Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to May's edition of the DOM Investigators Newsletter. We're thrilled to announce an exciting leadership appointment: Joanne Engel, MD, PhD, has been named the new co-director of the PREPARE program. See below for more information.

In addition, we have some fantastic news from some of our faculty who have received career development awards or first-time R01 awards. These grants not only recognize their groundbreaking work but also provide the support needed to continue their valuable contributions to medical research. As usual, we wish them many congratulations.

This issue also features a wealth of resources and opportunities tailored for career development. Whether you're looking for funding to kickstart new projects, needing bridge funding, or seeking guidance to advance your research career, our curated list of opportunities is designed to support and propel.

Stay informed, stay inspired, and let's all congratulate our colleagues on their successes and new roles!

All the best, 

Diane Havlir, MD, Associate Chair for Clinical Research

David Erle, MD, Associate Chair for Biomedical Research

Alan H. Baik, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology at UCSF Health, received a K08 Award from the NIH Heart Lung and Blood Institute for a project entitled, "SREBP1 as a Novel Mammalian Oxygen Sensor."

Dr. Baik also received the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program Award from the American Heart Association.

Christina Homer, MD, PhD, fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCSF Health, received the Physician-Scientist Scholar Program (PSSP) Award from the UCSF School of Medicine. As a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Anita Sil, she is studying the important human fungal pathogen Coccidioides. She discovered a family of Coccidioides proteases that are required for it to develop into its unique parasitic structure, known as the spherule. As a UCSF Physician-Scientist Scholar, she aims to unlock the role of these proteases during infection, characterize novel secreted virulence factors, and use knowledge of the mysterious spherule to ultimately develop better treatments for coccidioidomycosis. This is a prestigious award, granted to one physician-scientist in the SOM per year. Congratulations, Dr. Homer!

Nhung Nguyen, PhD, PharmD, assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at UCSF Health, received a K01 Award from the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse for a project entitled, "Developing a smartphone-based intervention targeting high-risk situations of nicotine vaping among young adults."

Aparna Sundaram, MD, associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary at UCSF Health, received an R01 Award from the NIH Heart Lung and Blood Institute for a project entitled, "Mechanisms of Cytokine-Mediated Integrin Activation and Force Transmission in Airway Smooth Muscle."

PREPARE



We are happy to announce that Joanne Engel, MD, PhD, professor and division chief of the division of Infectious Diseases at UCSF Health, has been appointed the new co-director of the DOM PREPARE program (PRE-Proposal Application REview) as of July 1, 2024. She will be joining Judy Hahn, PhD, MA, professor in the division of HIV, ID & Global Medicine at ZSFG, as a co-director. We thank Professor Larry Fong, MD, for launching with program with Dr. Hahn and his 5 years of service to the program.

The PREPARE program–which provides NIH structured peer review for grant proposals by UCSF faculty–was launched in late 2019 as a result of feedback from faculty members collected by David Erle and Diane Havlir, DOM's associate chairs for research. The program has been highly successful in providing feedback to investigators to strengthen their grant proposal prior to their submission.

Research Service Awards



NIH-funded recipients of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) will see an increase in the stipend levels for all awards made on or after October 1, 2023, increasing the overall amount of the awards. Retroactive adjustments for an award made prior to October 1, 2023, are not permitted. Eligible recipients also will receive a $500 increase in subsidies for childcare and an additional $200 for training-related expenses. These changes are the result of strong advocacy by members of the academic research community and recommendations from the NIH Director’s recent working group report on postdoctoral training.  

SOM Bridge Funding Program

Applications due May 28

The Bridge Funding Program provides up to 12 months of support for full-time faculty members with independent research programs, who are experiencing a temporary loss of significant funding. The program is intended to support applicants who face a funding gap between two extramural research grants (usually R01 or equivalent). Typically, applicants have been unsuccessful in a recent attempt to renew or replace a federal grant but are likely to be funded upon submission of a revised application, based on scores and reviewers’ comments. Applicants must be faculty members who have a full-time, salaried appointments in the School of Medicine and have been faculty members for more than 3 years. 

UCSF Academic Senate Faculty Research Lectures Call for Nominations

Nominations due June 7

The Academic Senate Committee on Research is accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 Faculty Research Lectures. The deadline to submit a nomination is June 7, 2024. Submit nominations via the Senate Service Portal (SSP) here. Please do not submit nomination packets via email. 

This award acknowledges the outstanding scientific achievements made by members of the UCSF Academic Senate in three areas: 

1. Basic Science 
2. Clinical Science
3. Social, Behavioral, and Health Policy Sciences

Translational researchers may be nominated in either the Basic Science or Clinical Science category, depending on which is the better fit for their research.

Nominators should state the best-fitting category for the candidate’s research within the cover page of the application. 

The Academic Senate Committee on Research selects the recipients of each lectureship award. The Committee on Research particularly encourages nominations of faculty from historically excluded groups and those underrepresented in medicine and science.

Click the button below for the full description and nomination submission instructions.

UCSF Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (NORC) Pilot Feasibility Awards

Applications due July 15

The Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) at UCSF is sponsoring an open Request for Applications (RFA) for Pilot and Feasibility Grants, which provide funding for investigators to pursue novel and promising ideas broadly relevant to nutrition, obesity, and metabolism research. The NORC Pilot and Feasibility Program is funded through a Center grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to facilitate the engagement of junior faculty and encourage new directions in NORC related research, regardless of a laboratory’s historical research focus.

Pilot funding of up to $50,000 per application is available for a period of 12 months from the time of award.

Preference will be given to Junior Faculty engaged in research broadly relevant to nutrition, obesity, and metabolism, who do not yet have NIH R01 funding (K awardees are eligible to apply).

PSCDP Mentoring Committees for Physician-Scientist Trainees and Junior Faculty

Ongoing

PSCDP (Physician-Scientist Career Development Program) assembles mentoring committees for interested laboratory-based physician-scientists in Medicine, Neurology, or Pediatrics during the fellowship and/or junior faculty period, providing ongoing and scientific and career guidance. If you are interested in this service, please register below and the program will contact you to begin the process. Mentors and other faculty working with lab-based physician scientists who would like more information about the program or who would like to refer a trainee for a Mentoring Committee, please email PSCDP@ucsf.edu.

NIH Grant Writing Webinar Series

See upcoming dates below

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is hosting a virtual grant writing webinar series entitled - Debuting Your Research Career: How to Plan for and Write Your First (or Next) NIH Grant Application. This monthly webinar series is free and open to all pre- and post-doctoral fellows, clinician-scientists, and early to mid-career research investigators. This series will take place every third Thursday of the month between 10am and 11:30am EST from February to July 2024. The workshop will provide information on funding opportunities for early career researchers at NIAID; navigating F, K, DP2, and R38/K38 awards; and understanding the peer review process. Three events have already passed, but there are more upcoming.

All workshops are virtual via Zoom:

• Developing your candidate information section and research strategy for F and K awards – May 23rd, 2024
• Navigating NIH to prepare your grant application – DP2/R38/K38 awards – June 20th, 2024
• Understanding the Peer Review process – July 18th, 2024

Virtual Faculty Writing Retreat

Registration due June 1

This week-long retreat, organized by a Berkeley-based research team, aims to provide a supportive virtual environment where faculty can quietly write alongside other faculty in a small-group setting. In doing so, participants can carve out uninterrupted time to focus, minimize distractions, and foster accountability.

All faculty members in medical research domains are welcome to participate. The week-long program will repeat four times July through August, 2024. Participants will join up to four other faculty members in virtual Zoom sessions to write independently for three hours daily, either in the morning (9am-12pm PST) or afternoon (1-4pm PST). Participation is limited to one timeslot in one week. Space is limited, so please register soon before the deadline on June 1, 2024. 

K PREP

K Prep is a new CTSI-sponsored program to support fellows and junior faculty who are from groups that are historically underrepresented in the health sciences* to prepare for patient-oriented NIH K-series grant applications.

Program Components:

• Small group mentorship
• One on one mentoring as needed
• Support in crafting a mentoring team, drafting an aims page, and understanding the K application process
• Opportunity to apply for K Writing Workshop to finalize application components with faculty and peer mentorship

Eligibility:

• UCSF fellows or junior faculty member
• Identified as underrepresented in the health sciences*
• Planning to apply for a K-series grant in patient-oriented research
• 
  

 If you are interested in participating or have questions, please reach out to Marissa Raymond-Flesch (marissa.raymond-flesch@ucsf.edu).

*K PREP uses UCSF’s definition of underrepresented.

PRE-Proposal Application REview (PREPARE) Program

Ongoing

Get expert peer reviews for your R, K, and U proposals via the PREPARE program! Did you know that fast turnaround times are possible, pending reviewer availability? The PREPARE team is here to help, so whether it's a full proposal, concept sheet, or summary sheet, you can get the expert review you need.

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

UCSF Innovator Seminars - A Monthly Series

UCSF Innovation Ventures has launched the “UCSF Innovator Seminars” series as a part of the Innovator Enrichment Program. This monthly curriculum is designed to inspire and inform “Frontline Innovators” at UCSF. The next edition of the series titled "Design Thinking & Tools of the Trade" is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Registration is required and there is no fee. (Note: Room and Zoom information will be provided upon registration). 

The Innovator Seminars are open to all UCSF Faculty, Staff and Learners who would like to develop skills and expertise as innovators. The Innovator Seminars include expert lectures sharing essential knowledge to advancing innovations across the arc of development - from “idea to impact”. Key topics include: Problem definition · Needs analysis · Design thinking · Stakeholder discovery · Solution ideation · Competitive landscaping · Evidence-based development · Intellectual property · Validation · Regulatory · Funding · Strategic partnering· Business Models · Communication skills · Equitable innovation · Career development as a UCSF Innovator. 

If you'd like to contribute to future newsletters, please send your items to Ilona Paredes.

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)