UCSF MSK Center CCMBM Core Services Newsletter - September 2026 | | |
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MSK Center
CCMBM Cores:
Featured Services
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The UCSF Musculoskeletal (MSK) Center unites basic, translational, computational, and clinical musculoskeletal investigators across the research spectrum. We are proud to have the Core Center for Musculoskeletal Biology & Medicine (CCMBM) as an integral component of the center, funded by the NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
A skeleton for discovery, a skeleton for cures
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“I appreciate that the CCMBM brings together musculoskeletal researchers and clinicians from across multiple departments and fosters collaboration. The quality of our research efforts is markedly enhanced by the existence of CCMBM.”
--Coleen Sabatini, MD, MPH, Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UCSF
| | Looking for a novel way to rapidly and quantitatively evaluate gene expression? The Nanostring nCounter fills the gap between qPCR and RNAseq by analyzing up to hundreds of transcripts at a time with small amounts of RNA. Nanostring uses fluorescent color-coded barcode probes and single molecule imaging to detect and count hundreds of unique transcripts in a single reaction at high sensitivity (< 1 copy per cell). Starting with 50 - 100ng total RNA, no enzymatic processing steps are required for gene expression analysis. The probes hybridize to approximately 100 bases, and can be multiplexed to detect up to 800 different targets in a single reaction. Pre-built CodeSets are commercially available, as well as custom UCSF Skeletal Biology custom CodeSets that survey 94 or 627 mouse genes implicated in musculoskeletal biology, including bone, cartilage, tendon and muscle. | | For more info on the custom UCSF codesets, please see our website. For inquiries, please contact Chia-Ling Tu. | | | | | |
The Grant Development Award provides funding for a junior CCMBM member to host a meeting (e.g., lunch or dinner) with 1-3 UCSF faculty members who are outside of the trainee’s current lab to:
1) brainstorm/solicit informal feedback on a study idea or research direction
2) learn about the latest methods and techniques used in related fields
3) identify potential collaborators
4) promote inter-disciplinary MSK research
5) expand the trainee’s professional network
If you are not a member, you may concurrently apply for membership while your Grant Development application is being reviewed.
Apply via the online application form today! Contact Sam Stephen for questions on this funding opportunity.
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The CCMBM would like to help investigators strengthen their grant proposals in advance of any upcoming NIH deadlines. We invite CCMBM members to participate in the Grants Review program to receive 1:1 feedback and/or live panel review with peers as well as coaching from experienced investigators. If you are not a member, you may concurrently join during your grants review period.
Upcoming NIH Cycle II deadlines include:
P Series Grants: September 25, 2026
R18, U18, and R25 Grants: September 25, 2026
T Series and D Series Grants: September 25, 2026
C06/U06 Grants: September 25, 2026
G07, G08, G11, G12, G13, G20, R24, S06, S11, S21, S22, SC1, SC2, SC3, UG1, U10, U19, U24, U2C, U41, U42, U45, U54, U56 Grants: September 25, 2026
Fill out the sign up form to attend an upcoming session.
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The Imaging Core is offering service discounts to Early Stage Investigator and Trainee members. The Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Study Design Core is also offering up to 6 hours of free UCSF Clinical and Translational Institute (CTSI) consultation time for all CCMBM members. Please contact each Core to utilize these member discounts.
Please contact Tom Sullivan for eligibility questions.
| | UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES | | |
September 21, 5:00-7:00pm; Mission Bay, GenHall
UCSF Nucleate Bay Area Activator Info Session
Are you interested in biotech entrepreneurship? Do you have a big idea but don’t know where to start? Looking for mentorship, teammates, or resources to bring your ideas to life? Join the Nucleate Bay Area team for an in-person info session about Nucleate’s Activator program—the world’s largest, free, trainee-led biotech startup accelerator.
Register to attend.
Hosted by Nucleate Bay Area
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October 17; Mission Bay, Koret Quad
Volunteer with the UCSF Musculoskeletal Center & CCMBM at the Bay Area Science Festival
Be part of the excitement at the 13th Annual Bay Area Science Festival on October 17th, where STEM professionals, families, students, and curious minds come together to celebrate the power of science! Volunteer at the UCSF Musculoskeletal (MSK) Center & CCMBM table to engage with the community, inspire the next generation of scientists, and share how groundbreaking musculoskeletal research is improving lives. Sign up for one of our shifts - your participation will help spark curiosity and make science accessible to all!
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November 19, 7:30am-2:00pm; Mission Bay, GenHall - Byers Auditorium
Engineering Biology Initiative Fall Symposium
The EBi Fall Symposium will bring together the engineering biology community for a morning of research, innovation, and connection. The program will feature a keynote by Dr. Dawn Beraud, UCSF Resource Allocation Program (RAP) awardee project presentations highlighting EBi-supported research, fast-paced lightning talks, and an interactive poster session and networking to showcase emerging work across the community.
Register to attend.
Hosted by the UCSF Engineering Biology Initative
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RAP Fall 2026 Cycle RFA
Submission deadline: Monday, September 28, 2026, 2:00pm PST
The Resource Allocation Program (RAP), an umbrella consortium of UCSF funders that coordinates multiple intramural research funding opportunities, is now accepting applications for the Fall 2026 Cycle. Review the grant-specific descriptions/instructions for the grant mechanism you are applying, not the funding agency. Funding agencies will select the awardees by choosing the proposals that best fulfill their programmatic goals. Simultaneous consideration of each application by multiple funding agencies enhances funding likelihood.
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Parnassus Institutes Community Fund Cohort #2
Application Deadline: October 9, 2026
The Parnassus Institutes is a collection of major research programs that form the backbone of research at Parnassus. As a collective, we strive to create a “Community of Communities,” uniting our institutes on the basis of connection, collaboration and innovation. The Parnassus Institutes Community Fund awards grants up to $5,000 to support bold, connective, and cross-cutting efforts that breaks silos and builds bridges.
Learn more on the application form. Any questions about the fund can be directed to Vincent Chan.
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Recognizing the need for collaboration of MSK scientists with experts outside of the MSK field, we are providing support to MSK Center members to host a meal for a creative and enjoyable in-person networking meeting to stimulate these interactions and to further develop new research ideas and plans to fund them. Faculty, staff, and trainees who are MSKC/CCMBM members are encouraged to apply to host an event.
If you are not a member, you may concurrently apply for membership while your Open MIKE application is being reviewed.
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UCSF Talks is a new resource for anyone interested in learning about the latest seminars happening at UCSF. It lists all seminars open to the entire UCSF community including regular seminar series, special seminars, supergroups, and thesis talks. If you would like to receive weekly event listing emails, you can sign up for the USCF Talks Google Group. To add an event to the website, please contact Jon Zhang.
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ACKNOWLEDGING THE CCMBM
If you have received a CCMBM grant, used one of our cores, or formed a collaboration at one of our events that led to a publication, please acknowledge our Center in related publications and presentations. We suggest stating:
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P30AR075055. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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