Research News
MEDICAL SCHOOL OFFICE OF RESEARCH
November 2016

 
EVENTS 

Monday, November 21 - Tuesday, November 22
Michigan League


Friday, December 9
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
BSRB Seminar Rooms

Friday, December 16
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
BSRB Seminar Rooms

RESEARCH NEWS 

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IN THIS ISSUE 
 Funding
    • Training & Professional Development
     Announcements
    • FundingOpps
    Select Research Funding &
    Award Opportunities
    Pilot Grants
    Award
    Deadline
    Friday, December 16

    External Limited Submissions

    Bridging Support
    Award
    Deadline
    BMRC Bridging Support for Biomedical Research
    Tuesday,
    December 15

    Other Opportunities
    Award
    Deadline
    Monday,
    December 5
    Monday,
    December 5
    Saturday,
    February 4, 2017

    Featured Foundation Grants

    Visit the UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations website for more foundation funding opportunities.

    For additional details about funding resources, please visit the
    U-M Library's     Research Funding & Grants Guide . 
    training.twoevents
    Two Events Tomorrow! 
    Special Seminar on Aging and Metabolism & Translational
    Research Town Hall
    Jay Chung, M.D., Ph.D., is Senior Investigator with the National Heart and Blood Institute. Dr. Chung will speak on, "DNA-PK Drives Metabolic and Physical Decline in Older Age" on Friday, November 11. 

    Jay Chung led a large-scale collaborative effort involving seven institutions (including the University of Michigan) that has advanced understanding of molecular events that negatively impact weight gain and reduced physical fitness with aging. Conclusions were drawn from results in mice, monkeys, and rats. It was found that DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a mediator of the aging-associated decline in metabolism and fitness. Aging increas es DNA-PK activity, decreasing the ability of HSP90α to chaperone clients such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Inhibiting DNA-PK either genetically or with a small molecule inhibitor (NU7441) prevents the weight gain, decline of mitochondrial function, and physical fitness in middle age mice, and protects against type-2 diabetes in obese mice. It is concluded that DNA-PK acti vates a metabolic brake which makes staying lean and physically fit more difficult at older age and increases susceptibility to metabolic diseases. 

    Special Seminar with Dr. Chung
    Aging and Metabolism
    Friday, November 11
    10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    BSRB, Kahn Auditorium

    This event will be hosted by Steven Britton and Marschall Runge, and is sponsored by: U-M Department of Internal Medicine; U-M Department of Anesthesiology; U-M Molecular and Integrative Physiology; and the School of Kinesiology. 

    Questions? Contact Steve Britton .



    George Mashour, M.D., Ph.D., will lead the Town Hall on the topic of translational research at U-M and the many resources available to research teams across campus. A light breakfast will be served at 7:30 AM and the lecture/discussion will be from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM in the Ford Auditorium at the University Hospital.

    Friday, November 11
    7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
    Ford Auditorium

    Join MICHR to discuss the state of translational research and learn about the many services and resources available to research teams across U-M. 

    Questions? Contact MICHR. 
    training.midas
    MIDAS Symposium Brings Top-Level Data Scientists to Campus
    Attend the annual symposium on November 15 and November 16
    Join Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS) for their annual symposium, Big Data: Advancing Science, Changing the World, on November 15 - 16. 

    The symposium will feature preeminent data scientists from around the world, and will highlight U-M researchers whose work is on the leading edge of innovation and discovery in data-intensive science. Keynote speakers are Robert Groves, provost of Georgetown University, and Sudip Bhattacharjee, chief of the U.S. Census Bureau's Center for Big Data Research and Applications.

    November 15 - November 16
    Michigan League and Rackham Graduate Building

    The symposium will also feature speakers from around the country and world, taking part in panels on topics including:
    • Big Data, An International Perspective
    • Methodologies
    • Health Research
    • Social Sciences
    • Transportation
    • Learning Analytics 
    A poster session will also take place for faculty and students including opportunities for students to meet with potential employers interested in data scientists.

    Visit the event webpage for more information, and to view the full agenda . 
    training.biological
    Attend the Importation Biological Materials Workshop
    A FREE workshop on Wednesday, November 30

    The University of Michigan will host the Importation of Biological Materials Workshop on Wednesday, November 30. 

    The workshop will include representatives from several federal government agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These agencies will share their responsibilities, and discuss how to prepare materials for proper transport and how to apply for the necessary permits.

    Wednesday, November 30
    9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    NCRC Building 10, Research Auditorium

    Members of the U-M research community are invited to join the Occupational Safety and Environmental Health Department (OSEH) for this unique opportunity of outreach and education. 

    Other colleagues or researchers at local universities who might benefit from this training are also welcome.

    For more information, contact [email protected].
    training.researchdevelopment
    Attention! Administrators and Leadership Working with Research Faculty
    Attend the Resources and Services for Research Success event on Friday, December 9
    On Friday, December 9, the U-M Research Development group and U-M Library will present "Resources and Services for Research Success: Funding, Data Planning, and Public Access." 

    Designed for administrators and leadership who work with research faculty, this event will showcase research development services offered by our local informationists and librarians for helping investigators get ahead. Highlighted resources include tools for finding funding, developing data sharing and management plans, and keeping compliant with public access policies. 

    This free event will include a one-hour panel presentation from four experienced informationists and librarians from the U-M Library, moderated by Judy Smith: 
    • Finding funding - Presented by Darlene Nichols 
    • Federal mandates related to publication/data deposits, such as the NIH Public Access Policy - Presented by Merle Rosenzweig 
    • Deep Blue Data - Presented by Amy Neeser 
    • Data sharing plans - Presented by Leena Lalwani
    The panel presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and networking for professionals interested in learning more about research development, including increasing extramural funding and enhancing career development for faculty.

    Funding, Data Planning, and Public Access
    Friday, December 9
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    BSRB Seminar Rooms

    For more information, visit the event webpage or contact Jill Jividen or Judy Smith. 
    training.grantwriting
    R01 Grant Writing Workshop Now Open to All Faculty
     
    Register for this all-day event, previously only accessible to R01 Boot Camp Mentees
    The Office of Research welcomes back John Robertson, Ph.D., of Grant Writers' Seminars & Workshops, who will be on campus February 7, 2017, for an all-day event, presenting "Write Winning NIH R01 Grant Proposals."

    This highly rated workshop is an annual event for R01 Boot Camp participants, and will be open this coming year to any faculty member interested in brushing up on NIH grant writing skills. The $180 fee (payable via shortcode) includes the workshop manual (GWSW's Grant Application Writer's Workbook by Stephen Russell and David Morrison), session materials, breakfast, and lunch. Registration and breakfast will begin and 8:00 AM, and the workshop is from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.

    Tuesday, February 7, 2017
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    Palmer Commons Forum Hall
    Registration Deadline: Tuesday, January 13

    Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, so register today!  Questions? Contact Jill Jividen.
    policy.acup
    U-M Announces New Guidance for Animals Administered Human-Derived Substances

    Your Laboratory May Need to Take Action by November 30 
    In partnership with the Animal Care & Use Program, the Department of Occupational Safety & Environmental Health, and the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM), the U-M Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) has approved new guidance regarding the containment housing practices required for animals administered human-derived substances (tissues, fluids, cells, or cell lines). In short, all animals that are administered human-derived substances must now be housed under ABSL-2 conditions unless those substances have been documented to be free from blood-borne pathogens and other specific human viruses. 

    If your laboratory is currently working with human-derived substances, it is strongly recommended that you obtain testing documentation from your material provider and/or have the testing completed no later than November 30, 2016.

    This will enable your laboratory to operate more efficiently and without any unnecessary expenses or delays; it will also enable ULAM to better estimate the number of animals that must now be housed under ABSL-2 conditions, and to prepare accordingly. Additional details on how to request this testing, as well as a list of external vendors offering discounted pricing exclusively to the U-M, is available here .

    If your laboratory is not currently using human-derived substances, but plans to do so in the future, please bookmark the  U-M Guidance for Animals Administered Human-Derived Substances webpage for information on how to obtain the required documentation and testing.

    If you have any questions or concerns about this new guidance, or would like more information on how to obtain the appropriate panel testing, please contact the Animal Care & Use Office at [email protected] or (734) 763-8028.
    policy.aaalac
    Update from AAALAC
    U-M's probationary accreditation status has been extended for an additional six months
    The Animal Care & Use Office is pleased to announce that the AAALAC Council on Accreditation  has extended U-M's probationary accreditation status for an additional six months, effective October 14, 2016. The Council is very pleased with the advances the University has made thus far in implementing a wide array of long-term, campus-wide initiatives to strengthen U-M's Animal Care and Use Program.

    By April 1, 2017, leadership will provide AAALAC with a revised Institutional Animal Care & Use Program Description. Upon receipt of the Program Description, AAALAC will conduct a mandatory site re-visit between May and July 2017. Additional details about this site visit, including the specific dates that AAALAC will be on campus, will be provided as they become available.

    Ensuring that all faculty and staff use best practices in their research and day-to-day operations continues to be of critical importance to our program's collective success, and in fostering a culture of sustained excellence in animal care and use at the University of Michigan.

    It is important to note that, throughout these ongoing discussions with AAALAC, the U-M has remained a fully accredited institution. If you have any questions regarding AAALAC or our accreditation status, please contact the Animal Care & Use Office at  [email protected] .

    Ongoing news and information affecting the U-M animal care and use community can also be found in the monthly  Animal Care & Use Newsletter . 
    announcement.nomination
    Call for 2017 Nominations
    Distinguished University Innovator Award
    The U-M Office of Research is seeking nominations for the 2017 Distinguished University Innovator Award, the University's highest honor for faculty who have shown leadership in bringing new ideas to the marketplace.

    Nominees can include a  current member of the tenure/tenure track or research faculty, or a team of up to three faculty.


    Nominations are due January 11, 2017, and the selection will be announced in March 2017.

    announcement.openmichigan
    Open Michigan Initiative Launches New Partnership, Website
    Open Michigan   is relaunching as the home for all things open at the University of Michigan - including expertise and services for   open educational resources (OER) , open data , and open publications . It enables the University of Michigan community to make the products of its research, teaching, and creative work- such as freely accessible, openly licensed documents and media - available to the world beyond campus.

    The new Open Michigan is a partnership of the University Library and Health Information Technology and Services (HITS). The Library and HITS have worked closely together in the past to host events, promote sharing, and create OER. By officially joining forces, Open Michigan can provide the University of Michigan community with a "one stop shop" for information and resources about open content of all kinds.

    Researchers and learners from all over the world can find information about sharing research data, identifying reputable open access journals, and using openly licensed content in your work. This new site still has all of the previously available OER collections, and soon will begin to publish new materials, such as new solutions sets for Dr. Krishna Garikipati's popular YouTube lecture series, Finite Element Methods, and a training on improving hospital-based care for patients with Parkinson's disease.

    "Since the initiative started in 2008, we have had much success in effectively maximizing the impact and reach of materials created by expert faculty, while providing support with copyright, licensing, content development, and publishing. It has been our pleasure serving the University and far beyond for these past eight years, and we look forward to many more,"

    - Ted Hanss, UMHS associate CIO

    For more information, read the full announcement or visit open.umich.edu.
    announcement.ncrc
    Medical Discovery Space Expanding at NCRC
    U-M Board of Regents has approved $78.5 million renovation project
    The last two empty buildings at NCRC, 20 East and 25, will take on new life through a $78.5 million renovation project. This project was recently approved by the U-M Board of Regents on October 20. 

    The  U-M Medical School will use the space to create more than 50 modern research laboratories for its faculty scientists and their teams, and spaces for them to connect with one another to fuel discoveries about many diseases.

    The new labs will group researchers working on similar topics into "neighborhoods," with room for both labs and offices where teams can analyze the vast amounts of data that modern medical research generates.

    The project will also give all researchers at NCRC a new gathering space, with a two-story atrium filled with natural light. A new two-story connector will make it easier for many at NCRC to navigate the interconnected buildings and connect with one another as they go.

    "This is a major milestone in our progress toward redeveloping NCRC, and transforming it from an outpost of the university to a magnet. We're on track to achieve 100 percent utilization of the site's existing buildings by 2019." 


    For more information, read the full announcement. 
    Foundation
    Future Featured Foundation Grants
    for Biomedical Research 
    null
    In addition to the quickly-approaching deadlines listed above, UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations would like to draw your attention to the following foundations who have future deadlines for biomedical research grants:
    Questions about these award opportunities should be directed to Joe Piffaretti in UMHS Corporate and Foundation Relations via email at [email protected] or phone at (734) 763-1318.

    If you are interested in receiving weekly funding announcements that include opportunities such as those listed above, please contact Joe Piffaretti to be added to the faculty/staff email circulation list.
    SharpFocus
    Appendix-ectomy   
    Sharpening Your Focus:
    Tips on Grant Proposal Preparation
    By Jill Jividen, Ph.D., Senior Manager
    for Research Development Support,
    U-M Medical School Office of Research

    (One in a  series  of tips published in UMMS Research News about writing proposals.)  

    A   new NIH policy will eliminate almost all appendix materials for proposals submitted to NIH, AHRQ, and NIOSH on or after January 25, 2017.

    Appendices have not been prohibited in the past, but investigators were instructed not to use appendix materials to circumvent proposal page limits, i.e., append details that should have been included in the Research Plan. This new policy aims to enhance fairness in peer review and limit the burden on reviewers; eliminating most appendix materials is "intended to rectify inequities...that can arise from submission of inappropriate or excessive appendix materials."

    Beginning January 25, 2017,  only the below appendix materials will be allowed.

    For applications involving clinical trials:
    • Clinical trial protocols
    • Investigators' brochure from Investigational New Drug (IND), as appropriate
    For all applications:
    • Blank informed consent forms 
    • Blank surveys, questionnaires, data collection instruments 
    • FOA-specified items
    Per NIH guidelines, always defer to individual FOA instructions, the details of which override general notices. In other words, if appendix materials are required per FOA instructions, applications that are missing those documents will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

    NOT-OD-16-129

    Our mission in the Office of Research is to foster an environment of innovation
    and efficiency that serves the U-M Medical School community and supports
    biomedical science from insight to impact.