With this enewsletter, the Medical School Office of Research is shifting from the monthly publication of “Research News” to a weekly edition. Please bookmark the important links below and consider setting up email alerts to stay abreast of the latest information not only from our organization, but from UMOR.

Events around us are continuously evolving, and our team is committed to keeping you informed and supporting our research community to the utmost of our ability.

Earlier today, Rebecca Cunningham, M.D., U-M Interim Vice President for Research, sent a message to the research community that announced the following:

"In an effort to protect the health and safety of the University of Michigan community amid the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, researchers across all three campuses should ramp down all noncritical research laboratory activities by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 20. We will continue to assess the situation at regular intervals.

Faculty, staff and students must ramp down all on-campus laboratory research activities, with the exception of research related to COVID-19. The university will maintain minimal access to laboratories so that critical activities, including the maintenance of animals, unique reagents, and essential equipment and materials, along with research related to COVID-19, can continue. Research and scholarship (e.g., analyzing data, writing and reviewing manuscripts, preparing presentations, developing new grant proposals, convening online discussions with students and lab staff, etc.) that can occur remotely should continue."

Please visit the UMOR Research Operations web page to learn more details about Dr. Cunningham's announcement. Additionally, on that page under the tab labeled "Research Facilities/Laboratory Safety," you'll find downloadable links for:

These are very serious times, and the health and safety of our researchers and staff is of utmost importance. If you have questions, visit the Medical School Office of Research's COVID-19 webpage, or please don't hesitate to reach out to the Medical School Office of Research at [email protected].

Medical School Facilities has posted a webpage dedicated specifically to FAQs that might develop around the ramp down of biomedical research operations. CLICK HERE to learn more about:

Questions? Contact Medical School Facilities at [email protected].

This morning the clinical enterprise sent an email requesting needed supplies. Unopened materials needed include:

Who to Contact

Please e-mail : [email protected] to let them know that you will be dropping off supplies

Where to Take Supplies

Michigan Medicine

1500 East Medical Center Drive, Dock 5

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109

On March 16, 2020, all individuals on an active animal use protocol  received an email from the Animal Care & Use Program Leadership Team outlining several important updates and recommended changes for how PIs and their laboratories should organize research projects involving animals amid the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation.

In a follow-up email to the entire animal care and use community on March 17, 2020, U-M's Attending Veterinarian provided additional clarification on several pieces of guidance, including:

Please review this information carefully to determine appropriate actions on how to best safeguard your research during this time. Ongoing guidance, information, FAQs, and other updates regarding research involving animals will be posted to the UMOR Research Operations webpage.

Perhaps more than most, we are accustomed to maintaining our poise and carrying out our responsibilities during unusual circumstances. Please know that our entire animal care team remains committed to supporting your research, your staff, and the animals within our care, however possible. With this in mind, please continue to reach out to our team with any questions and concerns at [email protected]; we are here to help safeguard and support your research activities. 

The Grant Services & Analysis team wants to remind our research community to review two important sections of the UMOR Research Operations webpage. The "Proposal Submission and Award Management" section on that page includes information about:

And the "Costs During the COVID-19 Health Crisis" section on the page addresses:

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] if you have questions.

IRBMED has posted information on a Study-Specific Planning Guidance web page, including info about:

Questions? Contact [email protected].

The Clinical Trials Support Office has created a specific webpage to address issues unique to our clinical research community. Visit the CTSO-Specific COVID Updates page for updates, including details about:

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions at [email protected].

This is a reminder that HITS has posted a web resource " Tech Guide to Working Remotely," which includes helpful info about:

Also, ITS Central Campus announced yesterday that the university now has an agreement with Zoom, a video conferencing service that offers options for online meetings, chat rooms, webinars, and mobile collaboration. CLICK HERE to learn more.

If you’re dialing in from off campus, new numbers are required

ITS Central Campus sent a message earlier this week indicating that BlueJeans is experiencing a degradation in service, and asking that staff and students stop using the university on-campus number – 763-1841 – immediately, if working off campus.

CLICK HERE to view the alternative numbers, and additional updates. ITS instructs that if you are working on campus, you should still connect to BlueJeans through 3-1841 to minimize the load on outbound calling volume.

In an effort to protect the health and safety of the University of Michigan community amid the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation and in compliance with directive from the UMOR, Biomedical Research Core Facilities (BRCF) will switch from normal to emergency operations.

As part of emergency operating procedures, all non-essential activities will be suspended, keeping only critical activities operational. Please visit our website, contact Core Directors for updates regarding specific core access, or contact us at [email protected].

The Calendar Review and Analysis Office will remain open and conduct business consistent with the most current guidance from the university. We will handle immediate issues that arise on a case-by-case basis and follow prevailing guidance. In recognition of the benefits of social distancing in slowing the potential spread of COVID-19, CRAO staff are working remotely.

The University has released temporary restrictions on human subjects research in an effort to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 in human participant research interactions and to preserve personal protective equipment for clinical care. You can visit the UMOR Research Operations page under "Research Involving Human Subjects" to learn the full details.

CLICK HERE for our staff directory that includes email and phone numbers, or contact us at [email protected].

In compliance with the directive from UMOR that all labs should ramp down operations, the Central Biorepository (CBR) will switch from normal to emergency operations, no later than March 20, 2020. Non-essential activities will be suspended, keeping only critical activities operational, including:

CBR has already made arrangements to receive most, if not all, in-transit biospecimens and accession them into the appropriate long-term storage environment. Thank you for your partnership in communicating your needs and working with our team to send samples to CBR.  If you have not yet made arrangements for CBR to receive your samples, please do so now, so that we may receive and accession them by March 20, 2020.

CLICK HERE for more details about CBR operations relative to the COVID-19 situation, or contact us at [email protected].

The Clinical Trial Support Office (CTSO) and its units will remain open and conduct business consistent with the most current guidance from the university. We will handle immediate issues that arise on a case-by-case basis and follow prevailing guidance. CLICK HERE to visit our COVID-19 web page, and please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions at [email protected].

In alignment with the U-M's policy encouraging telecommuting, the Data Office team is currently working from home. We will continue to be available by phone and email, individually and as a unit (click here: https://doctrjira.med.umich.edu/servicedesk/customer/portal/1) so you should continue to experience the service you have come to expect across all our service areas.

Please watch return emails in the event a specific member of the team is out, and if needed, redirect your inquiry here: https://doctrjira.med.umich.edu/servicedesk/customer/portal/1 to be assisted. 

The Fast Forward Medical Innovation team is currently working from home, in alignment with the U-M's policy encouraging telecommuting. We will continue to shepherd the biomedical research enterprise's business development, commercialization, and innovation education remotely, so you should not experience any disruption in the services we provide, but we encourage you to contact us via email with any concerns. CLICK HERE for our staff directory that includes email and phone numbers, or contact us at [email protected].

Grant Services & Analysis team members are available by phone and email, individually and as a unit ( [email protected] or CLICK HERE) so you should continue to experience the service you have come to expect across all our areas. Please watch return emails in the event a specific member of the team is out, and if needed, redirect your inquiry to [email protected].

IRBMED encourages study teams to monitor the IRBMED website for any changes in workflows and for additional guidance (especially IRBMED procedures for urgent amendments and study conduct during the research pause). 

The UMOR Research Operations site also contains important responses to frequently asked questions that relate to clinical research at Michigan Medicine. Check that website frequently as questions are updated daily.  

General questions for IRBMED can be submitted to [email protected]. The email inbox will be monitored during normal business hours and over the weekend. Responses will be provided within one business day.

The Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) will maintain mechanisms for providing continued daily care to all animals housed on campus in the event of a natural disaster or other events that may interrupt normal business, including the COVID-19 situation.

This includes veterinary medical care; assessment of animal health and wellbeing; provision of food, water and clean cages; and maintenance of appropriate environmental conditions. All animal care staff (veterinarians, veterinary technicians, husbandry and housing, etc.) are considered mission-critical staff and report to work to ensure the continued health and well-being of all animals.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

Changes regarding events hosted or co-sponsored by units within the Medical School Office of Research.

To better navigate the complexities of the U-M biomedical research enterprise, visit the Research Project Lifecycle . This interactive tool provides an overview of the resources available to you, not only within the Medical School Office of Research but also across the University. The "stops" along this lifecycle are highlighted above, and more information is available online .