Dear Colleagues,

We're happy, as usual, to showcase funding opportunities and events that you might be interested in. Additionally, this month we are sharing important updates from the NIH, including the new salary cap, alongside valuable career development resources and upcoming opportunities for early-stage investigators, post-doctoral scholars, and faculty members to further their research and professional growth. Wishing you all the best in your research and grant writing.

Sincerely, 

Diane Havlir, MD, Associate Chair for Clinical Research

David Erle, MD, Associate Chair for Biomedical Research

New NIH Salary Cap

The NIH salary cap increased from $212,100 to $221,900, effective January 1, 2024. On January 18th, the Office of Sponsored Research began using the new cap on all new, renewal, supplement, and resubmission proposals. UCSF will use an effective date of January 1, 2024, when the new cap can be used on any existing awards, provided adequate funds are available. Please note, that the increase in the cap does not increase the total award amount. 

REMINDER: PIVOT Early-Stage Investigator Management Training Program 

Applications are due by February 16

Calling All Early-Stage Investigators!

Are you an early-stage investigator just starting to build your research program as a PI? You know the science, but do you know how to navigate the NIH and UCSF research infrastructure successfully? Do you want to avoid the pitfalls of managing personnel and overcommitting your budget?

Learn the answers to all these questions and more by applying to the 2024 cycle of PIVOT (Principal InVestigator Organizational management Training) for Early-Stage Investigators. Eligibility criteria include UCSF faculty members with primary appointments in the Department of Medicine and are currently funded by an NIH career development award (K08, K23, or named as scholar on K12/KL2) or equivalent award. Course sessions will be held on Thursdays from 3-5pm on the following dates: 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, and 6/5. 

For more information including how to apply, please click the button below. The deadline to apply is February 16, 2024.

REMINDER: PRE-Proposal Application REview (PREPARE) Program

Seeking a new laboratory science program co-director!

Applications due February 23

PREPARE is seeking a new co-director with experience in lab-based research to start in July, 2024. This is an exciting opportunity to co-lead the very successful PREPARE DOM grant review program. Responsibilities include rapidly matching grant submitters with well-qualified reviewers for laboratory-oriented proposals, updating the program, and guiding the reporting of program outcomes. The role is compensated $25K per year and the program is administered by a project manager from the Central Admin team.

Candidates should be:

• Laboratory scientists with substantial experience in preparing and reviewing grant proposals
• Associate professor or above
• Well connected to diverse set of other PIs at UCSF who could serve as PREPARE reviewers (highly preferred)

To submit your application, send the following materials to Sara Wingate no later than Friday, February 23:

• NIH Biosketch
• A document addressing the following questions: 1) Why are you interested in this position?; and 2) What relevant experience reviewing grants and being on study section would you bring? (no more than 500 words combined)

For more information about the program, click here. Please email Sara Wingate with any questions.

REMINDER: PRISE Center T32 Postdoc Cohort recruitment

Applications are due by March 1

Applications Now Open for the 2024/2025 PRISE Center T32 Postdoc Cohort

The Partnerships for Research in Implementation Science for Equity in Heart and Lung Diseases (PRISE-HL) T32 program aims to provide support to outstanding post-doctoral scholars with interdisciplinary training in implementation science and health equity approaches to help transform the uptake and delivery of evidence-based interventions for heart and lung diseases in clinical and community settings. 

There are three open positions in the PRISE Center sponsored T32, to start by July 1, 2024, at UCSF or UC Irvine. The position may be fully remote or hybrid depending on the research scope.

One-year training slots are available on a competitive basis to trainees proposing implementation science research in NHLBI priority areas (heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders), focusing on health disparities. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

Please click the link below for application details and requirements. Kindly share this link with your networks and do reach out if you have any candidates who would be a good fit for the PRISE T32 program.

For inquiries: Contact PRISE Program Coordinator Tiese Etim-Inyang

National Medical Fellows Diversity in Clinical Trials Research Program (NMF Dctr)

Applications are due by March 8

NMF Dctr seeks to increase patient diversity in clinical trials by training health care professionals underrepresented in medicine to become Principal Investigators (PIs) in clinical research. 

A unique collaborative effort of sponsoring organizations, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Genentech – NMF Dctr’s comprehensive program features a clinical investigator certification course to provide health care professionals with the core knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to engage in clinical trial activities and post-training support that includes mentoring and networking to bridge the gap between training and practice.

Eligible candidates must:

• Hold the degree of M.D., M.D./Ph. D., D.O. or D.O./Ph. D.
• Meet the NMF definition of underrepresented in medicine as “those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.”
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (NOTE: J-1, O-1 & H-1B visa holders are eligible; the visa must be valid during the ten-week investigator certification training program period.)
• Have an active and unrestricted U.S. medical license*
• Affirm availability to participate in the full ten-week training program.

To learn more, you can access the informational webinar here.

Infectious Disease Molecular Imaging Symposium

March 15, 10:00AM - 5:00PM PST

Location TBA | In-Person

RSVP by March 1

Join us for a day of cutting-edge presentations and discussions at the intersection of in vivo molecular imaging and infectious disease research (focus on PET/MR/CT imaging). This inaugural symposium aims to bring together investigators and foster collaboration in this rapidly expanding, high-impact area.

Lunch will be served and reception to follow. Please RSVP as this event is in person only.

Pop-Up Faculty Lunch Series

March 21, 12-1:00 PM PST

Medical Sciences Building S857 | Parnassus Heights Campus

Pop-Up Faculty Club events provide an opportunity for informal interactions with your research faculty colleagues. These events are open to all research faculty and are an opportunity to catch up with old friends and collaborators and meet new ones. Please join the next lunch on Thursday, March 21 from 12-1:00PM in S857. Sign up here.

Capacity is limited to 30 due to space limitations. Sign up is first come first served. Please sign up by Friday, March 15 at noon. Thanks to the Department of Medicine for sponsoring this month's lunch. For questions, please contact Alyssa.Tecklenburg@ucsf.edu.

EXTRAMURAL The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

Applications are due by March 14

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is a new federal agency that supports team approaches for solving major health challenges. Rather than supporting research on specific diseases, ARPA-H will support high-risk, high-consequence programs designed to improve health for everyone.

To learn more about ARPA-H and how to apply to become a program manager or respond to a BAA, visit the UCSF Research Development Office ARPA-H website, which includes links to videos and slide decks with more information.

EXTRAMURAL DREAMS-CDTR Pilot and Feasibility Program 

Applications are due by April 22

DREAMS-CDTR is currently accepting applications for its Pilot and Feasibility Program. The program expects to give out two 12-month awards (7/1/24-6/30/25) awards this funding cycle, with a maximum of $40,000 awarded to each. You may access the Request for Proposals and apply online via the Funding Opportunities page of the DREAMS-CDTR website. If you have any questions about this funding opportunity, please email Neesha Joseph and Julie Schmittdiel. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 22nd. 

NIH Diversity Supplements at UCSF

Ongoing

Funds are available from the NIH to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. Funds are also available for program directors and principle investigators who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability.

To receive a Candidate Eligibility Statement from the Office of Diversity & Outreach (ODO), please be sure that you have reviewed and are familiar with the eligibility criteria and application process. If you need help with the application process including on how to draft a diversity eligibility letter, contact OSR Find My Support for assistance.

If you'd like to contribute to future newsletters, please send your items to Alyssa Tecklenburg.

Resources for Space Planning Updates



For updates on work space projects, be sure to check out the UCSF Space websites for Parnassus Heights and ZSFG. Also, check out the Parnassus Vision website, maintained by a group of Parnassus-based research faculty.

Copyright © 2024, University of California, San Francisco, All rights reserved.

Please send comments, suggestions and questions to:

Diane Havlir, MD, Associate Chair for Clinical Research (diane.havlir@ucsf.edu)

David Erle, MD, Associate Chair for Biomedical Research (david.erle@ucsf.edu)