Update from VCR Collard

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few days, many of you have reached out to me with questions about the impact of President Trump’s Executive Orders, and the communication pause at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In collaboration with the Chancellor's Cabinet and the Office of Community and Government Relations, I have been closely monitoring these actions; there is little known at this point regarding how they will impact our institution. As the picture becomes clearer, I will communicate further. For now, please see the below for a brief overview of these two actions that I hope you will find useful.

Executive orders relevant to research

The Trump administration has released two executive orders on DEI (see here and here) and other executive orders relevant to research. It is unknown at this point how these executive orders will be interpreted by NIH and other federal agencies; we anticipate clarity over the coming weeks. In the interim, I am working closely with leaders in the Office of Research to monitor this situation.

Pause on federal health department, center, and agency communications

The Trump administration has ordered a temporary pause in communications at HHS, CDC, and FDA, to expire February 1. This is not unprecedented, and we believe it is intended to allow time for the new administration to position its leadership. This order caused some NIH study sections, advisory panels, and other public activities to be cancelled. I am working closely with Dan Bernal, vice chancellor for community and government relations, to monitor this situation; we expect a return to normal operations soon.

The Office of Research is working to develop a communications plan for the research community to keep you informed about federal activities and other important events. As one part of this plan, I will be holding a Research Town Hall on February 20 focused on federal research policy. In the interim, please contact me or my office directly at research@ucsf.edu with any questions or concerns.  

Yours,

Hal

Harold R. Collard, MD, MS

Vice Chancellor for Research

Professor of Medicine and Health Policy

Save the Date: Feb. 20 Town Hall

Join VCR Harold Collard and Director of UCSF Federal Government Relations Eric Anthony on February 20 at 1 p.m. for a virtual town hall to discuss federal support for biomedical and health research under the Trump Administration.

This will be an opportunity to learn about how the federal government supports an oversees the research enterprise, what the active research issues are at the federal level, and how UCSF engages with federal policymakers to advance the priorities of our community.

Register for the town hall »

California Public Record Act (CPRA) and FOIA Requests - Resources for Researchers

UCSF receives a high volume of public records requests made pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). An increasing number of these requests are about research conducted at UCSF, and the University has a legal obligation to respond. The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost includes a Records and Information Management unit that manages and works closely with UCSF Legal on the University’s response and potential production of records pursuant to CPRA and FOIA.

The team, led by Director Andrea Whipple-Samuel, is here to support you. If you have received such a request or have questions, please write to cpra@ucsf.edu.  

Reminder: UCSF Community Climate Survey

Share your opinion on UCSF's efforts to improve our working and learning environments by taking the 2025 Community Climate survey. This is the only assessment to gather input from all UCSF and UCSF Health community members.

Participants are entered to win an iPad Air (5 available) and there are 25 weekly winners of $50 e-gift cards during the survey period. The survey closes February 23.

Learn more at UCSFClimate.ucsf.edu. Email communityclimate@ucsf.edu for questions.

Take the survey online »

2025 AALAC Site Visit - February 10-13

On Monday, February 10, our team of 6 AAALAC site visitors will arrive at UCSF to evaluate our animal care program, including related lab safety issues.

They will visit all animal housing sites (LARC, Hunters Point, and labs that are approved to house animals), most rooms in which animals undergo surgery, as well as some behavior testing rooms, procedure rooms, and a sampling of perfusion locations.

They will likely visit your lab to look at the space where you use animals, review records, and talk about your animal work. To facilitate the process, the IACUP will reach out to individual labs that we expect to visit for a contact name and phone number for each location. You are the key to the success of this visit. PLEASE have knowledgeable lab members available who can answer the site visitors' questions.

The site visit schedule will be sent to you shortly. Please be sure to read all communications related to the AAALAC site visit and attend at least one mandatory town hall. Find more information.

Thank you for your continued commitment to animal welfare, excellence in research, and partnering with LARC, IACUP, and EH&S. We look forward to having a successful accreditation visit. 

Eureka! New Digital Research Platform

Developed with NIH funding as a nonprofit UCSF resource, the Eureka platform is designed to facilitate mobile and internet-based medical or health-related research for any interested investigator. Eureka is available to anyone who wants to conduct medical or health-related research, including NIH investigators, university or other non-profit investigators, industry investigators, or others.

Eureka is designed for mobile research broadly defined as any research utilizing mobile applications (apps), sensors, connected devices, and/or the Internet, or for investigators seeking to leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of human subject-based research. The platform includes an engaging participant-facing "front-end," a study management portal, a secure "back-end" for data storage and analyses, and a cohort of volunteers interested in contributing to research.

Learn more about Eureka’s mission and services.

Our People Update

Office of Science Policy and Strategy: With the faculty retirement of Keith Yamamoto, PhD, the office has closed and its responsibilities, including oversight of UCSF Precision Medicine, will be transitioned to the Office of Research. Yamamoto has been appointed by Chancellor Sam Hawgood to a new role as special advisor to the Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy.

Chief Research Informatics Office: Demonstrating our commitment to a strong data science/AI community, Tony Capra, PhD, will serve as consulting advisor to the CRIO in addition to his roles with BCHSI and epidemiology. 

CTEC Update: Requesting Strategic Activation Manager Support for Industry Trials

We are excited to announce that the Office of Clinical Trial Activation (OCTA) now offers study teams the opportunity to request Strategic Activation Manager (SAM) support for industry trials. This service can be requested when submitting for trial activation through our Clinical Trial Activation Request Form.

Having a SAM assigned to your study means you will have a dedicated professional tracking the progress of your study activation across OCTA, the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the Industry Contracts Division (ICD). The SAM will conduct kickoff calls with the sponsor and all internal staff involved in the study startup, ensuring everyone is aligned and informed from the beginning. Additionally, the SAM will provide bi-weekly updates to all parties, keeping everyone up-to-date on the progress and any developments. For more information, please contact clinicaltrials@ucsf.edu and learn more about the Clinical Trial Excellence Campaign.

Still Available: $10k in Freezer Rebates

UCSF is offering up to $10,000 in rebates toward replacing old but working -80°C freezers with new Energy Star certified models. Energy Star-certified models provide 25% more storage per footprint and use only 30% of the energy consumed by older units, helping reduce costs and align with UCSF’s sustainability goals. This includes a $4,000 instant rebate for purchasing a new Energy Star freezer and $6,000 rebate for disposing of an old, working freezer. You can mix and match rebates or only dispose of a freezer without purchasing a new one.

Important: Secure a quote from a vendor ASAP to lock in current pricing as prices will increase in the new year. This offer is first-come, first-served until the allocated funding is expended. If you require a space to transfer freezer contents during replacement, let us know and include the building location. Please send the completed MOU to Elizabeth Lin to reserve your rebate.

Research Spotlight

Tanja Kortemme, PhD

Professor of Bioengineering

"De novo protein design -From new structures to programmable functions," Cell

Alastair MacDonald, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

and Kevin Yackle, MD, PhD, and colleagues

"The breath shape controls intonation of mouse vocalizations," eLife

Kenshata Watkins, MD

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

and colleagues

"Race, Neighborhood Disadvantage, and Prehospital Law Enforcement Handcuffing in Children With Behavioral Health Emergencies," JAMA Netw Open