In this edition:

(Scroll down for more info and click on the links for additional details)

Funding Opportunities

• NEW The MGH Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards
• The Moore Inventor Fellows 2024
• Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award
• HMS Foundation Funds
• The Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Grant
• MGH Research Scholars 2024
• Limited Submission Funding
• Foundation Funding Opportunities

Announcements:

• NEW New MGH Research Intranet
• NEW CFD Excellence in Mentoring Awards
• NEW Leadership Skills Retreat
• NEW Discounted Stata Licenses
• NEW MGH Clinical Systems Audit
• Submit an abstract for the MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Symposium
• Seeking pilot users to evaluate an AI-based platform "System"
• Anesthesia Machine Annual Maintenance and Vaporizer Certification
• FlowJo Portal: Annual License Renewal and Signup
• Bridge the Gap T32 Fellowship

Events:

• Northeast Symposium on Biomedical Optics
• Clinical Research Day 2023
• 2023 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series 11
• IMG Residency Match Annual Panel Session 2023
• Novelline Innovation Speaker Series
• Fun Fridays
• 2023 Virtual Tumor Course: Registration Now Open
• Speed Mentoring Hour
• MGB Gene & Cell Therapy Institute Research Symposium
• Two Meditation Sessions available every week

NEW The MGH Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards

for Junior Faculty Women Investigators 

What are the Claflin Awards?

Although women scientists are recruited to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) programs, their advancement to senior faculty positions is still far less frequent than that of their male counterparts. In 1993, The Women in Academic Medicine Committee, originally chaired by Mrs. Jane D. Claflin, Honorary Trustee, was established to facilitate the academic careers of women in science at MGH.  

How much is each award?

These are two year awards for $60,000 per year in direct costs, plus 20% for indirect costs.

When is the deadline?

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 - 5:00 PM

We encourage you to attend the Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards Informational Panel Discussion on Tuesday, November 7 from 10:00 – 11:00am. More information can be found in the call for applications.

We also encourage all to apply for the Claflin Consultation Initiative by Friday, September 23.

The Moore Inventor Fellows 2024

What are they?

Gordon Moore’s contribution to the development of microelectronics helped produce the exponential growth of the digital revolution. In the spirit of Moore’s passion for science and penchant for inventing, the foundation seeks to support people who create new tools, technologies, processes, or approaches with a high potential to accelerate progress in the foundation’s three main areas of interest: scientific research, environmental conservation and patient care.

How much is each award?

The award is $200,000 per year for three years. In addition, the foundation will provide the host institution with $25,000 each year to cover costs associated with administering the grant award.

When is the deadline?  

MGH pre-proposal deadline: Monday, October 16, 2023 at 5:00pm

Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award

What are they?

The Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award supports independent young physician-scientists conducting disease-oriented research that demonstrates a high level of innovation and creativity.

MGH is eligible to nominate a maximum of five (5) candidates.

How much is each award?

$600,000 for a period of three years. Funding in the amount of $200,000 will be allocated to the awardee’s institution each year for the support of the Clinical Investigator.

MGH letter of intent deadline: Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 5:00pm

Sponsor deadline: Wednesday, February 1, 2024 at 4:00pm

HMS Foundation Funds



Each year several foundations invite HMS faculty and postdocs to apply for their fellowships and grants, which serve as critical funding at the early stages of a research career. Interested investigators must first apply for the HMS nomination through the HMS Foundation Funds office, and a committee will select the final candidates to submit applications to the sponsors. 

Awards include:

• Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant
• Mary Kay Foundation Scientific/Innovative Cancer Research Grant
• Packard Foundation Fellowship in Science and Engineering

The Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Grant

The Yvonne L. Munn Nursing Research Grant for eligible members of the MGH clinical nursing staff (registered RN, permanent benefits-eligible MGH employee of at least 20 hours per week in a staff nurse role) are invited to apply for a Munn Nursing Research Grant to pursue a clinical investigation arising out of day-to-day practice. Research proposals should focus on original research. Research teams must include a PhD-prepared nurse mentor and may include multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.

This is a $3000 grant that provides funding for research-related expenses for up to 2 years. Upon completion of the grant, it is expected the recipient will present findings to the MGH community in a podium format.

Letter of Intent due: October 13

MGH Research Scholars 2024

What is this?

The MGH Research Scholars program is a philanthropy-fueled initiative established to support MGH research faculty and accelerate important work that will improve and transform the future of health care.

How much is each award?

Each award is $500,000 over 5 years; funded at $100,000 per year, including 20% indirect costs.

When is the deadline?

Wednesday, November 1, 2023 – 5:00 PM

Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

We ask that all MGH Investigators interested in applying for any limited submission award submit a Letter of Intent (see detailed instructions below) to the MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) by the deadline indicated for each award to be considered to receive an institutional nomination. 

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:

See full details for all awards on our website.

EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (National Science Foundation) 

MGH LOI Deadline: 10/09/23

Learn more

G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation Grants

MGH LOI Deadline: 10/16/23

Learn More

Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN) on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease (American Heart Association)

MGH LOI Deadline: 10/25/23

Learn more

Foundation Funding Opportunities

Please contact Corporate & Foundation Relations in the Office of Development at devcfr@mgh.harvard.edu if you wish to submit a proposal in response to any of these opportunities. Note that proposals are still routed through the standard InfoEd/Research Management process.

For all open foundation funding announcements, see the MGB Innovation External Funding Database



CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:

See full details for all awards on our website.

1. AACR-Bristol-Myers Squibb Midcareer Female Investigator Grant, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). $225,000. Application Deadline: November 21
2. AACR-QuadW Foundation Sarcoma Research Fellowship in Memory of Willie Tichenor, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). $50,000. Application Deadline: November 8
3. Impact Research Grant, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). $50,000. Application Deadline: October 27
4. HTRS/Novo Nordisk Clinical Scholar Award (CSA), Hemostatis and Thrombosis Research Society (HTRS). $119,600. Application Deadline: January 26
5. Neiman Institute Health Policy Research Grants (multiple opps), Neiman Health Policy Institute/American College of Radiology (ACR). $75,000. Application Deadline: January 29
6. Clinical Scholar Awards, Pediatric Endocrine Society. $50,000. Application Deadline: December 14
7. Research Fellowship Awards, Pediatric Endocrine Society. $50,000. Application Deadline: December 14
8. NEW! Spierfonds Elevator Grant in Neuromuscular Disorders Research for Young Scientists, Princess Beatrix Muscular Fund. €350,000 (≈$368,000). Application Deadline: November 1
9. Mentored Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant Award for Workforce Expansion, Rheumatology Research Foundation/American College of Rheumatology (ACR). $25,000. Application Deadline: December 1
10. Clinical Investigator Award, Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO). $100,000. Application Deadline: December 1
11. Young Investigator Award (multiple opps), Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO). $25,000. Application Deadline: December 1
12. Research Grants, Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation (TBBCF). $125,000. Application Deadline: November 22

Do you want to learn more about identifying external funding opportunities? Please click here to request a research consultation with Amy Robb or see ECOR’s website for information on the Pivot database.

NEW New MGH Research Intranet

A new Research Intranet website will be going live on Monday, October 16, 2023. After this date, all users who access the old intranet site will automatically be redirected to the new website.

The website will include the same information as the old one but will have improved search functionality and overall loading and processing times.

Please reach out to ECOR@mgh.harvard.edu with any questions about the new research intranet.

NEW CFD Excellence in Mentoring Awards

Nominations due: Friday, November 10

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development

In acknowledgment of the excellent mentoring culture at MGH, the Center for Faculty Development is sending out a call for nominations for the CFD Excellence in Mentoring Awards.

The CFD Excellence in Mentoring Awards recognize faculty and postdoctoral fellows whose mentoring has contributed to the success of other faculty and/or trainees during their careers. If you have or know an outstanding mentor who meets the criteria for one of the six awards listed below, we encourage you to nominate that person now! Nominations are due Friday, November 10, and the winners will be announced at the MGH Celebration of Mentoring in January 2024. 

NEW Leadership Skills Retreat, Call for Applications

Applications due: Friday, October 13

Friday, November 17, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, MGH Main Campus 

A half-day in-person retreat geared toward mid-career faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) looking to build their leadership skillset. Topics include: “Understanding and Optimizing Your Leadership Style,” “Conversations that Take Courage,” and “Skills for Successful Leaders.”

Facilitators: 

• Mary Shapiro, MS, MBA, Chair, Leadership Development, Simmons College
• Melissa Brodrick, MEd, Ombuds and Director, Harvard Ombuds Office
• Lisa Neale, Ombuds, Harvard Ombuds Office
• Sareh Parangi, MD, Chair of Surgery, Newton-Wellesley Hospital; and Director, MGH Thyroid Cancer Research Laboratory

NEW Discounted Stata Licenses

The Research Computing Core offers Stata licenses to the Research Community at a discounted rate via rcservices.partners.org. Stata is a statistical software package that provides tools for analysis, data management and graphics. Interested in learning new tips or looking to learn about new functionality with Stata 18? Check out the Stata Webinars, which are offered free of charge via the vendor's website.

NEW MGH Clinical Systems Audit

The MGH clinical systems audit begins on Tuesday, October 10th. Managers of research employees will have to complete the audit, even if their employees do not provide clinical services. It is a review of all systems which interact with patient and subject data.

Please review any emails sent regarding the audit and complete your audit by Friday, October 27^th. Additional details and instructions will follow on Tuesday, October 10^th.

Questions? Contact Samantha Barry (sbarry11@mgb.org) at the MGH Privacy Office for assistance.

Submit an abstract for the MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Symposium

Deadline to submit: Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 11:59 PM EST

Mass General Brigham faculty, staff, and trainees are invited to submit an abstract for the Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium Poster Session on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

Graduate students, research scientists, fellows or postdocs, and instructors within MGB may submit abstracts related to:

• Gene Therapy
• Gene Editing
• Cell Therapy
• Platform Technologies
• RNA Therapeutics

Abstract submissions will be accepted in chronological order with eligibility meeting criteria. The symposium poster session will be limited to 60 posters and the author presenting the poster must be a current MGB employee.

Seeking pilot users to evaluate an AI-based platform "System"

MGB is always looking for new opportunities to support our research community. Currently, we are seeking pilot users to evaluate an AI-based platform that can quickly synthesize scientific literature with the most up-to-date findings called System (https://about.system.com/product/system-pro). This could potentially save time in identifying relevant peer-reviewed research. It can also help to identify connections to topics related to your primary area in question. We are looking for researchers to participate in a training session, try out the platform for up to 3 months and provide us feedback (via survey and interview) which will inform operational decisions to make this available to the greater MGB research community.

Interested? Please complete this survey with your contact information so we can include you!

Please contact Amanda Centi, PhD (acenti@mgb.org) with any questions.

Anesthesia Machine Annual Maintenance and Vaporizer Certification – Special Pricing! 



Is your anesthesia machine/vaporizer due for service? Colonial Medical is offering discounted anesthetic vaporizer maintenance on Monday, October 23, for the Main Boston Campus and Tuesday, October 24, for the Charlestown Navy Yard (CNY) Campus. 

Each day there are two time blocks for estimated arrival: 10 am-noontime and 12 pm-3 pm. The cost to MGH researchers is $170 for a small machine or $270 for a large machine. To book an appointment and take advantage of this offer, contact Colonial Medical directly at 888-446-8427 or service@colmedsupply.com.

FlowJo Portal: Annual License Renewal and Signup



It's time to renew your FlowJo portal license through the Research Computing Core. Annual licenses expire each year on September 14th, and you will need to order again to regain access to your portal account. New licenses may be ordered on or after September 15th, by accessing the ERIS Research Computing Core Service Catalog. The annual fee is $194/license.

More information about FlowJo, and other software offerings are on the ERIS Research Computing Core site.

Bridge the Gap T32 Fellowship: Prevention, Optimization, and Living Well with Serious Illness

This Post-Doctoral Fellowship, led by Dr. Christine Ritchie and Dr. Ana-Maria Vranceanu, is now accepting applications! We encourage you to apply for this Fellowship if you are interested in research training related to: 

• Conducting clinical and behavioral prevention interventions across the continuum from health to illness, in all care settings (hospitals, nursing homes), and in the community for older individuals or those with persistent or serious illness, and their care partners 
• Support to secure career development awards (K23, K99, K01, K08) to start your independent line of research in clinical and behavioral prevention interventions. 

The application deadline is November 23rd, 2023

For any questions, reach out to Barrett Laird (blaird@mgh.harvard.edu) or Ayush Thacker (ajthacker@mgh.harvard.edu)

See these events and more on the calendar of events

Northeast Symposium on Biomedical Optics

Tuesday, October 10, 2023,

Registration is now open for the Northeast Symposium on Biomedical Optics (NESBO) to be held on October 10th, 2023, at MIT in Cambridge, MA.

NESBO is a symposium organized by postdocs and graduate students where similarly early career scientists give invited talks about their research in the general area of biomedical imaging and sensing. The symposium is also a networking and professional development opportunity for early career scientists. This year’s sessions include: neurophotonics, translational biomedical optics, and coherent imaging at different scales. 

Also included with NESBO is a poster competition (with prizes), a panel discussion on how to choose between a career path in academia vs. industry, and a networking event at a nearby venue following the symposium (drink and food provided).

Clinical Research Day 2023

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Bridging Academia and Industry for Therapeutic Development

Keynote Speaker

David Altshuler, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Global Research, and Chief Scientific Officer at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Panel Discussion

David Altshuler, MD, PhD; Gabriela Apiou, PhD; Maurizio Fava, MD, MSc; Sabrina Paganoni, MD, PhD

2023 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series 11

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 12:00 - 1:00 pm

"Emerging Role of Contrast Enhanced Mammography"

Presenter: Tali Amir, MD, Director, Breast Imaging Bergen, Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center. She is a board-certified diagnostic radiologist with specialized training in breast imaging. She practices at MSK Bergen in New Jersey, as well as at the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center in Manhattan. 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the rationale and technique of Contrast Enhanced Mammography (CEM).
• Identify practical considerations and limitations of CEM.
• Understand principals of CEM interpretation.

IMG Residency Match Annual Panel Session 2023

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Join us for a discussion led by Yirong Zhou, MD, PhD, and Yasmeen Senussi, MBBS, as we delve into strategies to enhance residency applications from International Medical Graduates (IMGs), with opening remarks from our special guest, Richard O. Bido Medina, MD, PhD, the newly appointed Associate Program Director for DEI and Belonging of the MGH/McLean Psychiatry program.

Novelline Innovation Speaker Series

Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET

A Conversation with Microsoft CMO David Rhew on Big Tech’s Healthcare Play and AI-enabled Care Transformation

Dr. Rhew is also Adjunct Professor at Stanford University; holds six U.S. technology patents that enable authoring, mapping, and integration of clinical decision support into electronic health records; and has been recognized as one of the 50 most influential clinician executives by Modern Healthcare.

Contact us at hctransformationlab@partners.org if you have questions.

Fun Fridays- Writing for Joy

Friday, October 20, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Join published author, essayist, and expressive writing teacher Áine Greaney Ellrott to discover how expressive writing can bring joy, comfort, and clarity to our personal and professional lives. Learn the “why,” “how” and “where” of developing and sustaining a regular writing practice—including the evidence-based benefits of personal writing. Psst! You don’t have to be a writer to join us, and this interactive session will include optional writing and (optional) sharing.

2023 Virtual Tumor Course

Tuesday, Oct. 24 to Friday Oct. 27, 2023

The 38th Annual Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment: Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology course will continue to offer the best in critical analysis of what is currently known about the tumor microenvironment, angiogenesis, metastasis, immunology. This will include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, tumor metabolism, and the role of microbiome.

The internationally recognized faculty speakers will present their latest findings from the clinic and the lab and highlight key gaps in the knowledge of cancer and outline future directions for research at the bench, in the clinic, and in drug development.

Speed Mentoring Hour

Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Every month, two mentor leaders from different departments will answer your questions about any aspect of being a mentee or mentor. You do not need to be in the same department as the leaders—this event is open to faculty across MGH, but registration is required. Come ready with your questions and be ready to learn not only from the senior mentoring leaders but also from fellow attendees.

This session is scheduled for October 25, 11 am–12 pm, with Raymond Chung, MD, Vice Chief of Gastroenterology; and David G. Hunter, MD, PhD, Vice Chair for Promotions and Reappointments, Ophthalmology.

Mentor leaders will meet with up to 8 faculty members, each given 7-8 minutes to ask questions on any aspect of mentoring or being mentored and receive input from the mentor leaders.

MGB Gene & Cell Therapy Institute Research Symposium

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Please join the Mass General Brigham Gene and Cell Therapy Institute for a day-long discussion on the innovative work being performed using gene and cell therapies at Mass General Brigham.  

The first annual Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium will showcase many of these advancements and will bring together the wide-ranging research within the MGB ecosystem that is developing and deploying novel gene therapies, cell therapies and gene editing approaches to human disease. 

Two Meditation Sessions available every week

SESSION 1: Meditation Mondays with Dr. Darshan Mehta 

Every Monday, 8:00 – 8:30 am, Zoom next session, Monday, October 2!

Co-sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Well-Being and the MGPO Frigoletto Committee

Join Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, Director, Office for Well-Being, for a guided meditation session on Monday morning. 

Register and add to calendar

SESSION 2: Midweek Meditation with Guest Leader 

Every Wednesday, 8:00 – 8:30 am, Zoom next session, Wednesday, October 4!

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Well-Being

Join guest leader, Jennifer Cataldo, E-RYT 500 Hour Yoga, Meditation and Reiki Master/Teacher, for next Wednesday’s guided meditation session on October 4th!

Register and add to calendar

See these events and more on the calendar of events