The Office of the Vice President for Research invites K-State faculty, staff, students and members of the public to attend the grand opening of K-State’s new Protein and Biopolymer Analysis Core Lab. 

The event will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Friday, March 1, in 437 Chemistry/Biochemistry Building. 

Attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments and hear remarks from Beth Montelone, senior associate vice president for research; Chris Culbertson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Christer Aakeröy, head of the Department of Chemistry; and Ping Li, associate professor and lab director 

Following the remarks, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the core lab facility.  

The Protein and Biopolymer Analysis Core Lab, or PBACL, provides integrated synthetic and analytical capabilities for biological materials, including proteins, peptides, and glycans. The core encompasses a wide range of sophisticated technical expertise and state-of-the-art instrumentation. Services at the lab are available to the K-State community, as well as external customers.  

Please contact Li at pli@k-state.edu for questions or additional details.  

The Office of the Vice President for Research announces new funding available to assist faculty in research planning and large-grant development.

The Travel, Acceleration and Planning, or TAP Grants will provide funding for travel to meet with agency or foundation personnel, travel to meet with collaborators at other institutions for proposal development meetings, support for potential co-investigators at other institutions to travel to K-State for proposal development meetings and faculty and/or staff support for large center-level grant development. 

The process for requesting TAP funds is designed to be simple and fast. The Office of the Vice President for Research will provide quick responses to all properly filed requests.

Full descriptions, funding amounts and procedures for requesting funding are available on the OVPR website.

Deadline: March 4, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.



The Office of Research Development announces the spring 2024 Faculty Development Award, or FDA, and University Small Research Grants, or USRG, call for proposals for K-State tenured or tenure track faculty who are interested in receiving assistance in their scholarly activities and professional development.

Note: faculty must have at least some percentage of their appointment devoted to research.

The Faculty Development Awards program provides support for travel to international meetings — primarily at international locations — or to meet with program officers from potential external sponsors.

The University Small Research Grants program is a seed grant program to support early research, scholarly activity, and other creative efforts.

More information about the program can be found here.

Please contact the Office of Research Development if you have any additional questions: ord@k-state.edu or 785-532-6195. 

All applications must be submitted by Monday, March 4, 2024.

The Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) BSL-3 Training Program for Research Support Personnel is designed to provide introductory BSL-3/BSL-3 Ag training to research personnel, either current federal staff; research fellows; recent graduates from U.S. universities (BS, MS) and current enrolled college students (BS, MS and PhD) with career interests in USDA Agricultural Research Service who want to attain additional training and knowledge in the area of high-containment research as potential career choice.

The CEEZAD training program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture -Agricultural Research Service and is directed at highly motivated BS/MS level research support personnel interested in research and careers in the field of high consequence, transboundary and zoonotic diseases of animals.

The two-week program consists of one week of hands-on and classroom training at the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University and the second week with in-person and virtual presentations from area industry partners and seminars/lectures from national and international subject matter experts in high containment research and transboundary animal diseases.

 Program Goals

• Demonstrating an understanding of pathogen risk group classifications and biosafety levels
• Identifying potential risks associated with executing standard laboratory practices
• Engage in laboratory practices that reduce the potential for aerosol exposures
• Identifying areas of potential vulnerabilities in the laboratory ecosystem/network to include how technology introduction may impact laboratory operations (cybersecurity), safety, security, and overall laboratory capability
• Demonstrating essential biocontainment practices for use in BSL3, ABSL3 and BSL3 Ag settings.

Successful applicants will receive a travel stipend (up to $2,500; depending on home base) to cover transportation (to and from Manhattan, Kansas), lodging and per diem expenses. Applicants residing in or near the Manhattan, Kansas, area may not be eligible to receive a travel stipend. An on-campus housing option is available.

More information can be found here.

Applications can be found here.

The Office of the Vice President for Research announces a request for proposals for the Global Food Systems Seed Grant Program for innovative research covering all aspects of global food systems. 

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing food production — crops or livestock.
• Better management of water and other resources or systems related to food production and distribution or better management of the food produced.
• Keeping food systems safe
• Increasing food nutritional value.
• Policy, social concerns, and economic factors driving food systems.
• Combating obesity and nutritional illiteracy.

Key dates:

• Required Industry Perspectives Workshop: 1-2 p.m., Tuesday, March 5 or 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 6.
• Proposals due: Friday, April 5.

More information about eligibility, guidelines and funding amounts can be found on the OVPR website.

NSF BIO is inviting the biological sciences community to participate in an important initiative that brings together the brightest minds from government, research communities, industry, and non-profit organizations to advance the bioeconomy. The CASA-Bio platform and our upcoming town hall events offer unparalleled opportunities to contribute your ideas, engage in meaningful discussions, and collaborate on transformative research and development projects. 

We encourage you to share your research ideas on the CASA-Bio website and join us at the town hall events on February 22, 2024, from 4-5:30 p.m. to make a difference. 

The expertise and insights of the biological sciences community are invaluable as we tackle the bioeconomy’s most pressing challenges and explore innovative solutions. This is your chance to influence the future direction of bioenergy, bioproducts, climate change, health, and a multitude of other areas that are relevant to nearly every R&D space.  

Registration can be found here.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is hosting a virtual grant writing webinar series: 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 to pre- and post-doctoral fellows, clinician-scientists, as well as early-stage and mid-career research investigators.

The series will provide information on the funding opportunities for early career researchers at NIAID, navigating the F, K, DP2 and R38/K38 awards, and understanding the peer review process.

Dates and Topics:

• February 22, 2024: Opportunities for Early-Career Investigators
• March 21, 2024: Navigating NIH to prepare your grant application – F awards
• April 18, 2024: Navigating NIH to prepare your grant application – K awards
• May 23, 2024: Developing your candidate information section and research strategy for F and K awards
• June 20, 2024: Navigating NIH to prepare your grant application – DP2/R38/K38 awards
• July 18, 2024: Understanding the Peer Review process

Register here.

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research 

Annual Call for Reviewers

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress to support innovative science addressing today’s food and agriculture challenges and complement the research mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. FFAR was created in the 2014 Farm Bill as a mechanism to spur innovation in food and agriculture research by forming unique public-private partnerships.

FFAR invites experts across the agricultural sciences to review grant proposals within topic areas according to their expertise. We are currently recruiting peer reviewers for the 2024 New Innovator Award, which provides early career scientists the investment needed to propel them into successful research careers.

The success of the peer review process depends on the willingness of qualified reviewers like you to share your time and expertise. You will be asked to review up to five (5) proposals in April - May 2024. In appreciation for completing the reviews, an honorarium will be provided to eligible, non-government employees.

To participate and receive more information, please complete the 2-minute survey by February 28, 2024 to confirm that we can count on you to make this review process successful. We hope you consider this opportunity to work with FFAR as we strive to support innovative agricultural research.

If you are unable to review for FFAR at this time, please consider nominating other experts who may serve as potential reviewers. Thank you in advance for your support, and we look forward to hearing from you! 

Want to engage in use-inspired and translational research with the opportunity of expanding funding to you, your colleagues, and students and postdocs? Want to make a difference to society by providing basic research to help a sector of the economy overcome the obstacles holding them back from providing new and improved products and services?

Come to an office hour on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 2 p.m. on the Industry-University Cooperative Research Center Program. The National Science Foundation will be there to tell you about the program, how it works, and its benefits; as well as answer any questions you may have.

Join the meeting here:

https://nsf.zoomgov.com/j/1601307187?pwd=YXRHb2Y3VjNvc3E0SGphRS9RNUFuZz09 

Meeting ID: 160 130 7187

Passcode: 594512

February 28, 2024, 2:30-4 p.m.

March 5, 2024, 2:30-4 p.m.

The GCR program is having office hours that people can sign up for on Tuesdays or Wednesdays through the end of March. To speak with a GCR Program Director about a newly planned or revised GCR proposal, an appointment may be made on the GCR Office Hours Calendar. 

Additional dates and information can be found here.

February 29, 2024, 1-2 p.m.

See additional dates and times on nsf.gov

Join this open-ended session to ask questions about what’s needed when creating a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) proposal. A SBIR/STTR program director will answer questions and point you to resources.

Register here.

The S-STEM program will be holding open office hours for the upcoming March 2024 deadline:

February 23, 2024, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

February 29, 2024, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

See additional dates and times on nsf.gov

Registration can be found here.

Human Networks and Data Science Program Office Hour

March 7, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

March 21, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

April 4, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Please join the Human Networks and Data Science Program to discuss questions about the program with the program director. 

To join, use the Human Networks and Data Science office hour Zoom link.

For more information about the program, visit the Human Networks and Data Science Program page.

March 7, 2024, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

April 4, 2024, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

May 2, 2024, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

See additional dates and times on nsf.gov



Please join this I-Corps Teams webinar to ask an I-Corps program director questions and hear updates about the I-Corps program, curriculum, and important dates. Details will be shared at the beginning of each webinar to view real-time captions.

Registration can be found here.

Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Office Hour

Please join the Decision Risk Management Sciences office hour to discuss questions about the program with the program directors. 

Office hours take place over Zoom monthly, generally on Wednesdays. Please see upcoming dates listed below.

March 13, 2024, 1-2 p.m.

April 17, 2024, 1-2 p.m.

To join, use the Decision Risk Management Sciences office hour Zoom link

• All meetings during office hours are 1-on-1. Guests are seen in the order they join. You may have to wait if others join before you.
• If you need captions or other accommodations, please contact Claudia Gonzalez-Vallejo or Bob O'Connor in advance. 

For more information about the program, visit the Decision Risk Management Sciences program page.

Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF

March 28, 2024, 1-2 p.m.

See additional dates and times on nsf.gov



Join this question-and-answer session to learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by the National Science Foundation. A Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer program director will answer questions about how to get started, the basics of eligibility and what they look for when they review project pitches.

Register for the Intro to America's Seed Fund webinar on Zoom.

The National Medal of Science (NMS) is the highest recognition the Nation can bestow on scientists and engineers. It was established by the 86th Congress in 1959 as a Presidential Award to be given to individuals deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or social and behavioral sciences, in service to the Nation. These broad areas include such disciplines as astronomy, chemistry, computer and information science and engineering, geoscience, materials research, and research on STEM education.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking nominations for the NMS from February 3 through May 5, 2024. 

We welcome you to join us for an informational webinar on the National Medal of Science. The webinar will highlight background information on the award and provide tips for submitting nominations. The webinar will be held on March 12, 2024 at 10 a.m. 

Register in advance for this webinar.

See the NMS Nominations web page for more information on how to make your nominations.

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) has been issued.

The new PAPPG will be effective for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024. 

NSF will present information about these changes in a webinar on March 12 at 1 P.M. 

April 30 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

May 23, 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

July 25, 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

See additional dates and times on nsf.gov



Join this question-and-answer session to learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by the National Science Foundation. A Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer program director will answer questions about how to get started, the basics of eligibility and what they look for when they review project pitches.

Register here.

The Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) is a research and action competition driven by community priorities. By addressing priorities at the local scale that are relevant across the U.S., CIVIC is laying the foundation for a broader and more fluid exchange of research and technology capabilities and civic priorities through joint partnerships involving civic partners and the research community.

The foundation for CIVIC projects should be rooted in maturing and transitioning state-of-the-art research in disciplines, including but not limited to computer science, engineering, geosciences, biological sciences, and social sciences.

Full proposals due May 1, 2024.

Read the full solicitation here.

Call for Nominations for the National Medal of Science

The National Medal of Science is the highest recognition the nation can bestow on scientists and engineers. The presidential award is given to individuals deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or social and behavioral sciences, in service to the Nation.

For this prestigious honor, please nominate colleagues and peers who have made extraordinary contributions that have advanced the scientific enterprise.

Complete nomination packages, consisting of a completed nomination form and three letters of support, are due by May 3, 2024.

Nominations can be submitted here.

The U.S. National Science Foundation will host the Spring 2024 NSF Grants Conference from June 3 – 5, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA. The conference is making an eagerly anticipated transition to a hybrid event.

Registration will open on Wednesday, March 6, at 11 a.m. for in-person and virtual participation. We anticipate in-person registration will sell out quickly, so be prepared to register as soon as possible.

More information can be found here.

The U.S. National Science Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of four interactive online research security training modules, now available to researchers and institutions across the U.S. These modules are designed to facilitate principled international collaboration in an open, transparent and secure environment that safeguards the nation's research ecosystem.

Fueled by the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," these training modules signify a major first step in reconciling the needs of the research, law enforcement and intelligence communities to pursue trusted relationships in the global research community while minimizing economic and security risks.

More information can be found here.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have published the proceedings from a workshop they hosted on Enhancing Public Access to the Results of Research Supported by the Department of Health and Human Services that took place from November 30 to December 1, 2023. The NIH-sponsored workshop was held to inform NIH and other agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as they develop or update policies to enhance public access to the results of HHS-funded research.

The summary of the workshop can be accessed here. The webcast of the meeting, and associated meeting materials, can be found on the workshop website.

Please contact Office of Science Policy at SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov with any questions.

Most Americans continue to think science benefits society, but rarely engage in scientific activities with professional scientists. People’s familiarity with the process of science also corresponds to how they think about scientific institutions. 

These and similar trends are in the Science and Technology: Public Perceptions, Awareness, and Information Sources report that the National Science Board published today. The report is part of the 2024 congressionally mandated Science and Engineering Indicators analysis of the state of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise, prepared by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics under the National Science Board’s guidance.

Science and Technology: Public Perceptions, Awareness, and Information Sources is the fourth of 10 Science and Engineering Indicators reports that the NSB will publish over the coming months through spring of 2024

Study Offers New Clues to Why Most People with Autoimmune Diseases are Women

Exciting findings from a study supported in part by NIH provide a clue to why this may be the case, with potentially important implications for the early detection, treatment, and prevention of autoimmune diseases. The new evidence, reported in the journal Cell, suggests that more women develop autoimmune diseases than men due in part to the most fundamental difference between the biological sexes: that females have two X chromosomes, while males have an X and a Y. More specifically, it has to do with molecules called Xist (pronounced “exist”), which are encoded on the X chromosome and transcribed into long non-coding stretches of RNA, only when there are two X chromosomes. NIH Director's Blog



International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Dr. Dionne Toombs, National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s associate director for programs, took some time recently to reflect on the importance of role models for young women interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, where a significant gender gap persists. Additionally, she shared some NIFA programs working to address this gap. USDA



275 million new genetic variants identified in NIH precision medicine data

Researchers have discovered more than 275 million previously unreported genetic variants, identified from data shared by nearly 250,000 participants of the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program. Half of the genomic data are from participants of non-European genetic ancestry. The unexplored cache of variants provides researchers new pathways to better understand the genetic influences on health and disease, especially in communities who have been left out of research in the past. NIH

Researchers are using RNA in a new approach to fight HIV

University of Waterloo pharmacy associate professor Emmanuel Ho has developed a novel nanomedicine loaded with genetic material called small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to fight human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using gene therapy. These siRNAs regulate which genes or proteins are turned on or off in our cells and showed a 73 per cent reduction in HIV replication. EurekAlert!

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