July 21, 2018
UCR Research and Economic Development Newsletter
Gillian Wilson
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
Grant Opportunity Search: http://pivot.cos.com
In this Newsletter
  • Message from Gillian
  • DARPA Young Faculty Award Proposers Day - August 8, 2018
  • UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative RFP - LoI deadline August 15th
  • NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program & Incentives - RED review deadline August 13th
  • Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of Genomics Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21) - deadlines vary
  • Universities Research Association's (URA) Visiting Scholar Program - applications due August 27th
  • California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM) - LoI deadline July 27th
  • Limited Submission: Sloan Research Fellowships - internal deadline August 7th
  • Mars - Ongoing Huge Dust Storm and Public Viewing of Mars on July 31st
Message from Gillian
As announced in the last newsletter, Michael Pazzani is on research sabbatical until October 1st. I will be filling in for him again until then. I hope everyone is having a relaxing and productive summer!
DARPA Young Faculty Award Proposers Day
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is sponsoring a Proposers Day to provide information to potential proposers on the objectives of an anticipated Research Announcement (RA) for the Young Faculty Award (YFA) program.

The Proposers Day will be held on August 8, 2018 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern). The event will be held via a webcast only.

Advance registration is required for viewing the webcast.

Additional information regarding this SN can be found at the link below. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-SN-18-64/listing.html

For specific questions regarding this SN, please send email to YFA2019@darpa.mil .
UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI) RFP
Did you know that UC has a Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI) which commits to emitting  net  z ero greenhouse gases from its buildings and vehicle fleet by 2025?

A new RFP for CNI funding has been released and is available here

See also

If you are interested in proposing please contact UCR’s Faculty Director of Sustainability Matt Barth (barth@ucr.edu) who can help.

Letter of Intent Deadline: August 15, 2018
NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program & Incentives
RED is going to offer mock review of NIH New Innovator proposals again this year. If you are planning to apply for an NIH New Innovator and if you finish a complete draft and mail to vcredadmin@ucr.edu by midnight on Monday August 13th, we'll review it and get you feedback by August 27th. Also RED will send you $1000 in a research fund as incentive for finishing early.


The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2) supports a small number of early stage investigators of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research. The NIH Director's New Innovator Award complements ongoing efforts by NIH and its Institutes and Centers to fund early stage investigators through R01 grants.

An early stage investigator has not competed successfully for a significant NIH independent research award and is within 10 years of completing his/her terminal research degree or is within 10 years of completing medical residency (or the equivalent).

New investigators may have exceptionally innovative research ideas, but not the preliminary data required to fare well in the traditional NIH peer review system. As part of NIH's commitment to increasing opportunities for new scientists, it has created the NIH Director's New Innovator Award to support exceptionally creative new investigators who propose highly innovative research projects that have the potential for unusually high impact. This award complements ongoing efforts by NIH and its Institutes and Centers to fund new investigators through R01 grants and other mechanisms.

The NIH Director's New Innovator Award is different from traditional NIH grants in several ways. It is designed specifically to support unusually creative investigators with highly innovative research ideas at an early stage of their career when they may lack the preliminary data required for an R01 grant application. The emphasis is on innovation and creativity; preliminary data are not required, but may be included. No detailed, annual budget is requested in the application. The review process emphasizes the individual’s creativity, the innovativeness of the research approaches, and the potential of the project, if successful, to have a significant impact on an important biomedical or behavioral research problem.

The research proposed for a NIH Director's New Innovator Award may be in any scientific area relevant to the mission of NIH (biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences). Investigators who were not selected for an award in prior years may submit applications this year as long as they retain their ESI (early stage investigator) eligibility; however, all applications must be submitted as “new” applications regardless of any previous submission to the program.

Awards will be up to $1.5 million of direct costs ($300,000 per year over five years).
Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of Genomics Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21)
Overview: What are the the ethical, legal and societal implications (ELSI) of Human Genome Research?
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) are increasingly aware of the need for multidisciplinary expertize, and provide funding for scholars from a wide range of disciplines to help interpret the barrage of new data and its implications for our society through programs like the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research Program (R21) described below. This is an excellent opportunity for UCR faculty, especially those from CHASS and SPP to get engaged!

Synopsis: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of human genome research. These applications should propose single or mixed methods studies that break new ground, extend previous discoveries in new directions or develop preliminary data in preparation for larger studies. Of particular interest are studies that explore the implications of new or emerging genomic technologies or novel uses of genomic information.

Continuing advances in genomic technology coupled with lowered sequencing costs have rapidly increased the numbers of people being sequenced, and are transforming biomedical research. As knowledge of relationships between genetic variation and human diseases and traits proliferates, the distinctions between basic and clinical genomic research blur, and new findings are altering the practice of medicine. Meanwhile information technologies - including personal mobile devices, patient health portals, electronic health records, and cloud storage – are influencing the ways an individual’s genomic data are stored, analyzed, shared, and used in commercial, biomedical and non-medical settings. Taken together these developments may have profound effects on many long-standing societal beliefs and norms. The purpose of this FOA is to solicit exploratory or developmental research applications that identify, analyze, and address the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of these genetic and genomic advances for individuals, families, communities and society more broadly. 

To address the broad scope and reach of genomic advances in society, applications are invited from investigators representing a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to ethics, genetics and genomics, clinical medicine, law, health services research, public health, bioinformatics and health information sciences, behavioral and social sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, communication science) and the humanities (e.g., history, religion, philosophy, literature). 

Applications may propose multi-disciplinary studies using either single or mixed methods.  Proposed methods may include but are not limited to data-generating qualitative and quantitative approaches, legal, economic and normative analyses, and other types of analytical and conceptual research methodologies, such as those involving the direct engagement of stakeholders.

Applications to this FOA should propose exploratory or developmental studies that can be accomplished in two years.  Often these applications perform pilot or feasibility studies or are used to generate data in preparation for a larger study

For very small projects, such as those involving single investigators, applicants may wish to consider PA-17-445, the ELSI Small Grant (R03) FOA, which provides a total of up to $50,000 in direct costs a year for two years. For larger multi-disciplinary studies that are building on preliminary data and require funding beyond two years, applicants may wish to consider PA-17-444, the ELSI Research Project Grant (R01) FOA, which provides funding for up to five years.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact ELSI Scientific/Research contacts prior to developing an application.

Areas of Research Interest
The specific areas of research interest targeted through this FOA fall roughly into the following broad domains. Examples of specific topics appropriate for exploration in each of these domains can be found on the ELSI Research Priorities website at: https://www.genome.gov/27543732.

Genomic Research. These projects may examine and address the ethical, legal, social and policy issues that arise in connection with the design and conduct of genetic and genomic research. Research areas of particular interest include:
  • Boundaries Between Research and Clinical Care
  • Data Stewardship and Sharing 
  • Inclusion of Diverse Populations in Research
  • Informed Consent
  • Legal and Regulatory Issues in Genomic Research 
  • Participant Rights and Engagement
  • Re-identification, Security and Data Privacy
  • Return of Genomic Research Results and Secondary Findings

Genomic Health Care. These projects may examine and address the ethical, legal, social and policy issues that arise in connection with the translation of genetic and genomic research into clinical practice and health care. Research areas of particular interest include:
  • Clinical and Personal Utility of Genomic Health Information
  • Economics of Genomic Medicine
  • Genomic Medicine and Health Disparities
  • Genomic Medicine in Diverse Healthcare Settings
  • Genomics and Public Health
  • Legal and Regulatory Issues in Genomic Health Care
  • Precision Medicine and Genomics
  • Return, Communication and Use of Genomic Test Results and Secondary Findings
  • Rights and Responsibilities of Patients and Providers

Broader Legal, Policy and Societal Issues. These projects may examine and address a range of broader legal, policy and bioethical and societal issues raised by the use of genetic and genomic technologies and information in research, clinical or non-medical settings. Research areas of particular interest include:
  • Citizen Science & Consumer Genetics
  • Downstream Implications of Emerging Genomic Technologies
  • Genetic Determinism and its Effects on Attitudes, Behaviors and Policy
  • Genomic Equity and Social Justice
  • Genomics and Conceptions of Human Identity and Origins
  • Genomics and Shifting Societal Definitions and Norms
  • Non-Medical Uses of Genomic Information
  • The Role of Genetic Exceptionalism in Policy Development


Universities Research Association's (URA) Visiting Scholar Program
The Universities Research Association’s (URA) Visiting Scholars Program has released its Announcement of Opportunity for the fall 2018 awards cycle . Proposals for this cycle are due Monday, August 27, 2018 and awards are anticipated to be announced at the end of September.
 
Applications must be submitted on-line at the URA Visiting Scholars Program website. To register, please go to the VSP site: http://www.ura-hq.org/vsp/wp-login.php?action=register          
 
Individual proposals may be submitted by researchers who are faculty, postdocs, or graduate students at URA member universities (UCR qualifies). Researchers are defined as graduate students, postdocs, or faculty doing research in areas such as high energy physics experiments, astrophysics, theory, accelerator physics, materials science, computer science , engineering, and accelerator R&D , related to the Fermilab mission. Applicants must be employed by or, in the case of graduate students, enrolled at URA member institutions during the course of the award.
 
The full text of the announcement is indicated below and you are invited to visit the program website for additional information: http://www.ura-hq.org/awards/visiting-scholars-program/           
California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM)
Overview: In 2015, the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM) was established by the State of California to help coordinate public, private, and non-profit partners to advance precision medicine approaches and foster the creation of new technologies and therapies that can improve the health of diverse populations. CIAPM recently released another Request for Proposals (RFP)

For this RFP, up to $9 million will be provided by the state for two to four proof-of-principle demonstration projects with the aim to improve access to precision medicine cancer care approaches, for patient populations that suffer from cancer health disparities, through collaborations between academic, community, and nonprofit and private partners. Within the available funds, approximately $1.5 million to $2 million will be available to awarded demonstration projects to examine and potentially select and use a common data-sharing platform.

Projects should be co-hosted by at least one public, private academic or non-profit institution in California and at least one community or county institution in California that provides cancer treatment for patient populations that suffer from cancer health disparities. These entities will also rely on contributions from other non-profit or for-profit organizations in the community as well as industry partners.

Demonstration projects will be selected through a three-stage process involving
(1) submission of letters of intent to submit concept proposals;
(2) submission of concept proposals; and
(3) submission of full proposals, based on selected concept proposals, from which the final selection of awards will be made. After the Selection Committee makes its recommendations on awards,

CIAPM will work with awardees to develop concrete metrics and goals to track the progress of the demonstration projects, examine and potentially select a common data-sharing platform, and enter into contracts with the agency providing oversight.
 
Deadlines and other CIAPM RFP 2018 information:
 
Request for Proposals Announced - July 2, 2018
Letter of Intent to Submit a Proposal Due - July 27, 2018
Concept Proposals Deadline - August 15, 2018
Notification of Finalists - September 10-17, 2018
Full Proposal   Deadline - October 12, 2018
Awardees Announced - November 19-30, 2018
Projects Commence - January 2019

Sloan Research Fellowships (Limited Submission by Department)
Sloan Research Fellowships are prestigious national fellowship available to early-career faculty in select fields. To be eligible, candidates must be nominated by a department head or other senior researcher. No more than three candidates may be nominated from any one department. More details are below.
If you are a potential Fellow please do not be shy in seeking nomination from your Chair!

Recent UCR Fellows are Sandra Kirtland Turner (Earth Sciences), Ming Lee Tang (Chemistry) and Naveen Reddy (Physics and Astronomy).

Internal Deadline: 8/7/18
Agency (Nomination) Deadline: 9/17/18
Number of Submissions Allowed: 3

The Sloan Research Fellowships seek to stimulate fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise.

These two-year fellowships are awarded yearly to 126 researchers in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field. The 2018 Sloan Research Fellows will receive fellowships in the amount of $65,000.

Successful candidates for a Sloan Research Fellowship generally have a strong record of significant independent research accomplishments that demonstrate creativity and the potential to become future leaders in the scientific community. Nominated candidates are normally below the rank of associate professor and do not hold tenure, but these are not strict requirements.

In keeping with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's longstanding support of underrepresented minorities in the sciences, the Foundation strongly encourages the nomination of qualified women and minority candidates.

Eligibility Requirements
  • Candidates must hold a tenure track (or equivalent) position at a college, university, or other degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada. Tenure track faculty positions at the candidate's institution must include a yearly teaching requirement.
  • Candidates must hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in chemistry, computational or evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, ocean sciences, physics, or a related field;
  • Candidates' most recent Ph.D. (or equivalent) must have been awarded on or after September 1, 2012. Exceptions may apply. See footnote** below.

**The Selection Committees may make exceptions for candidates who were awarded their Ph.D. prior to September 1, 2012 if their careers were disrupted due to military service, child-rearing, or a change of field. The Committees may also make exceptions for candidates who are currently serving in their first faculty position and who were appointed to that position on or after September 1, 2016.
Mars
There is a huge dust storm currently raging on Mars. Images taken in May (left), and earlier this month (right), reveal that the the entire planet has become engulfed.

Coincidentally, there will be a public telescope viewing of Mars at the Bell Tower on the evening of Tuesday July 31st hosted by UCR astronomers to take advantage of the fact that Mars is much closer and brighter than usual right now. Full details are here

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS