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Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series
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Robert C. Green, MD, MPH, Professor, Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Director, Genomes2People Research Program, Harvard Medical School
- Community Lecture - June 2, 7 to 8 p.m.: "Finally! Genomics is Delivering Massive Health and Longevity Benefits”
- Scientific Lecture - June 3, Noon to 1 p.m.: "Empirical Findings on the Path to Genomic Medicine in Newborns and Adults"
Learn more about the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
June 2–3
Location: The Beckman Center, Irvine, Calif. (June 2); UCI Medical Center, Building 54, Podlich Family Conference Center, Orange, Calif. (June 3)
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Sponsored Projects: Award Lifecycle, Effort Commitment, Clinical Trials, and the Evolving Federal Funding Landscape | Physician Scientist Collective 2025-26 Distinguished Speaker Series
NEW
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Representatives from UC Irvine's Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) office, led by Senior Director Jeff Warner, will present on committing effort to research projects, including requirements for specific funding opportunities. The session will also cover the full lifecycle of an extramurally sponsored award at UC Irvine, recent developments in the federal research funding landscape and their potential impact on the award lifecycle, and an overview of UC Irvine's extramural funding portfolio. A portion of the presentation will provide an overview of clinical research and trials at UC Irvine, highlighting the role of Sponsored Projects in supporting Principal Investigators conducting these activities.
Speakers: Jeff Warner, Senior Director; Tam Tran, Director, Clinical Research; Shabana Durrani, Principal Contract Lead – Clinical Trials; and Garrett Larsen, Principal Contract Lead – Clinical Trials
Friday, May 29, Noon to 1 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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NIH Fellowship Workshop
NEW
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The School of Medicine Research Development Unit is hosting a virtual workshop designed for trainees interested in applying for NIH fellowship funding opportunities, specifically the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral (F30, F31) and Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) awards. This session will highlight best practices for developing a competitive application, provide an overview of the application components, and offer an overview of application resources and support available through the School of Medicine. This workshop is ideal for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars considering NIH fellowship opportunities.
Tuesday, June 2, Noon to 1 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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Announcement of Upcoming System Enforcement of Common Forms and End of NIH’s Leniency Period
NEW
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NIH has announced that its leniency period for the required use of Common Forms (Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support, and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement) will end on May 7, 2026. Beginning May 8, 2026, system warnings will escalate to hard errors, blocking any application submission that does not use compliant Common Forms — affecting all application due dates as well as JIT, RPPR, and Prior Approval submissions. Researchers should ensure their ORCID iD is linked to both their SciENcv and eRA Commons accounts.
Researchers need to regenerate their Common Form PDFs if they were certified before April 22, 2026, and have not yet submitted for a due date on or after May 25, 2026. Read the notice.
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Upcoming NIH Grant Writing Workshop!
DEADLINE THIS WEEK
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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.
Thursday, May 28, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Lunch will be provided
Location: UC Irvine College of Health Sciences Building, Room 3130
Registration is limited. To apply, faculty, research staff and postdoctoral scholars must register by May 1, and submit a draft of their Specific Aims page.
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From Vigorous Kids to Rigorous Data: The Wild Ride of a Pediatric Lung Doctor | Physician Scientist Collective 2025-26 Distinguished Speaker Series
NEXT WEEK
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The talk will encompass how the search for optimal health effects of exercise in children and adolescents led to a career in translational science, clinical care and research, and unexpected discoveries … and a publication emanating from the "Harbor-UCLA Department of Pediatrics and the Division of Planetary Geochemistry of Caltech."
Speaker: Dan M. Cooper, MD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Associate Director, Institute for Clinical & Translational Science (ICTS), UC Irvine School of Medicine
Wednesday, May 6, Noon to 1 p.m.
Via Zoom
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Highlighting UC Irvine’s Shared Core Facilities for Researchers — Behavior Neuroscience Testing Core and Biobehavioral Shared Resource
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Join this webinar to learn about these two shared core facilities: The Behavior Neuroscience Testing Core and the Biobehavioral Shared Resource.
The UC Irvine Behavioral Testing Core (BTC) enables researchers to conduct high-quality preclinical research in neuroscience, psychology, pharmacology and related fields. Presenter: Brian Timmerman, PhD, Manager, Behavioral Testing Core (BTC)
The Biobehavioral Shared Resource (BBSR) is a dedicated support unit within the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center that provides consultation, methodological expertise, and hands-on assistance for behavioral and patient-reported outcomes research in cancer studies. There will also be an overview of the resources provided by the UC Irvine Center for Biomarker & Biobehavioral Research. Presenter: Michael Hoyt, PhD, Director of the Biobehavioral Shared Resource and the UC Irvine Center for Biomarker & Biobehavioral Research
Monday, May 11, Noon to 1 p.m.
Via Zoom
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School of Medicine Dean's Research Council Meeting
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School of Medicine Dean Michael J. Stamos, MD, and Associate Dean for Research Administration William E. Bunney, MD, invite you to attend this quarterly meeting featuring two distinguished research presentations:
Advancing Precision Genome Editors for the Next Era of Medicine, by Audrone Lapinaite, PhD, Assistant Professor, Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Biological Chemistry, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Repurposing FDA-approved, BDNF-enhancing Riluzole to Alleviate Cancer-related Cognitive Dysfunction, by Munjal M. Acharya, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor, Departments of Anatomy & Neurobiology and Radiation Oncology, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Thursday, May 12, 5 to 6 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 968 2620 4626 | Passcode: 109533
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Highlighting UC Irvine’s Shared Core Facilities for Researchers — Biostatistics Shared Resource and UC Irvine Center for Statistical Consulting
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Join this webinar to learn about these two shared core facilities: The Biostatistics Shared Resource and the UC Irvine Center for Statistical Consulting.
The Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) at the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center provides expert statistical support for cancer research across basic, translational and clinical studies. It ensures studies are rigorously designed, analyzed, interpreted and reported to high scientific standards. Speaker: Min Zhang, MD, PhD, Director of Biostatistics Shared Resource, UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
The UC Irvine Center for Statistical Consulting provides comprehensive statistical support and collaboration to researchers and the broader community. It assists with study design, data analysis, interpretation and effective communication of results. Its mission is to advance high-quality, data-driven research across disciplines. Speaker: Joni Ricks-Oddie, MPH, PhD, Director of the UCI Center for Statistical Consulting
Wednesday, May 20, Noon to 1 p.m.
Via Zoom
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UC Irvine Alpha Clinic IND / IDE Support
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The UC Irvine SCRC IND Office provides regulatory strategy and support for INDs and IDEs, from determining whether an IND or IDE is required through FDA meetings, submissions, maintenance, and close out, including NIH and CIRM-funded projects. Do you have questions about whether your project needs an IND or IDE, how to design an IND-enabling preclinical package, how to plan for FDA meetings, or how to manage sponsor-investigator responsibilities and safety reporting?
Investigators developing FDA-regulated clinical research, particularly those preparing NIH or CIRM preclinical or clinical applications, are encouraged to reach out early in the planning process to discuss regulatory strategy, timelines and available support. Brief exploratory questions are welcome.
For non-oncology IND/IDE or NIH/CIRM-related regulatory questions or to request a consultation, email SCRCIND@hs.uci.edu.
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Wei Li, PhD (Biological Chemistry, UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center member), has been named a Fellow of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB), one of the field’s highest honors. The ISCB Fellows program recognizes excellence in computational biology, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions through leadership, research and service. Dr. Li is an internationally recognized leader in computational genomics whose work has advanced both fundamental discovery in complex human diseases and clinical translation, including the development of clinically actionable biomarkers moving toward FDA approval. With more than 74,000 citations, an H-index of 105, and over a dozen former trainees now serving as independent faculty, his influence on both the science and the next generation of scientists is extraordinary. This recognition honors Dr. Li’s outstanding scientific leadership and underscores the growing impact of computational biology at UC Irvine School of Medicine.
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.
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| | Postdocs & Early Career Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award (Winn CDA)
The Winn Career Development Award (Winn CDA) provides $120,000 annually for two years, intended to cover a portion of the scholar’s salary — approximately 40% of their time — allowing them the protected space needed to fully engage in the program’s intensive training and research activities.
Deadline: May 4, 2026
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MAXIMUS T32 Training Program
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The goal of the MAXImizing Training in MUScle Research (MAXIMUS) T32 Training Program is to enable predoctoral students, postdocs and clinical fellows to become translational researchers who seek to understand muscle biology and decipher the mechanisms of its dysfunction in order to develop innovative strategies for effective diagnosis and treatment of muscular dystrophies. We emphasize highly collaborative multidisciplinary team science with exposure to both rigorous basic and clinical muscular dystrophy research. For the 2026 application cycle, we have openings for three graduate students and one postdoctoral/clinical fellow. Please visit our website for more information and application submission instructions. Questions should be directed to Asuka Eguchi.
Deadline: May 29, 2026
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| | All Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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Center of Excellence Impact of Cannabinoids Across the Lifespan (ICAL) 2026 Pilot GrantThe NIH-supported UCI Center of Excellence for studying the Impact of Cannabinoids Across the Lifespan (ICAL) includes a Pilot Grant Program with the goal of fostering independent and collaborative research on the influences of cannabinoid exposure during different life stages. The purpose of the Pilot Grant program is to capitalize on the research expertise within the UC Irvine community to integrate innovative ideas into ICAL research programs and to gain insight into age-specific effects of cannabinoid drugs on the brain and other organ systems. The center is accepting proposals for Basic Science pilot grants of up to $25,000 total costs for the funding period of 6/1/26 to 5/31/27. This funding opportunity is open to all UC Irvine faculty members (senate and non-senate) of all ranks. Deadline: May 1, 2026
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Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) Pilot Studies Award
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UC Irvine Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI) is pleased to announce a new call for the Pilot Studies Program. A minimum of two one-year awards in the amount of $25,000 will be conferred in this round.
Purpose: To encourage early exploration of research ideas that address growing health challenges and add to the evidence base of integrative health practices.
Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) must be full-time UC Irvine faculty from any school or discipline. Junior and mid-career faculty, as well as established investigators, pursuing novel research lines are encouraged to apply.
Eligible Projects: Integrative health research projects currently not funded and aimed at obtaining preliminary results for a full application for extramural funds will be given priority. Emphasis will be placed on innovation and transformative potential of submitted proposals. The content of proposals, while linked to applicants’ current research, should demonstrate a clear evolution towards novel, relevant and untested research areas.
Deadline: May 1, 2026
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ARPA-H Funding Opportunities
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Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP) seeks proposals in two main technical areas: microplastics measurements and understanding of biological mechanisms.
Solution Summary Deadline: May 6, 2026
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Limited: W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program Grants
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In reviewing proposals, the W.M. Keck Foundation program officers first ask, “What’s the new science?” Concept papers should provide a compelling argument that new knowledge discovery will result from the proposed project. The project should focus on answering a specific question and not be an open-ended investigation. Research may be in any STEM field.
Keck does not want projects that reflect the “next logical step” in your research; rather, they encourage out-of-the-box thinking. The foundation focuses on basic research enabling pioneering discoveries. They believe new technologies and methodologies are often required to ask hard questions or revisit old paradigms, but the technology cannot be the end goal – investigating a problem with the technology you develop should be the goal. For this reason, most grants involve collaborators from other labs and other fields.
Budget requests may be for up to $1.3 million and may be expended over 3 years. Interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary concept paper to the VCR’s office via UCI Review.
Deadline: May 18, 2026
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| Upcoming Seminars & Events |
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Department of Biological Chemistry BC Seminar Series
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Systems Biology of HSV-1 Infection Reveals Novel Viral and Host Effectors, by Nir Drayman, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, UC Irvine Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences
Wednesday, April 29, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
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Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar
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Virus-Induced Gene Misregulation in Human Diseases, by Matthew T. Weirauch, PhD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Wednesday, April 29, 4 p.m.
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and Via Zoom
Contact Katrina Pagadayunan to join via Zoom.
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Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar
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Tuning DNMT3A Dosage to Dissect Clonal Hematopoiesis, by Zachary Pope, Graduate Student, Byun Lab, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Thursday, April 30, 9 a.m.
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and Via Zoom
Contact Katrina Pagadayunan to join via Zoom.
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Seminar & Chalk Talk by Faculty Candidate for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics
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Faculty Candidate: Michael Kosicki, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Arc Institute
Seminar: Finding developmental disorder variants in a haystack of enhancers
Thursday, April 30, 11 a.m.
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
Chalk Talk: Massively parallel assessment of regulatory variant activity in vivo
Friday, May 1, 3 p.m.
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
Hosted by the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science.
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Stem Cell Research Center Seminar Series
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Defining Epigenetic Mediators in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation & Progression, by Christopher Pin, PhD, Professor, Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University, Canada
Friday, May 1, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT
Location: Sue Gross Auditorium, 854 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, CA 92617
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May the 4th Be With You!
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Join Eppendorf and USA Scientific for a table show outside Sprague Hall at UC Irvine. Stop by to learn more about their lab products.
Monday, May 4, 10 a.m. to Noon
Location: Outside Sprague Hall
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Experimental Pathology Research Conferences
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Investigating the Dualistic Roles of MAP4K3 in Driving Immunosuppression and Cancer Proliferation, by Brock Safi, Graduate Student, La Spada Lab, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Monday, May 4, 11 a.m. to Noon PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall, and Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 955 3602 9351 | Passcode: 998046
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Understanding the President's FY27 Budget Request
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McAllister & Quinn experts will provide insights on the FY27 President’s Budget Request, including major R&D federal agency budget updates and new programs and initiatives. The webinar will also examine the outlook for the midterm elections and implications for the remainder of the federal budget cycle.
Tuesday, May 5, 8 a.m.
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Department of Physiology & Biophysics Research in Progress Seminar
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|  Yiwei Gong
Graduate Student
|  Mariam Mohagheghi
Graduate Student
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Pancreatic Cancer-Driven Immune Remodeling in Human Organoid Models, by Mariam Mohagheghi, Graduate Student, Lisa Wagar, PhD, Lab, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Wednesday, May 6, 4 to 5 p.m.
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
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Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Seminar
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|  Bert Semler, PhD
|  Ming Tan, MD
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Pathogens and You: Measles, by Bert Semler, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UC Irvine School of Medicine, and Ming Tan, MD, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Thursday, May 7, 9 a.m.
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House, Room 166, and Via Zoom
Contact Katrina Pagadayunan to join via Zoom.
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NIH K Award Mock Study Section
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Looking to demystify NIH K Award Study Sections? Sign up for our K Award Mock Study Section today! Join the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science (ICTS) for an interactive NIH Mock Study Section for K Awards to provide hands-on experiential learning to K-level awardees looking to submit an NIH K award. Learn more.
Friday, May 8, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, 6th Floor Conference Room, Room CR 6110
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Seminar & Chalk Talk by Faculty Candidate for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics
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Faculty Candidate: Laurens van de Wiel, PhD, Dutch Research Council Rubicon Fellow, Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University
Seminar: Interpreting Genomic Variation Using Protein Structures and Evolutionary Information
Monday, May 11, 3 p.m.
Location: Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall
Chalk Talk: Interpreting Genomic Variation Using Protein Structures and Evolutionary Information
Tuesday, May 12, 3 p.m.
Location: Sprague Hall, Room 105
Hosted by the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science.
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Rady Children's Health and UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series
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Informatics and Pediatric Research, by Juan Espinoza, MD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics (Hospital-Based Medicine), Preventive Medicine (Biostatistics and Informatics), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Wednesday, May 13, Noon to 1 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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Physiology & Biophysics Seminar Series
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Multiscale Simulations of HIV-1 Maturation, by Alvin Yu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, UC Irvine School of Medicine Wednesday, May 13, 4 to 5 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Plumwood House / Showa Denko Lecture Hall and Via Zoom
Contact Claire Chen to join via Zoom.
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Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries Monthly Seminar Series
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Investigating the Moderators of the Stress Response: From Molecular Discovery To Translational Impact, by Elisabeth Binder, MD, PhD, Director, Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. Hosted by the UC Irvine Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries.
Wednesday, May 20, 10 to 11 a.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Thorp Conference Center (4001, Gross Hall), and Via Zoom
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Stata: Introduction to Psychometrics
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This free noontime workshop (75 minutes) provides an overview of Stata's extensive features for traditional and modern psychometrics. Topics include reliability, Cohen's kappa statistic, canonical correlation, Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analysis, factor rotations, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), contrasts and pairwise comparisons, structural equation modeling (SEM), item response theory (IRT), and latent class analysis (LCA). Instructor: Chuck Huber, PhD
Wednesday, May 20, Noon to 1:15 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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UCI SKIN: A Skin Biology Resource Center Distinguished Speaker Series
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When Skin Fails to Heal: Molecular Control of Human Skin Repair, by Marjana Tomic-Canic, PhD, Professor, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami. Hosted by the UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, May 22, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Hybrid event at Thorp Conference Center, 4001 Gross Hall, and Via Zoom
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Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - BTO Innovation Opportunity Fair
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This event for is for prospective proposers. The BTO Innovation Opportunity Fair’s aim is to familiarize participants with BTO’s mission and interest areas, facilitate discussions with potential proposers, increase efficiency of proposal preparation and evaluation, and foster new performer networking opportunities. The registration deadline is May 28 at 2 p.m. PT. Space is limited.
Friday, June 5, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. PT
Location: In-person at Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center, 7901 Tysons One Place, Tysons, VA 22102, and a virtual option via ZoomGov
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UC Irvine Center for Neural Circuit Mapping 2026 Conference: "Neural Circuits in Health & Disease
DEADLINE THIS WEEK
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Join the Center for Neural Circuit Mapping (CNCM) for their 2026 conference on “Neural Circuits in Health & Disease.” This conference will provide a platform to discuss and explore how neural circuits operate under normal conditions and in disease states — knowledge that is essential for developing innovative treatments for neurological disorders. Submit abstracts and register for the conference by May 1. Aug. 17–19, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Irvine Marriott, Irvine, CA |
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Postdoctoral Fellow - Neurological Clinical Informatics and Data Science Lab
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The Neurological Clinical Informatics and Data Science Lab led by Ali Ezzati, MD, is recruiting for a postdoctoral fellow to work on clinical research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The position involves large-scale data analysis, digital health, and translational research. Candidates with strong quantitative and clinical research backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Please reach out if interested or share with potential candidates.
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
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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?
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE RDU
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What kind of grant support does the RDU provide to Physician Scientists?
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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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