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Dear Colleagues,
In this month’s edition, we celebrate researchers with new honors and awards, congratulate two new members of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and share information about career development opportunities, funding opportunities, and IRB updates.
All the best,
Diane and David
Diane Havlir, MD
Associate Chair for Clinical Research
David Erle, MD
Associate Chair for Biomedical Research
| | American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) Members and Awards | | |
Mallar Bhattacharya, MD, associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at UCSF Health, Jonathan Singer, MD, MS, professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine at UCSF Health, and Catherine Smith, MD, professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UCSF Health, were elected as ASCI members.
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ASCI also honored three early-career investigators from DOM: Alan Baik, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology at UCSF Health, and Jonathan Chou, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UCSF Health, who received the Young Physician-Scientist Award. Angela Suen, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at ZSFG, received the 2026 Emerging-Generation Award. Congratulations to each of these outstanding DOM investigators! Please visit the ASCI website to learn more about eligibility and nominations for ASCI membership and about ASCI awards for faculty at all career stages and for research fellows emerging and established investigators. Nominations open in the summer.
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We’re excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our faculty. If you know of recent awards, honors, or recognitions that we should highlight in future newsletters, please share them with Ilona Paredes—we’d love to spread the word!
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UCSF ClinicalTrials.gov Policy 2026 Revisions
On January 9, 2026, the UCSF Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) announced major revisions to the Clinical Trials Registration & Reporting Policy. The revised Policy contains several updates, including structural changes, revised definitions, clarified roles and responsibilities for principal investigators, sponsors, and other parties, burden-reducing provisions, and defined consequences for noncompliance.
To help departments understand the changes, the Office of Ethics and Compliance Regulatory Support Unit is offering brief informational presentations on the revised Policy. A campus-wide Clinical Trials Operations (CTO) Research Forum on “Clinical Trials Registration & Reporting Policy Revisions: Compliance Expectations for Investigators” will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 1-2 PM PT.
In addition, the UCSF Office of Ethics and Compliance is available to present at faculty meetings or other forums to answer questions from investigators and study teams. Presentations can be kept brief, tailored to your department, and scheduled at your convenience. Let us know if your group would be interested in coordinating a presentation!
Please refer to the CTGov Policy 2026 Revisions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and the CTGov Policy 2026 Revisions Key Changes resources for more information.
For questions or assistance, please email OEC’s Regulatory Support Unit or refer to OEC’s ClinicalTrials.gov website.
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Updates from the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) Director
The Human Research Protection Program is critical to our research operations at UCSF. We have an expert Director, committees, and dedicated staff at the Program who have really helped us, as investigators, this past year with the many NIH requests with short deadlines (sometimes <48 hours!). We asked Edward Kuczynski what the main priorities are for his office this coming year.
Highlights are below:
"We are focusing significant attention on finalizing the background work and development & implementation of a training plan for the new IRB software; issuing an updated consent form and companion document that incorporates feedback from participants, study teams, and industry representatives; finalizing an AI tool to pre-review drug and device protocol submissions; development of a process for scientific review of AI Tool research study submissions; and disseminating guidance to the research community regarding data sharing and return of research results.
We processed 10,000 submissions during 2025 and now have an active study portfolio of 15,000 active studies.
Among the challenges we face are the increased complexity of clinical trials and the growth of AI Tool-related research protocols. Hence, we are seeking to create an AI Scientific Review Committee and recruit guest speakers with expertise in basket, umbrella, and platform trial designs. Any suggestions or assistance with recruiting faculty for these services will be much appreciated. We also need to recruit one or two faculty with expertise in gene therapy and rheumatology."
Program Goals and 2026 Outlook:
- Successful Huron Platform Transition (June 30)
- Initial & Phase 2 AI Wrapper Implementation
- Extensive Training & Support for New IRB Platform
- Updated Consent Form Template & Companion Document
- Operationalize IRB Review of AI Research Protocols
- Communicate IT Security and Data Sharing Policies
- Return of Individual Research Results
Please let us know if your group is interested. For questions, please click here.
| | Research Support Programs | | |
PRE-Proposal Application REview (PREPARE) Program
Get expert NIH-style feedback on your R, K, and U proposals with the PREPARE Program, which provides free, high-quality application review services to help you strengthen your submission and achieve your funding goals.
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March Writing Focused Work Café
Thursday, March 12, and Monday, March 23
The UCSF CAPS Developmental Core will be hosting a Writing and Focused Work Café. The CAPS Writing Café is open to all researchers, regardless of their area of focus, and is not limited to those conducting
research related to AIDS.
Faculty, trainees, and staff from any university are invited to join. A Zoom link will be provided to those who RSVP.
Please bring a work-related project you need to complete. We will briefly share what
our goals are for this time, and then follow the Pomodoro technique to keep us focused by working in intervals for a total of three hours with short and small breaks in between.
Please RSVP to Mireya Avila if you would like to attend.
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Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education Symposium
The Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education’s annual symposium, "It’s About a Billion Lives," will take place on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the Robertson Auditorium, UCSF Mission Bay. This year’s symposium is co-hosted by the Multiethnic Health Equity Research Center and the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center and will center on the theme “Together for Health Equity.” In addition to the symposium’s traditional keynote speakers and research updates, students from the SF BRIDGE program, UC Merced, and the Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Initiative will present their own unique tobacco control research through a poster session and lightning talks. The fourth annual UCSF Emerging Health Equity Scholar Awardees will also present their work.
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UCSF Health Services Research Symposium
The fourth in-person annual UCSF Health Services Research Symposium will take place on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the Mission Bay campus.
UCSF faculty, trainees, and research teams from any department may submit one or more abstracts describing health services research projects. Health services research is a multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality, and cost of health care.
The call for abstracts closes at 11:59 PM PT on Friday, March 6, 2026. You will be notified by email if your abstract is selected no later than April 13, 2026. The presenting author is the corresponding author and must have a faculty, staff, or trainee position at UCSF and is also the point of contact for all communication. A team may present more than one abstract, but there must be a different presenting author for each abstract submitted.
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Robert A. Winn Career Development Award
Application period runs from January 5 to May 4
This rigorous two-year program supports early-career physician-investigators with structured education and mentorship in community-oriented clinical trial design and implementation. Scholars focus on advancing equitable access to cutting-edge treatments and ensuring therapies are safe and effective for all populations.
The award provides $120,000 per year for two years and requires 40% effort for program participation.
Eligibility:
Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to improving patient participation in clinical trials and meet the following criteria:
- MD, DO, or international equivalent with an active U.S. medical license
- U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
- Research focus in cancer, cardiovascular/cardiometabolic disease, or neuropsychiatry
- Within the first eight years of a full-time clinical faculty appointment
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Pivot Program
Extended application deadline is Friday, March 6
The Principal InVestigator Organizational management Training (PIVOT) for Early-Stage Investigators is an interactive training course that provides foundational guidance for early-stage investigators to successfully launch their independent research programs. For more information, please visit the website.
We have a few more slots available for this year’s PIVOT Program cohort, and we are extending the deadline to Friday, March 6. The application is brief and should only take a few minutes to complete.
For questions, please contact Danielle Mizuiri.
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Sandler Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research
Applications are due by Thursday, April 2
The Sandler Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research (PBBR) is accepting applications for funding in two award categories:
New Frontier Research (NFR):
- $25,000 - $150,000 for one year per award
- Supports basic science research projects at levels of risk and innovation that substantially exceed those supported by NIH
- Multiple awards are granted annually
- Both single-PI and multiple-PI applications are welcome
Technologies, Methodologies, and Cores (TMC):
- $50,000 - $500,000 for one year in matching funds per award
- Strong emphasis on the invention of new technologies, the development of new methodologies, the establishment of technology cores, and/or the acquisition of shared instruments
- Multiple awards are granted annually
- Both single-PI and multiple-PI applications are welcome
For questions, please contact Matt Arnegard.
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Burroughs Wellcome Foundation
Applications are due by Thursday, April 23
The Burroughs Wellcome Foundation has issued a request for applications for its Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants program. This program aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between thinkers working in largely disconnected fields, who, together, may change the course of climate change’s impact on human health. This call focuses on developing partnerships. Proposals from single institutions must develop partnerships that do not already occur naturally.
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is primarily, but not exclusively, interested in activities which:
- Build connections between basic and early biomedical science and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale approaches
- Encourage integration with population-focused fields such as epidemiology, public health, demography, economics, and urban planning
- Support pilot projects testing new approaches or collaborations to reduce the environmental impact of health-centered activities
- Advance more sustainable systems for healthcare delivery and biomedical research
- Prepare for the health impacts of extreme weather events and other crises that can disrupt healthcare delivery
- Includes public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts at the intersection of climate and health
Award amounts will range from $2,500 to $50,000, direct costs only. Proposed work should be completed within one year.
Application Information:
- Open RFP (unlimited submissions from UCSF).
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Applicants should follow RFP instructions and notify their Grants Officer early.
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Please contact Liz Catalano to announce your intention to apply.
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DOM Cohort Grant
Applications are due by Thursday, April 30
The UCSF Department of Medicine is now accepting applications for the annual DOM Cohort Grant. This program provides up to $100,000 over 12–24 months to support the development of new UCSF patient cohorts or the expansion of existing cohorts into new research areas. The goal is to build cohorts that can serve as shared resources for both clinical and bench investigators.
All UCSF faculty with a primary appointment in the Department of Medicine at any site are eligible to apply. Special consideration will be given to new and junior investigators who have mentors with relevant experience in the design, creation, and/or maintenance of patient cohorts.
For questions, please contact Danielle Mizuiri.
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Huo Early-Career Fellowships
Applications are due by Friday, May 1
The Huo Family Foundation has issued a request for applications for an award entitled, "Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology on Brain Development, Social Behaviors, and Mental Health in Children and Young People."
Proposed research should address key questions within the broad topic of the effects of using and being exposed to digital technologies on brain development and function (including physiological responses), social behavior and interactions, and mental health in children and young people (ages 7-24).
This program includes two opportunities!
Huo Early-Career Fellowships:
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Up to $169,000 per year, including up to 12.5% indirect costs (up to 3 years).
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Eligibility: Postdoctoral researchers who completed a PhD or equivalent degree in or after January 2023.
Junior Faculty Research Grants:
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Up to $260,000 per year, including up to 12.5% indirect costs, (up to 3 years).
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Eligibility: Assistant professors or lecturers who hold a PhD or equivalent degree and started their first faculty position in or after January 2025.
Application Information:
| | If you'd like to contribute to future newsletters, please send your items to Ilona Paredes. | | Informational Resources for the Research Community | | |
Copyright © 2026, University of California, San Francisco, All rights reserved.
Please send comments, suggestions, and questions to:
diane.havlir@ucsf.edu and david.erle@ucsf.edu
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