^{Issue 1 | June 23, 2025}

^{RESEARCH HORIZONS}

^{Newsletter from the Office of Research & Biotechnology}

Message From The VPR

We are excited to introduce Research Horizons, the Office of Research newsletter dedicated to keeping the WesternU research community informed, engaged, and prepared for the challenges ahead.

Higher education is facing unprecedented challenges, with federal spending cuts, funding freezes, and shifting regulations reshaping the academic research landscape. In the face of these uncertainties, it is more important than ever to stay informed, adapt, and advocate for the future of research.

The newsletter features several sections highlighting key changes in research policy and regulatory requirements, updates from funding agencies, and essential tips and resources to navigate extramural funding guidelines.

As always, your feedback is invaluable, and we invite you to share your thoughts to help us improve future editions.

Thank you for your commitment to research excellence. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of discovery.

Happy reading!

Andrea Giuffrida, Ph.D, MBA

Sr. Vice President for Research & Biotechnology

Research Regulatory Affairs

Understanding the Real Costs of Research

Potential F&A Cap

Government Files Notice of Appeal in F&A Lawsuit

On April 8, the Trump administration filed a notice of appeal challenging the April 4th order of a permanent injunction that blocks cuts to research facilities and administrative costs (F&A). The appeal contests the proposed 15% cap on F&A, which would have replaced previously negotiated rates with research institutions.

Click here to learn more about F&A

News From The Feds

Trump Proposes Deep Cuts to Health Agencies

The Trump administration's FY26 budget proposes a $31.3B cut to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), bringing its discretionary budget to $94.6B. The NIH would see a funding decrease by nearly $18B, and a reduction into eight institutes, with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities being eliminated. The budget also suggests a $3.5B decrease for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

More details on the President's budget

Simplified Peer-Review Framework

We want to call your attention to two notable changes: (1) the NIH simplified peer review framework, designed to reduce bias and reviewer burden; and (2) the revisions to the NIH fellowship application and review process, designed to mitigate bias that exacerbates funding disparities among biomedical research trainees.

To learn more about how applications will be reviewed under the simplified review framework click here

NIH Changes Foreign Research Funding Structure

NIH now requires foreign sub-awards to be structured as direct subprojects, not nested under parent grants. Guide Notice NOT-OD-25-104 implements these changes to improve tracking, reporting consistency, and national security.

To learn more click here

New Requirements for NIH Biosketch and Other Support Forms

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has postponed the previously scheduled May 25, 2025 implementation date for Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support. This delay affects all applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs). NIH will provide future guidance that will specify the new effective date and implementation details once finalized. Until then, NIH applicants and recipients must continue using the current NIH Biosketch and Other Support format pages for all applications, Just-in-Time (JIT) requests, and RPPRs.

Click here for more information

Federal Judge Orders NIH to Restore Hundreds of Canceled Grants

A federal judge in Boston has ordered the immediate restoration of approximately 800 National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that were abruptly canceled earlier this year. U.S. District Court Judge William Young ruled that the agency's decision to terminate grants in areas such as racial health disparities and transgender health was "arbitrary and capricious," lacking legal process.

GrantSeeker Program: Elevate Your Research Funding Success

Transform your extramural grant proposals with expert guidance through the GrantSeeker Program.

Receive personalized feedback from recognized leaders in your field who can recommend up to $25,000 in strategic investments to strengthen your proposal's competitiveness and funding potential.

Intramural Grants 2025: Application Period Closed

The WesternU Intramural Grants Program funds faculty research in basic, clinical, translational, education and health services areas.

This competitive program aims to help faculty secure external funding while producing scholarly work that increases recognition for researchers and the university. Projects run for 2 years.

Discover Your Next Funding Opportunity: InfoEd's SPINPlus

SPINPlus is a comprehensive, user-friendly tool to identify potential funding sources to advance researchers' work to the next level.

This powerful database contains over 40,000 funding opportunities from more than 10,000 federal, public, non-profit, and private sponsors worldwide, making it an essential resource for faculty, staff, and students seeking research support.

VPR Updates

Discover Our Newly Redesigned Research & Biotechnology Website

The Research & Biotechnology website has been redesigned to offer improved navigation, making it easier to discover our areas of research strength, regulatory requirements, and new collaboration opportunities.

Click here

Faculty In Focus

New Core Facility to Foster Drug Discovery at WesternU

The WesternU Molecular Computing Core (WMCC), directed by Dr. Lyna Luo, is a new research infrastructure that became operational on October 1, 2024. The Institutional Core's mission is to provide high-performance computing resources to foster drug discovery.

Key goals of the WMCC include generating preliminary data to secure external funding, training researchers through seminars, and fostering collaborations with other top universities. To date the WMCC has receiving service contracts totaling $48,500.

Celebrating Dr. Baudry, a Franco-American Neuroscience Pioneer

The Consulate General of France in Los Angeles recently hosted a special evening to award the National Order of Merit to Professor Michel Baudry. This prestigious honor recognizes Professor Baudry's remarkable contributions to neuroscience and his vital role in fostering scientific collaboration between France and the United States.

Events

Research Day Success Inspires New Funding

Thank you to the students, faculty, and staff who made the CDM Annual Research Day an inspiring success. To build on this momentum, CDM is launching a new summer fund, offering four student-led projects grants of $5,000 each, which includes support for their faculty mentors.

More information here

WesternU Shines at Anatomy Connected 2025!

WesternU was well-represented at Anatomy Connected 2025, with faculty and students delivering over 21 research presentations. Drs. Anna Hardin and Catherine Llera Martin also chaired a key session on quantitative genetics. Mark your calendars for next year's conference in Albuquerque, April 17-20, 2026.

Entrepreneurial Corner

IP Committee Charge

Review of Tremonti Assessment
Faculty Engagement
Alignment with IP Policy
IP ownership and use of University Resources
Consideration of Market Potential
Recommendation for IP Protection

University IP Committee

The University Intellectual Property (IP) Committee ensures that all research disclosures are thoroughly assessed, and appropriate actions are taken in accordance with university policies to make informed decisions regarding patent filings. All disclosures will be reviewed by Tremonti firm, which serves as our outsourced Office of Technology Transfer.

IP Committee Members