floor) and Via Zoom
Contact Kristina Yan to join via Zoom.
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| ICTS K-Club Grant Writing Series |
| 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.
- Workshop 1: Introduction: Overview of the RFA and submission materials | Oct. 30, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
- Workshop 2: Assembling Your Application: Setting yourself up for a strong application and review | Nov. 6, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
- Workshop 3: Specific Aims, Career Development Plan & Mentor Qualification: Writing clear aims and assembling a qualified mentoring team | Nov. 13, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
- Workshop 4: K Award Panel Discussion: Q&A with current K Awardees about the grant process | Nov. 20, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Registration Deadline: Oct. 28, 2025
Location: UCI Campus, Hewitt Hall, Large Conference Room, Room 1042
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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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