From Vice Chancellor for Research Collard

Dear Colleagues,

In today’s top note message, I want to focus my comments here at home. Over the past eight months, we have taken actions to ensure the mission excellence of UCSF’s research enterprise in response to the Trump administration’s federal research policies. In order to safeguard our mission, people, and values from the unprecedented financial risk these policy changes pose, we have had to make some very tough decisions. 

On Sept. 2, the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost (EVCP) Office implemented staffing reductions across several of its units, and the Office of Research was substantively impacted by this action, with 18 positions eliminated. These staffing reductions were due to the reality of lower federal reimbursement for research conducted at UCSF. As a result, research teams may notice changes in their Office of Research administrative points of contact. 

These 18 employees represented positions across the Office of Research, from front-line analysts to leadership. Reductions were made with attention to UCSF’s principles of community and our PRIDE values and involved unit-level leadership in the determination. I want to express my deep gratitude to the Office of Research staff for their continued professionalism and dedication during this time. 

This staffing reduction may create concern about how Office of Research service levels will be impacted. My staff is working to assess how changes may affect service and find solutions. This will be an ongoing process, and we will provide updates as soon as we have them. 

If you are a PI, I ask that you partner with us by recommitting to the timely and proactive notification and provision of complete proposal information, per OSR’s notification guidelines, to your grants officer or grants specialist. I also ask for your grace and understanding as our teams adapt to these transitions. 

Please contact the Office of Research at research@ucsf.edu if you have questions or concerns about the above. Your feedback is always welcome. 

Yours, 

Hal 

Harold R. Collard, MD, MS  

Vice Chancellor for Research  

Professor of Medicine and Health Policy

Federal Research Updates

New Structure for NIH Foreign Subawards

NIH has issued NOT-OD-25-155 to introduce a new application structure for grants with foreign subawards. Due dates after September 24, 2025, applications must use new activity codes; PF5 for grants, UF5 for cooperative agreements, or other codes supporting international project components. A forecasted PA-26-002 PF5 Parent Announcement has been posted with anticipated submission of January 25, 2026; other NOFOs and activity codes are yet to be released. 

Foreign components like consultants or international travel may remain eligible under other activity codes unless specified in future NOFOs. More updates will be shared as they develop. View the IGHS NIH Foreign Grant Operations FAQ page for more information. Contact IGHS to discuss strategies for managing operations and budgeting under these changes, and email OSR with questions regarding award submissions with foreign components.

New NIH Research Security Policy Requirements

(NOT-OD-25-154) Starting January 25, 2026, institutions receiving >$50M/year in federal research funding must certify research security programs, ensure Senior/Key Personnel complete annual research security training, and comply with certifications for Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP) restrictions. UCSF is assessing guidance and existing policies to align with NIH requirements; updates will follow.

New NIH Policy to Train Senior/Key Personnel on Other Support Disclosure

(NOT-OD-25-133) Effective October 1, 2025, NIH will require institutions to provide training to all Senior/Key Personnel on how to properly disclose all research activities and affiliations in the Other Support section of grant applications

This training requirement applies to Senior/Key Personnel included in the Just In Time (JIT) stage and/or Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) submitted on or after October 1, 2025. Other Support training certifications will be required for each Senior/Key Personnel by completing either an updated UCOP Research Security Training module finished on or after September 23, 2025, or the Ethics Compliance Briefing for Researchers (ECBR).

Preview of NIH Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support in SciENcv

(NOT-OD-25-152) NIH has launched preview versions of the Common Forms for Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support, and the Biographical Sketch Supplement in SciENcv and the NIH Forms Directory. These previews allow users to explore the new functionality and instructions, but they cannot be used for submissions, and all data will be deleted once the official forms are released in November 2025.

NIH to Stop Posting Notices of Funding Opportunities in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts

NOT-OD-25-143 highlights that as of October 1, NIH will post all grant and cooperative agreement Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) only on Grants.gov. The NIH Guide will no longer include NOFOs but will continue to provide policy and informational notices.

More From the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR)

• Read the updated NIH FAQ page about Generative AI in peer review, related to NOT-OD-25-132.
• NIH has re-enabled the No-Cost Extension functionality within eRA Commons. Recipients may resume initiating first no-cost extensions in eRA Commons, in accordance with the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 8.1.1.3. 
• NOT-OD-25-139 requires that each eRA user maintain a unique, personal passphrase and never share account credentials.

In the News

Senator Wiener Proposes $23B Research Bond

SB 607, a research bond endorsed by UC, aims to support diverse research projects statewide. The bill, sponsored by UAW and modeled after the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), includes an oversight board with UC representation. To make the November 2026 ballot, it requires legislative approval by mid-March 2026. Read more from Capitol Weekly »

UC Researchers Win Court Order to Get Grant Funds

A federal judge ruled that NIH, DOD, and DOT must restore terminated grants to UC researchers, citing legal violations in the grant termination process. More from Science »

NIH Now on Track to Spend Its Full Budget

The NIH is now expected to fully utilize its $47 billion budget by the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30, following a surge in grantmaking activity in August totaling over $8 billion. Read more from Inside Higher Ed »

Campus Updates

Introducing: The Parnassus Institutes Community Fund!

Launched by the Parnassus Institutes, a collection of major research programs, the Fund awards 1-5k grants to initiatives that transcend silos, amplify collaboration, and create shared purpose. Help build community and change the culture of science.

Submit a proposal by October 24 »

UCSF Real Estate

HSIR Improvements Program Reaches Completion at Parnassus Heights »

Parnassus Heights Monthly Construction Update | September 2025 »

Be Prepared for Flu Season: Comply With the Flu Vaccination Policy by Nov. 1.

Learn how to get your vaccine »

New Travel Resource: Crisis24 Horizon

Traveling soon? Stay informed and safe with UCSF’s new risk management platform for UC-related travel. This replaces the UC Trip Planner and is available on desktop and mobile apps.

• More information for UCSF employees »
• More information for students »

Spotlight: Clinical Trials Operations (CTO) "PI Intensive" Training Series

The CTO Clinical Research Investigator Foundations Intensive (aka PI Intensive) is a two-day training series designed for Principal Investigators, Fellows, and similar roles. It shares foundational information and resources to support successful clinical trial conduct. New CTO resources for PIs are also available here.

Register for the 2025 HEAR Symposium!

On October 8, join the annual UCSF Health Equity and Anti-Racism Research (HEAR) Symposium, which showcases research and action to advance health equity. The symposium will build community among researchers across disciplines and across units, schools, and campus sites, and the wider Bay Area.