MGH Research News for September 20, 2024

September 20, 2024

Announcements, events, funding opportunities and more news for the Mass General Research Institute community.

In this edition:

Funding Opportunities

HMS Foundation Funds
Howard M. Goodman Fellowship 2025
Fund for Medical Discovery (FMD) Research Fellowship Award
Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pilot Study Grants
Limited Submission Funding
Foundation Funding Opportunities

Announcements:

NEW Leadership Development Program for Researchers
MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Institute: AbstractSubmission
Group Coaching for Research-focused Women Investigators at MGH
HMS Core for Mentorship Excellence
Mass General Hospital Peer Coaching Initiative program

Events:

Managing Multiple Studies- what's the plan?
Maximizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness during Uncertainty
DF/HCC Breast Cancer Program Research Retreat
10th Annual World Medical Innovation Forum
HMS Teaching Requirement and Fulfilling Ways to Fulfill It
Women in Medicine and Science Symposium 2024
MGH Research Core Day
4th Annual Conference on Precision Psychiatry
Mass General Brigham Research Town Hall
NEW Fun Fridays- Writing Flash Essays
The Chester Pierce Research Society
2024 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize Symposium
Northeast Symposium on Biomedical Optics
MGRI & Chen Research Symposium
3-session Workshop on Creating Decision Worksheets
2024 Virtual Tumor Course
MGH New Faculty Orientation
Mentoring the Mentors Workshop
Leadership Skills Retreat
NEW Speed Mentoring Hour
NEW Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium
Two Meditation Sessions available every week

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
Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award
Gordon and Betty Moore Inventor Fellows

Learn more

Howard M. Goodman Fellowship 2025

This is an endowed fellowship established by the MGH Department of Molecular Biology in honor of the founding Chief of the Department, Dr. Howard M. Goodman. The award is intended to further the careers of outstanding independent young scientists engaged in discovery-based science, who would normally hold the position of Assistant Professor, and have demonstrated the potential to rise to a leadership position in their chosen field. Applicants who hold a full-time appointment in any MGH department and are primarily engaged in research are eligible to apply.

The award is $100,000 per year for two years plus 20% indirect costs and is effective April 1, 2025.

Deadline: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 - 5:00 PM

Learn more

Fund for Medical Discovery (FMD) Research Fellowship Awards

The FMD Awards are intended to support the salary of junior investigators (MD and PhD Research fellows, Clinical Research Fellows, Instructors), during a one-year period at MGH, who are in the training phase of their research. We recognize that research at MGH integrates the full translational spectrum of discovery from "bench to bedside to community and population.” To ensure that all areas of research conducted at MGH are included and eligible for FMD fellowship awards, ECOR is offering 3 types of training awards: fundamental research fellowships, clinical research fellowships, and population health care sciences fellowships.

The award will include a stipend of $70,000 plus applicable fringe benefits and 20% indirect costs.

Deadline: Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - 5:00 PM

Learn more

Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pilot/feasibility Study Grants

FUNDING POLICIES: Awards will be between $35,000-50,000 Direct Costs plus Indirect Costs. Recipients of PFS grants will be expected to utilize at least one CSIBD Biomedical Core CSIBD Cores (massgeneral.org), present the progress of their PFS during the CSIBD Annual Workshop and Symposium held in November, provide a written interim progress report during the first year of the project and a final progress report after the completion of the project, and acknowledge support from the CSIBD (P30DK043351) on presentations and manuscripts resulting from the PFS project.

DEADLINE: September 30th 2024

FUNDING PERIOD: Rolling 12 month period.

Learn more

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.

The Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar Awards

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/23/24

Learn more

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

MGH LOI Deadline: 10/08/24

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 this week’s full foundation funding announcements (including eligibility, RM deadlines, and IDC) on our website.

Expansion Award for Single Ventricle Research, Additional Ventures. $50,000 (15% IDC). Application Deadline: November 7
Innovation Grant, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF). $250,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: October 16
RUNX1 Early Career Investigator Grant Program, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF). $180,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: December 19
Young Investigator Grants, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF). $180,000 (IDC Exempt). Application Deadline: December 12
Seed Grants (established investigators), American Epilepsy Society (AES). $20,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: October 23
Sergievsky Award for Epilepsy Health Equity and Diversity, American Epilepsy Society (AES). $150,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: January 16
ASTRO-ACS Clinician Scientist Development Grant, American Society for Radiation Oncology. $675,000 (8% IDC). Application Deadline: October 15
Research Training Award for Fellows (RTAF), American Society of Hematology (ASH). $71,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: January 17
Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Fellow Award, American Society of Hematology (ASH). $100,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: February 14
Clinical Innovator Grant, Cancer Research Institute (CRI). $1 million (No IDC). LOI Deadline: December 1
Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program (CLIP) Grants, Cancer Research Institute (CRI). $300,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: December 1
Acceleration Initiative Awards in Pediatric Cancer, CureSearch for Children's Cancer. $1.5 million (10% IDC). LOI Deadline: October 7
NEW! Gastrointestinal Manifestations of CF: Basic Science Projects, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). $504,000 (12% IDC). Application Deadline: December 5
Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. $234,000 (IDC Exempt). Application Deadline: December 2
Physician-Scientist Training Award, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. $460,000 (IDC Exempt). Application Deadline: December 2
Individual Investigator Research Award (IIRA), Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). $300,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: October 24
Adi F. Gazdar Fellowship Grant, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). $50,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: January 8
NEW! Career Advancement Grant, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). $100,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: October 1
Novocure Tumor Treating Fields Research Grants, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). $100,000 (10% IDC). Application Deadline: January 8
Young Investigator Grant, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). $50,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: January 8
Francis S. Collins Scholars Program in Clinical and Translational Research, Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP). Salary and research support for 3 years (10% IDC). Application Deadline: December 1
Physician Scientist Fellow Award, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). $170,000 (IDC Exempt). LOI Deadline: November 6
Research Grants, Myocarditis Foundation (MF). $50,000 (No IDC). Proposal Deadline: December 1
Early Career Medical Director Award, National Association of EMS Physicians. $60,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: November 15
MDx Impact Grants: Human Infectious Diseases, Nature Publishing Group (NPG). $600,000 (Unspecified IDC). Application Deadline: December 2
Spinal Cord Injury or Disease (SCI/D) Programmatic Grants (multiple opps), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)/PVA Education Foundation. $75,000 (8% IDC). Application Deadline: December 2
Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust (CART) Fund, Rotary International. $500,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: December 6
Pilot Study Awards, Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research. $75,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: December 2

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 Leadership Development Program for Researchers

Application due Friday, October 11

This course aims to prepare investigators for challenges inherent in establishing and maintaining a successful research program. This 9-month long program features both didactic and interactive sessions. Early-career faculty and trainees who complete this career-development course will sharpen their career focus and gain knowledge regarding the strategies that promote success in leading an impactful research program.

Learn More

MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Institute: Abstract Deadline

MGB research faculty, staff, and trainees are invited to submit an abstract for the Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium Poster Session on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Graduate students, research assistants, research scientists, fellows or postdocs, instructors, and assistant professors within MGB may submit abstracts related to:

Gene Therapy
Gene Editing
Cell Therapy
Platform Technologies
RNA Therapeutics

Those who are accepted to present a poster will receive complimentary entry for both days of the symposium. The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday, September 20, 2024, 11:59 PM EST

Learn More

Group Coaching for Research-focused Women Investigators at MGH

Thursdays, Oct 31–Dec 19, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

The Office for Women's Careers and Mass General Research Institute have collaborated to create a special 7-week online workshop series for Investigators who identify as women. This series is limited to a closed cohort of faculty to allow for strong collaboration and interaction. The one-hour sessions conducted via Zoom will feature internal and external speakers who have experience with a variety of topics relevant to the career of investigation.

Application deadline: September 23, 2024 at 11:59pm

Learn More

HMS Core for Mentorship Excellence (CFME)

HMS has just launched the HMS Core for Mentorship Excellence (CFME). The Core builds upon two decades of research conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s “Center for the Improvement in the Mentored Experience in Research” (CIMER). Led by Bruce Birren, Lindsay Frazier and Marjorie Oettinger, the core will offer workshops based on the CIMER curriculum and will cover the core mentoring competencies that will be required by for NIH training grants as of January 2025. CIMER Research Mentor Workshops use an evidence-based, case-based, interactive approach that engages mentors in collective problem solving and connects them with resources to optimize their mentoring practices.

Learn More

2024 MGRI Image Awards

Have a cool science photo and want to show off your research? Participate in the 2024 MGRI Image Awards! The Mass General Research Institute (MGRI) Image Awards was created in 2018 to showcase the breadth of research occurring across Mass General.

Every day, our clinicians and investigators push the boundaries of science and medicine to develop solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges. What better way to provide a window into their world?

The submission period closes on October 31!

Learn More

Mass General Hospital Peer Coaching Initiative program

Registration closes Friday, September 20

Mass General Research Institute is excited to introduce the Mass General Hospital Peer Coaching Initiative (MGHPCI) program, a pioneering peer coaching initiative at MGH tailored specifically for postdocs and postbacs.

The MGHPCI program is designed to foster professional development and collaborative learning. Through this initiative, participants will have the opportunity to:

Develop leadership and collaboration skills for use with faculty, advisors, and peers
Get to know peers and colleagues from elsewhere at MGH and Harvard
Stay more productive and centered during your time at MGH
Meet for informal mentoring sessions on September 16, 26, November 20, and December 12 at 5:30-7:00 pm.

Don’t miss this opportunity to sign up for this innovative program by Fri, Sep 20

Learn More

See these events and more on the calendar of events

Learn Something New: Managing Multiple Studies- what's the plan?

Today, September 20, 2024, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Virtual

As study coordinators, we are often responsible for managing many studies that are all running at once. What do you do? In this session, we’ll discuss tips and tricks for keeping track of all your studies and managing your workload.

Maximizing Public Service Loan Forgiveness during Uncertainty

Today, September 20, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Trying to plan for student loan forgiveness but cannot keep up with all the government changes and lawsuits? Join Eryn Schultz, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and financial educator, to talk about how to make a plan for student loans. We will answer questions like: what actions to take if you're currently on the SAVE plan, what is happening with student loan forgiveness, what is the new Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) buyback program, should you file taxes separately or together if you're pursuing PSLF, etc.

Speaker:

Eryn Schultz, MBA, is the founder of Her Personal Finance.

DF/HCC Breast Cancer Program Research Retreat

AI-Driven Cancer Solutions

Today, September 20th, 11:45 - 6:00 pm, Starr Center

Retreat Details: [Hybrid]

Date/Time: Friday, September 20^th 11:45 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Lunch will be provided.)
In-Person Location: The Starr Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, Boston, MA 02114
Zoom meeting details will be provided upon registration.

10th Annual World Medical Innovation Forum

September 23-25, 2024

Presented by Mass General Brigham and Bank of America, the 2024 World Medical Innovation Forum will focus on three major investment and scientific growth areas—oncology, rare disease, and immunology and inflammation. At the Forum, you’ll have direct access to speakers and peers including dozens of leading CEOs, senior investors, entrepreneurs, government officials, and prominent Harvard clinicians and scientists.

We look forward to welcoming you to Boston—the hub of biotech—and the state-of-the-art meeting center at the top-rated Encore Boston Harbor September 23–25.

The Lowdown on the HMS Teaching Requirement and Fulfilling Ways to Fulfill It

Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Attend this panel discussion to gain clarity on what constitutes teaching and awareness of existing opportunities and ways to grow as a teacher. The goal of this session is for faculty to develop meaningful and fulfilling teaching responsibilities.

Panelists:

Bernard S. Chang, MD, Dean for Medical Education

Grace C. Huang, MD, Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Medicine, HMS

Alberto Puig, MD, PhD, FACP, SFHM, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and the Morton Swartz MD Academy Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS

Rosalind Segal, MD, PhD, Dean for Graduate Education and Professor of Neurobiology, HMS

Women in Medicine and Science Symposium and Marcela del Carmen Lecture 2024

September 25, 2024, 3:00 - 6:00 PM, Simches Research Building 2nd floor

The Women in Medicine and Science Symposium highlights the achievements of women faculty and trainees at Brigham and Women’s and Mass General Hospitals. The Symposium celebrates the accomplishments of women faculty and trainees across different disciplines – including basic science, clinical and translational research, clinical innovation, and education – with the goal of strengthening the MGB community.

Marcela del Carmen Lecture Keynote speaker: Jill Goldstein, PhD, MPH

MGH Research Core Day

September 26, 2024, 2:00 - 4:00 pm – CNY Building 149, Conference Room A

Please join the Research Community in learning more about the Cores! Cores from other institutions are welcomed to join! Light refreshments and a raffle will be provided.

Please contact researchmanagement@mgh.harvard.edu if you have any questions, or if you would like to register your core. General attendees do NOT need to register for this event.

4th Annual Conference on Precision Psychiatry

Innovation to Implementation

September 26-27, 2024

The Annual Conference on Precision Psychiatry, hosted by the MGH Center for Precision Psychiatry, is becoming a leading venue for showcasing advances in the application of precision medicine approaches to psychiatric research and clinical practice. The Conference will be held virtually over the course of two days: Thursday, September 26th and Friday, September 27th, 2024.

Earn 7 continued education credits for participating this year!

Mass General Brigham Research Town Hall

Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 11:30 - 1 pm, virtual

Following a year of intensive development and significant feedback from the research community, Paul Anderson, MD, PhD - MGB Chief Academic Officer - and Allison Moriarty - SVP, Research Planning & Operations, and Innovation, will present the 10-year MGB Research Strategic Plan. They'll review overall priorities and the implementation work that will begin immediately. You can learn more about the development process here. The meeting will be recorded for those unable to attend.

Zoom link

NEW Fun Fridays- Writing Flash Essays

Friday, October 4, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Fun Fridays offer a refreshing mid-day break from work to indulge in physical, mental, or creative activity.

Flash is traditionally defined as stories that are 1,000 words or less. The flash form calls for immediacy; there is no space for lengthy preambles and meandering. In this session, join Olga for an introduction to a variety of different types of flash essays. We will discuss essential elements of craft and draw inspiration from essays read in the session to write our own.

Instructor: Olga Katsovskiy, MHA, is a Program Manager in the Endocrine Unit at MGH. In addition, she is a writer, editor for literary magazines, and an Instructor at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. She enjoys obscure books, foreign language films, and good coffee.

The Chester Pierce Research Society

Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 12 - 1 pm, virtual

Empowering Voices: Strategies for Involving Individuals with Disabilities in Research

Presenters:

Zary Amirhosseini, M.Ed

Willyanne DeCormier Plosky, DrPH

Martha Jones, MA, CIP

Jeanhee A. Chung, MD

2024 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize Symposium

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 2 - 5:30 pm

CAR-T Cells and the Transformation of Blood Cancer Treatments

The Warren Alpert Foundation and Harvard Medical School invite you to this annual scientific symposium, which will recognize four scientists whose discoveries led to the creation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, a type of treatment that modifies patients' immune cells and optimizes their ability to eliminate cancer cells.

Northeast Symposium on Biomedical Optics

Tuesday, October 15, 2024, MIT Building E25, Cambridge, MA

NESBO is a symposium organized by and for postdocs and graduate students. The symposium features invited research talks in the general area of biomedical imaging and sensing. It offers a unique opportunity to network, build professional skills, and gain insights into diverse research areas and facilities in biomedical optics across the northeast region. This year's sessions will spotlight cutting-edge research in biomedical optics from invited institutions.

NESBO also features:

Poster competition (with prizes!): Showcase your research!
Panel discussion: Learn about career paths in academia vs. industry.
Networking event: Socialize with fellow scientists at a nearby venue (food and drinks provided!).

All graduate students and postdocs are welcome to register (for free!) whether you're already in the field of biomedical optics or just looking to learn more.

MGRI & Chen Research Symposium

Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 9:00 - 12:00 PM, Simches Research Center

Learn how researchers and clinicians are using the latest in artificial intelligence technology to advance our understanding of disease, improve patient care and streamline healthcare delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital, in the communities we serve and across the globe.

3-Session Workshop on Creating Decision Worksheets

Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 5:00 - 6:00 pm, Virtual

The event is a 3-session workshop that offers a hands-on learning experience that will equip participants with the skills to develop decision worksheets for any clinical decision. Past attendees include nurses, dieticians, speech language pathologists, and physicians who have created worksheets on treatment for melanoma, treatment for Type 2 diabetes, treatments for osteoporosis, and choosing among feeding tube strategies. By participating in this workshop, we hope participants will learn how to use decision worksheets to communicate risk and efficiently elicit patients’ goals.

If people want to sign up they should email me at KESCOLERO@mgh.harvard.edu.

2024 Virtual Tumor Course

October 28, 2024 – October 31, 2024

39th Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment: Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology

For comprehensive information about this course, including faculty, schedule, and pricing, please visit the 39th Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment: Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology website

The “39th 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.

MGH New Faculty Orientation

Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, O’Keeffe

An opportunity for new (and established) faculty to learn about the various offices and networks that support our clinical and research faculty. While this is designed for those who are new to the MGH faculty, all faculty members are welcome to attend.

This in-person, two‐hour session is designed to provide an overview of the MGH environment and faculty resources focusing on:

MGH and MGPO
Center for Faculty Development
Key Executive Committees
Important resources such as EAP and Harvard Catalyst

Mentoring the Mentors Workshop

October 28-29, 2024

The 2-day in person workshop features didactic and interactive sessions on practical tips for mentoring including sessions on the meaning of mentorship, leadership styles, emotional intelligence, distance mentoring, team-based mentoring, individual development plans, funding sources for mentoring efforts, time managemenet and teaching work-life balance to mentees.

Leadership Skills Retreat

Thursday, November 7, 2024, 12:00 – 5:00 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: “Giving an Engaging Presentation,” “Leading Effective Teams,” and “How to Develop a National Reputation.”

Facilitators:

David S. Friedman, MD, PhD, MPH, Director, Glaucoma Service, MA Eye and Ear; and Co-Director, Glaucoma Center of Excellence, HMS Department of Ophthalmology

Laurie S. Pascal, MBA, MPH, Senior Lecturer, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and President, Pascal Coaching and Consulting LLC

Sareh Parangi, MD, Chair of Surgery, Newton-Wellesley Hospital; and Director, MGH Thyroid Cancer Research Laboratory

Miriam A. Bredella, MD, MBA, Bernard and Irene Schwartz Professor of Radiology & Vice Chair for Strategy, Department of Radiology, Associate Dean for Translational Science, Director Clinical and Translational Science Institute NYU Langone Health and Grossman School of Medicine

NEW Speed Mentoring Hour

Friday, November 8, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

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 November 8, 12 – 1 pm, with Steven Greenberg, MD, PhD, Vice-Chair, Faculty Development and Promotions, MGH Department of Neurology; and Jason Harris, MD, Associate Chief for Academic Faculty Affairs and Development, Department of Pediatrics.

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.

NEW Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium

November 12-13, 2024, MGH Assembly Row

The 2nd annual Gene and Cell Therapy Research Symposium will take place November 12-13, 2024, bringing together Mass General Brigham researchers and clinicians dedicated to advancing gene and cell therapy. There will be opportunities for networking and collaboration among attendees and engaging discussions led by MGH researchers: