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| NIGMS Informational Webinar: Overview of NIGMS Training, Research Education and Career Development Programs |
| This webinar provides an overview of the National Institute of General Medical Science’s training, fellowship, research education and career development funding opportunities. The session will also include breakout discussions focused on newly released Parent R25 and K12 funding opportunities. The webinar is intended for prospective applicants, faculty mentors, research administrators and trainees interested in NIGMS-supported workforce development programs.
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to Noon PT
Via Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 297 418 687 672 090 | Passcode: Jg2es2Qy | |
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| NIH Announces Updates to Career Development (K) Awards |
| Effective for due dates on or after Oct. 12, 2027, the NIH will implement several updates to its Career Development (K) Award programs (NOT-OD-26-098).
These changes are intended to streamline the K award funding process and clarify existing policies.
- Consolidating individual K notice of funding opportunities (NOFOs).
- Eliminating the requirement for data management and sharing (DMS) plans on Ks.
- Clarifying allowable uses of K award funds for clinical trial research activities.
Any active NOFO that uses the current K Activity Codes, except the K00, K12, K43 and K76 mentioned above, will expire by July 13, 2027.
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| How DARPA Supports University Research |
| Feedstocks to Frontiers: Advancing National Security Through the Biomanufacturing of Critical Materials, by William Mounfield, PhD, Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO). This event is hosted by the UC Irvine School of Physical Sciences. For questions, contact Sydney Prange.
Monday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m.
Location: ISEB 1010 | |
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| NIH Webinar: Understanding NIH's Unified Funding Strategy |
| The NIH has implemented steps toward a Unified Funding Strategy to support more consistent, transparent and flexible funding decisions across NIH Institutes and Centers. This webinar, which features Bruce Tromberg, PhD, Nora Volkow, MD, and other NIH leaders, provides an overview of the new funding strategy and discusses how NIH will consider scientific merit, peer review, NIH priorities, career stage, workforce sustainability and available resources when making funding decisions. Read the NIH announcement.
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| Call for Applications: School of Medicine Clinical Trialist Training Program |
| The UC Irvine School of Medicine Clinical Trialist Training Program is accepting applications for its next cohort. Applications are available on the website with a deadline of Sept. 15. Designed for physicians interested in clinical research, this two-year program provides coursework, mentorship and program support to help participants design, conduct and manage clinical trials.
Program Highlights:
- Mentorship from an experienced clinical trialist
- Participation in a structured clinical trials curriculum
- Program-supported professional development opportunities
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| Publish Your Profile on ScholarConnect |
| ScholarConnect, UC Irvine's new searchable database and set of profile websites for faculty and campus researchers, is launching campuswide this fall. ScholarConnect is an AI-powered platform that transforms faculty CVs into polished, searchable public profiles, making it easier for researchers, journalists and students to find the right expert.
Faculty can publish their own profiles. Log in at scholarconnect.uci.edu, review your profile, make any edits and click “Publish” to make it visible.
For questions or feedback, contact Roxane Silver, vice provost for Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning, or reach out to the ScholarConnect team at scholarconnect@uci.edu. Learn more about ScholarConnect in this article by the UC Irvine Office of Information Technology (OIT). | |
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| Monthly on Mondays | Faculty Development Series |
| Global Health Engagement Initiatives, presented by Rimal Bera, MD, Hao-Hua Wu, MD, and Theresa Chin, MD. Monthly on Mondays, presented by Nimisha Parekh and Brian Cummings, Senior Associate Deans of Faculty Development, is a monthly seminar series covering a wide range of topics on faculty development.
Monday, Sept. 14, 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
Via Zoom | | Back to top | | | |
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| Congratulations to Remi Buisson, PhD (Biological Chemistry), on receiving funding from the National Cancer Institute for the project, “Mechanisms and Functional Roles of PARP1 Hyperactivation in Cancer.” The project will investigate how abnormal PARP1 activation in response to DNA damage affects cancer cells and contributes to their sensitivity to PARP inhibitors, with the goal of informing more effective cancer treatment strategies.
Congratulations to Hannah Park, MS, PhD (Pathology), in collaboration with Nathan D. Wong, PhD (Medicine), on receiving an NIH R21 award for the project, “Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Missed Opportunities and Potential Disparities in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.” The project will use data from the All of Us Research Program to examine the prevalence, underdiagnosis, and undertreatment of familial hypercholesterolemia across diverse populations, with the goal of improving early diagnosis and cardiovascular disease prevention.
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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| 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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American Brain Foundation | 2027 Next Generation Research Grants
Deadline: Oct. 8, 2026 (for most programs) | |
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| The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program |
| The HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program supports exceptional postdoctoral scientists who demonstrate strong potential to become independent research leaders. Beginning with the 2028 competition, the program will be combined with the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program in a single competition, with applicants reviewed according to career stage.
Eligible applicants must hold a mentored postdoctoral research position at an HHMI-eligible institution and have no more than seven years of research experience following their doctoral degree as of Dec. 15, 2026; independent research positions are not eligible. Fellows receive up to two years of salary or stipend support, additional funds for certain fellowship-related expenses, personalized professional development, and guidance during the faculty search. Application opens Nov. 3, 2026.
Award Amount: Salary or stipend commensurate with experience plus yearly funds for certain expenses; up to two years of support
Deadline: Dec. 15, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. PT | |
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| | All Faculty Funding Opportunities | |
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UC Irvine NIAMS P30 Skin Biology Resource-Based Center Seed GrantsThe UC Irvine NIAMS P30 Skin Biology Resource-Based Center is inviting applications for three seed grants of up to $40,000 each to support new and innovative skin research projects within the NIAMS mission. The program is intended to help investigators generate preliminary data and advance projects to a stage where they are competitive for future extramural funding, particularly NIH support. Additional program and eligibility details, and application materials are available through the P30 Skin Center Seed Grant announcement and application site. Deadline: Sept. 14, 2026 | |
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| Collaborative Research Proposals in Applied Sciences with UC-UABC |
| Collaborative research proposals in applied sciences between the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) and the University of California. This funding enables the establishment of new UC–UABC collaborative research projects that can grow and continue with the support of institutional and extramural funds. Proposals should promote scientific knowledge and technological advances in at least one of the following thematic areas, and preference will be given to proposals that foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Advanced manufacturing
- Biomedical technologies
- Energy cooperation in the U.S.-Mexico border region
For questions or to request assistance in connecting UC applicants with potential partners at UABC, contact Anaid Linares Rojas, research engagement coordinator, UC Alianza MX.
Deadline: Sept. 28, 2026 | |
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| Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program |
| The HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program supports outstanding early-career tenured and tenure-track faculty, including physician-scientists, who demonstrate exceptional promise as scientific leaders and inclusive mentors. Scholars become HHMI employees while maintaining their academic appointments and laboratories at their host institutions and receive up to two five-year terms of support, contingent on a successful midpoint evaluation.
For the 2028 competition, applicants must hold or begin by May 1, 2028, a qualifying appointment at an HHMI-eligible institution and have no more than seven years of experience as a lab head or in any other independent post-training position as of Dec. 15, 2026. Application opens Nov. 3, 2026.
Deadline: Dec. 15, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. PT
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| | | Upcoming Seminars & Events |
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| UCI High-End Mass Spectrometry Facility Astral Workshop & Symposium |
| The UCI High-End Mass Spectrometry Facility (HMSF), a shared resource for the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, is pleased to invite you to the upcoming Astral Symposium & Workshop, featuring an exciting scientific program highlighting state-of-the-art Astral MS technology, its latest advances, and cutting-edge applications in biomedical research. Lunch will be provided for those who pre-register. For questions, contact Clinton Yu, PhD, HMSF manager.
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, Seminar Room 2200 | |
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| Stem Cell Seminar Lecture Series |
| Toward Immunosuppression-Free Transplantation, by Jessica Weaver, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University. Hosted by the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center (4th Floor)
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| NIH Loan Repayment Program Workshop |
| The UC Irvine Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) is hosting a webinar for post-doctoral scholars and early-career faculty preparing to submit applications for the 2026–27 cycle of the NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP). The LRPs are a set of programs established by Congress designed to assist health professionals with repaying their educational debt who have doctoral-level degrees and are conducting biomedical, clinical or behavioral research at a minimum of 50% effort. Applicants may be eligible for up to $50,000 of loan repayment per year to repay their educational debt.
Friday, Sept. 18, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom | |
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| UC Irvine 4th Annual Down Syndrome Showcase |
| Join this inspiring event featuring stage performances and art exhibits by children and adults with Down syndrome, alongside the latest research findings from UC Irvine students and faculty on factors impacting the health and well-being of people with Down syndrome. This event brings together UC Irvine scientists, clinicians, faculty, graduate students, research staff, and laboratories working across the field of Down syndrome to share research focused on improving the health and well-being of individuals with Down syndrome across the lifespan.
This event is presented by the UC Irvine Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome (CFAR-DS), the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), and in collaboration with the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County (DSAOC). Tickets are $18 for general admission. For questions, contact Diana Valencia.
Sunday, Sept. 20, 2 to 5 p.m.
Location: Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine, CA 92612 | |
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| Center for Neural Circuit Mapping Seminar |
| Engineering Therapeutic Delivery to the Brain and Beyond, by Nitin Joshi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Director of Basic Science Research, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Hosted by the UC Irvine Center for Neural Circuit Mapping.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, Room 2200 | |
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| Memorial for Stephen H. White, PhD |
| Friends and colleagues are invited to join together in celebrating the remarkable life and legacy of Stephen H. White, PhD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and former chair of the Department of Physiology & Biophysics. Family, friends and colleagues will come together to share memories and celebrate Steve and the profound difference he made in our lives at UC Irvine and beyond. A reception will follow. Please RSVP by Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Hybrid event at Tamkin Hall F110 and Via Zoom | |
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| Highlighting UC Irvine’s Shared Core Facilities for Researchers — The Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center |
| Join this webinar to learn about the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, a leading interdisciplinary hub advancing stem cell science and regenerative medicine. The center brings together experts from medicine, biological sciences, engineering, pharmacy, public health and the arts to drive innovation. Its mission is to accelerate cutting-edge research, training and the clinical translation of new therapies. Presented by: Allia Fawaz, Microscopy/Imaging Core Manager
Tuesday, Sept. 22, Noon to 1 p.m.
Via Zoom | |
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| Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries Monthly Seminar Series |
| Recent Advances in Reverse Translational Methods for Neuropsychiatric Medications Development, by Brian Kangas, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Director, Translational Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, McLean Hospital. Hosted by the UC Irvine Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries.
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 10 to 11 a.m. PT
Location: Thorp Conference Center (4001, Gross Hall) | |
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| Rady Children's Health and UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series |
| Mechanisms of Kidney Development and Stem Cell-Based Regenerative Therapies, by Stefano Da Sacco, PhD, Assistant Professor of Research Urology, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Thursday, Sept. 24, Noon to 1 p.m. PT
Via Zoom
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| Spatial Omic Data Analysis & AI Workshop |
| This workshop will offer a comprehensive overview of spatial omics workflows, unifying sequencing-based (e.g., Visium HD) and imaging-based spatial transcriptomics platforms (e.g., Xenium, Atera) and spatial proteomics platforms (e.g., COMET) under a robust, platform-independent data framework (SpatialData, SpatialExperiment). Instructors: Jenny Wu, PhD, Director of Bioinformatics, and Ivan Chang, PhD, Research Computing Specialist. Learn more about this workshop hosted by the UCI Genomics Research & Technology Hub.
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Sprague Hall, Room 105 | |
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| Center for Neural Circuit Mapping Seminar |
| Subiculum and the Generation of Integrated Forms of Location and Orientation Tuning, by Douglas A. Nitz, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego. Hosted by the UC Irvine Center for Neural Circuit Mapping.
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, Room 2200 | |
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| Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology Dissertation Defense |
| Neural Circuit Reorganization and Functional Plasticity Following Traumatic Brain Injury, by Alexa Tierno, Graduate Student, Hunt Lab, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, UC Irvine School of Medicine
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2 p.m. PT
Location: Hybrid event at Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, Room 2200, and Via Zoom | |
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| Stem Cell Seminar Lecture Series |
| Matrix Mechanobiology Regulates Pro-fibrotic Cardiac Fibroblast Activation, by Adam Engler, PhD, Professor & Chair, Chen-Lay Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego. Hosted by the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.
Friday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Gross Hall, Thorp Conference Center (4th Floor)
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| Effective Mentorship Program 2026 |
| Are you looking to enhance your mentoring skills and build stronger, more productive mentor-mentee relationships? In the competitive world of research, great mentoring is the ultimate catalyst for success. This 7-session effective mentoring course equips you with the practical tools and best practices needed to foster independent, highly productive and satisfied mentees. This fall course is designed for PhD students & postdocs who currently mentor or plan to mentor in the future.
Tuesdays, Oct. 6–Nov. 17, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Nat Sci I – 1114 | |
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| 2026 Fourth Annual Symposium for the Center for Neurotherapeutics: "Novel Targets and Technologies in Neurotherapeutics" |
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The 2026 Fourth Annual Symposium for the Center for Neurotherapeutics will feature speakers from across the country who will speak on different topics as they relate to translational neuroscience research. Register for this FREE symposium by Friday, Oct. 2.
Friday, Oct. 9, 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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| ICTS 2026 Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop |
| UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science (ICTS) offers a two-day intensive Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training annually every fall for any scholar or trainee needing to complete NIH RCR requirements for a grant application or other training needs. This two-day training satisfies all competencies and criteria developed by NIH and expands the depth in which trainees and scholars are exposed to RCR. This course is open to all campuswide trainees, scholars and researchers, and is held in-person only.
Fridays, Oct. 9 & 16, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Gross Hall, 4th Floor Thorp Conference Room, 845 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, CA 92697 | |
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| Focused Flexible Accelerated Studies (FFASt) Workshop |
| Accelerating Clinical Science with AI and Coding Agents, an interactive FFASt workshop led by Peter Chang, MD, Associate Professor of Radiological Sciences and Director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence Research and the Institute for Precision Health. Hosted by the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical & Translational Science and the School of Medicine Physician Scientist Collective.
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 3 to 5 p.m.
Location: Sue Gross Auditorium, Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences Building, UCI Main Campus, 865 Health Science Road, Irvine, CA 92697 | |
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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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| New Funding Opportunities and Topic Ideas |
| Check these resources often for the latest from NIH:
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| Sign up for the Office of Research Listserv & Keep Updated |
| | To keep up to date with the latest updates from the Office of Research amidst all of the federal funding changes, be sure to subscribe to the CG-News listserv. You can sign up by sending a blank email to: cg-news+subscribe@uci.edu. Also, bookmark the Office of Research Impact of Federal Executive Orders and Directives on Federal Grants and Contracts. | |
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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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