OUHSC Research News – Monday, January 29, 2024

 

 

For several years, the university has been using the application Dell Endpoint Encryption (DEE) to encrypt computers and keep OU data safe. Our licensing for this software has expired, and there are now better ways to manage encryption using our enterprise endpoint management tools.  In order to move forward, OU IT must remove all copies of Dell Endpoint Encryption from university computers. OU IT will administratively remove DEE from devices on January 31, 2024.

If you have removable media (USB thumb drive, external hard drive) that has been encrypted with DEE, please backup your data to an alternate location (e.g. OneDrive) as removal of DEE could result in its loss. After backing up data, users can uninstall DEE on their own, and are encouraged to do so now.

Additional Information: Please see the attached flyer or visit https://ou.edu/ouit/deeremoval

 

 

NIH Reminder: The Research Strategy is page limited and should be self-contained. It cannot refer the reader out for more details to page-unlimited sections such as the Vertebrate Animals Section (VAS). The VAS section of the NIH applications should be used to provide a concise description of the procedures on live vertebrate animals. Do not use this attachment to circumvent the page limits of the Research Strategy.

Please note that per the NIH instructions, the justification for the number of animals, sex, ages, and other biological variables should be described in the Research Strategy.

For the current instructions on the VAS section, please see: https://olaw.nih.gov/guidance/vertebrate-animal-section.htm and https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-006.html

Also, please see the reminders below regarding the NIH policies on application compliance.

 

 

CIRCLE is a new NIH-funded Center of Excellence focused on Indigenous maternal health research in Oklahoma and the Southern Plains. OUHSC researchers have partnered with the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board and faculty from partnering institutions to identify root causes and intervene to reduce the disproportionately high rates of Indigenous maternal morbidity and mortality. CIRCLE goals include training and development of early career researchers and practitioners and working closely with our community partners in research and outreach.  To connect with CIRCLE as an affiliate, please complete the CIRCLE interest webform.

 

 

OUHSC Editing and Grant Writing Support: The VPR office will be hiring an in house editor that has vast experience in editing and writing manuscripts and grant proposals, but will not be on board until late spring. In the interim, there is also a service of freelancers that can help in this regard.  The editing, writing services provided by Eloquenti has extended to us at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences an opportunity to receive scientific editing and grant writing support at a discounted rate. Eloquenti is a network of professional editors and grant writers specializing in medicine and natural sciences, trusted by numerous universities, research institutes, and peer-reviewed journals. To benefit from this offer, simply use the code OUHSC23 when booking any project on Eloquenti, which is a marketplace of freelancers and scientific experts for proofreading services, copy editing services, technical writing, grant writing, and book writing.

 

 

The Oklahoma Nathan Shock Center of Excellence is proud to host the 2024 OKLAHOMA GEROSCIENCE SYMPOSIUM: Mitochondria in aging and age-associated disease. The symposium will feature a Keynote Lecture by Doug Wallace, PhD and other world-renowned speakers in aging and Geroscience research, a Funders’ Roundtable, Poster Session, and Trainee/Faculty Mixer.

Registration:  https://oklahomanathanshockcenteronaging.org/symposium-registration/

Abstract Submission:  https://oklahomanathanshockcenteronaging.org/abstract-submissions/

 

 

Save the Date: Kate Sauder, PhD, Associate Professor of implementation science at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and MELANIE ASPAAS, UNIVERSITY OF Colorado, ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS field coordinator: Tribal Turning Point -Implementation of a Diabetes Prevention Program Pilot in Navajo Nation Youth:

 

 

Date & Time: Feb 7, 2024 01:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)

Description: During this 30-minute webinar, you will hear about funding announcements for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) as well as engagement and dissemination and implementation projects. You’ll also learn about ways to share your experience and knowledge and make your voice heard through public input on reports and projects, advisory panels and other PCORI programs.

Registration: https://pcori-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/4217031925390/WN_gMJlyE6qSl2IzewGCksukg#/registration

 

 

Date: 4/25/2024 - 4/26/2024

Location: Nicholson Auditorium, 1000 NE 13th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73104

Description: Major diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, obesity, aging, and neurodegeneration are often studied and treated in isolation. Yet, each of them may be related, causally or otherwise, to one another. Therefore, facilitating crosstalk among these is expected to foster multidisciplinary collaboration and drive innovative and effective solutions.

The two-day Web of Life Conference will be hosted for the first time by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in April 2024. To realize the full potential of team science, we are bringing stalwarts from disparate yet connected fields such as cancer, diabetes, ageing bioengineering, and neurodegeneration to unite them under the common theme - “Web of Life: Connecting the Dots.” This collaboration will significantly impact and improve the way we engage communities, treat patients, foster collaboration, and facilitate groundbreaking discoveries.

Registration: https://ousurvey.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9npYsyhoMxojvcq

Additional Information and Abstract Submission: https://www.ouhealth.com/stephenson-cancer-center/cancer-research/cancer-shared-resources-services/research-conferences-events/web-of-life-conference/

 

 

All OUHSC Assistant, Associate, or Full Professors are eligible to apply. Applicants are required to match requested funds. The maximum allowable budget for this program is $500,000 (PHF funding: $250,000; Applicant funding: $250,000). The minimum allowable budget for this program is $60,000 (PHF funding: $30,000; Applicant funding:  $30,000). Only one application will be accepted per investigator per year.

 

The primary objective of the PHF Seed Grant program is to provide a one-year grant for new OUHSC investigators to initiate research programs. Secondary objectives are to provide established OUHSC faculty with the opportunity to initiate new unfunded projects and to provide unfunded OUHSC faculty funds to initiate a research program. Applications from new investigators (within 5 years of first full academic appointment and never having received independent federal funds) are given special consideration during peer review and at the time of funding consideration. Principal Investigators with Temporary Faculty appointments (faculty with academic titles such as instructor, lecturer, or titles modified by prefixes such as visiting, adjunct, clinical, or temporary research appointments with suffix “of Research”) must obtain approval from the Vice President for Research before submitting an application for this program. Approval will require a letter from their Department Chairperson indicating a departmental commitment of salary, research space, and time for development of an independent career at OUHSC.  Requests should be sent to ORA4PHF@ouhsc.edu PHF Seed Grant recipients may not hold a PHF Bridge Grant or a PHF Clinician Scientist Development Grant during the duration of this award.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: This PHF Seed Grant program can now provide funding for up to $75,000 for one year.

 

The primary objective of the PHF Bridge Grant Program is to provide funding to enhance OUHSC faculty competitiveness for extramural funding. OUHSC Principal Investigators are eligible if they meet the following criteria: 1) have submitted an extramural application within the past 18 months that was scored but not funded, 2) are requesting over $750,000 in total direct costs and over $200,000 in total facilities and administration (F&A) costs; and 3) received a review that ranks applications and provides critiques. 

 

PHF CTGA awardees may hold PHF Symposium grants, Technology Advancement Grants (TAG), or Bridge grants throughout the duration of this award, but may not serve as the Contact PI/Team Leader on more than one PHF Clinical Translational Grant. A single investigator may only be awarded one CTGA award at a time, whether as contact PI or collaborating PI.

 

Beginning in December 2023, PHF has added a new reporting requirement to all progress reports. If $10,000 or more remain unexpended on the grant, the Progress Report must include an explanation for why unexpended funds remain. If an investigator expects to have significant funds remaining, there is the option to request a no-cost extension within 40 days of the grant’s end date. If you have any questions, please email VPR@ouhsc.edu.

 

The PHF Research Support Grant Program will help support senior doctoral graduate students working on an externally funded research project in order to accelerate progress on the project, increase the number of publications on the project, and position the project for continued external funding. Outcomes of this program will be based upon work performed by the graduate student resulting in publications and external funding and will be carefully recorded and tracked.

The Principal Investigator must be an OUHSC primary faculty member. Principal Investigators who are full-time OUHSC faculty members, have external funds that support the project a senior graduate student is working on, and are the research mentor of the senior doctoral graduate student are eligible to apply.

Graduate students being supported by the PHF Research Support Grant program must be doctoral graduate students, have finished the majority of their coursework, and have a dissertation research project that is supporting an externally funded research project. The PHF funds must only fund that part of the stipend where the student is working on the externally funded research project. The Principal Investigator must have the funds to support the externally funded research project that the graduate student is working on and is expected to have funds to cover the rest of the graduate student’s stipend and other costs related to the graduate student’s education. Second-year funding is dependent upon meeting milestones proposed in prior year grant proposal. There is no first-year funding opportunity in 2024; after this second-year funding opportunity, this program will be discontinued. There are no restrictions on holding other PHF Grants during the duration of this award.  A Principal Investigator may not hold more than two PHF Research Support Grants concurrently.  

 

The primary objective of the PHF New Investigator Seed Grant Program is to provide a two-year grant for OUHSC New Investigators to initiate research programs and obtain extramural funding. Applicants must fit the following definition of a New Investigator: An investigator who has not previously received substantial, independent funding from NIH (e.g. R01-type funding) or a comparable funding agency. Multi-PI applications are not allowed. Applicants must have received a Year 1 New Investigator Seed Grant and  be nominated by their professional college in order to apply for this award. The professional college nominating the faculty member must agree to assign a mentor for this project and must commit to providing the mentor with $2,500/year for mentoring activities; the mentor does not need to be an OUHSC faculty member. Each college may set up their own nomination process for this award; however, completion and submission of the PHF Year 2 New Investigator Seed Grant Critique Form is required with this application.  

The Principal Investigator must be an OUHSC primary faculty member. Principal Investigators with Temporary Faculty appointments (faculty with academic titles such as instructor, lecturer, or titles modified by prefixes such as visiting, adjunct, clinical, or temporary research appointments with suffix “of Research”) must obtain approval from the Vice President for Research before submitting an application for this program. Approval will require a letter from their Department Chairperson indicating a departmental commitment of salary, research space, and time for development of an independent career at OUHSC. Requests should be sent to ORA4PHF@ouhsc.edu

IMPORTANT CHANGE: There is no first-year funding opportunity in 2024; after this second-year funding opportunity, this program will be discontinued.

PHF New Investigator Seed Grant recipients may not hold a PHF Bridge Grant, a PHF Clinician Scientist Development Grant, a PHF Team Science Grant, a Research Support Grant, or a PHF Seed Grant for the duration of this award.

 

The primary objective of the PHF Clinician Scientist Development Grant Program is to provide funding to a new or early stage clinician scientist faculty member. This award is designed to support the applicant’s clinical and/or translational research project and to assist him or her with advancing this research project to a level that will be competitive for funding through a federal career development award mechanism. This program can provide funding for up to two years. The second year of funding, will be based on successful achievement of identified milestones, completion of an application for Year Two funds, and whether funds are available.

The Principal Investigator must be an OUHSC primary faculty member with appointment at OUHSC as an Assistant Professor. New or early stage clinical scientist faculty members with Temporary Faculty appointments (faculty with academic titles such as instructor, lecturer, or titles modified by prefixes such as visiting, adjunct, clinical, or temporary research appointments with suffix “of Research”) must obtain approval from the Vice President for Research before submitting an application for this program. Approval will require a letter from their Department Chairperson indicating a departmental commitment of salary, research space, and time for development of an independent career at OUHSC.  Requests should be sent to ORA4PHF@ouhsc.edu). Applicants must not have had a prior NIH career development award or an independent NIH R01 award; must have an independent clinical and/or translational research project; must have an identified senior, experienced research mentor; and may not have another PHF grant during the duration of this award.  

 

The primary objective of the PHF Symposium Grant program is to provide partial funding to support a National or International Symposium to be held at the OUHSC campus or in Oklahoma City. Funding priority will be given to themes that will promote research already present at OUHSC and OMRF and include both OUHSC faculty members and OMRF members in the Organization Committee. OUHSC Principal Investigators are eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria: 1) The Principal Investigator of the application must be the Chair of the Organizing Committee. Only OUHSC full-time, tenure-track faculty members (unmodified titles) are eligible to be PIs. 2). The PI may hold any other PHF Grant award, except for a Clinician Scientist Development Award.  

Guidelines and Application Forms for all programs are attached or can be found at https://research.ouhsc.edu/research-administration/grants/funding-opportunities/phf-funding. If you have any questions, please email  VPR@ouhsc.edu.

 

 

Proposals are being accepted from full-time faculty of the College of Medicine for grants to be awarded from the College of Medicine Alumni Association with proceeds generated from the Evening of Excellence dinner fund.  COMAA awards are intended to be an important resource for funding basic and clinical research projects of new and early-stage investigators in the College of Medicine.

The guidelines are attached.

Successful applicants will be designated “College of Medicine Alumni Research Scholars.”  Applications will be reviewed by a scientific panel whose composition will be based on the types of applications received.  Awards generally fall within the $20,000 to $50,000 range ($50,000 maximum request). 

Applications should be sent electronically to COMAA-Research@ouhsc.edu by 5 pm on April 12, 2024. 

All applications must be routed through the Office of Research Administration and include the NIH face page (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/fp1.pdf) signed by the appropriate ORA institutional official.

 

 

Description: The Presbyterian Health Foundation (PHF), the OUHSC Provost and the Oklahoma Center for Therapeutic Sciences (CTS) are soliciting proposals for Pilot Awards in drug and target discovery. The Oklahoma Center for Therapeutic Sciences (CTS) is an OUHSC institutional initiative that brings together extensive experience within OUHSC to form a hub for drug discovery and development. The intent of the CTS is to provide a diverse array of resources and expertise to facilitate the translation of basic scientific discoveries into tangible pre-clinical candidate drugs that can be further developed into clinical therapies for human disease. The goal of this pilot program is to support early-stage pre-clinical, small molecule and target discovery studies.

The current RFA is focused on funding pilot projects that utilize the Drug and Target Discovery (DTD) High Throughput Screening (HTS) Facility. DTD can perform screens of its 7 chemical libraries (~115,000 compounds) and its arrayed whole genome or gene-subset sgRNA CRISPR knockout libraries using cell-based high-content imaging, as well as fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, TR-FRET, absorbance, and luminescence of cell-based assays or assays using purified components. The DTD Facility will assist investigators in the design and development of screening formats that can use all currently available assay readouts. Applicants must hold faculty-level appointments at OUHSC. The pilot award RFA is open to all therapeutic areas.

The CTS operates under the directorship of Dr. Matthew Hart who has over 25 years of pharmaceutical experience and will provide consultation, and program strategy opportunities in target identification and validation and in taking small-molecule compounds through all stages of the pre-clinical drug discovery process. Dr. Hart is available to discuss and provide advice on project development. Dr. Hart can be reached at the following email address: matthew-j-hart@ouhsc.edu.  The deadline for receipt of the full application is 5 PM on January 31, 2024.  

 

 

Please find attached the Guidelines and Forms for the SCC Pancreatic Cancer - 2024 Pilot Grant Program. Please share this opportunity with researchers that may be interested.

 

Please work with your Proposal Services team to assist you in completing the necessary forms. For SCC Proposal Services Team, a Proposal Request can be initiated <here>. If you are a member outside of OUHSC, please work with your designated Research Administration team to submit your application.

The Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) in collaboration with Pancreatic Cancer - Acquired Resistance Therapy NETwork (ARNET) is soliciting applications for its 2024 Pilot Grant Program. The goal of this program is to support research that advances the aims of the SCC’s research in acquired therapy resistance for pancreatic cancer.

Preference will be given to proposals that:

These grants are intended to develop new collaborative opportunities, new projects or additional shared resources that support future endeavors engaging acquired therapy resistance and pancreatic cancer. Pilot grants are expected to lead to peer-reviewed grant submissions and/or publications as an outcome.

Grant PIs must be SCC Members or Trainees at the time of grant submission.

Up to $50,000 in direct costs of pilot funding is available for each of the SCC’s research programs. Program leaders have the discretion to allocate this pilot funding in grant amounts that best advance the program goals and specific aims (e.g., one $50,000 pilot grant, two $25,000 pilot grants, etc.) There are no indirect costs with this award. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, February 22, 2024, 5:00 PM CST

Please submit your application using the following link: SCC Internal Grant Form

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to SCC-InternalGrants@ouhsc.edu.

 

 

Description: The Oklahoma Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Structural Biology (OCSB) invites proposals for its Phase 3 pilot project program. The proposed project should be a strong fit to the OCSB theme of structural and/or biophysical characterization of macromolecules with the goal of understanding structure-function relationships of biomedically important macromolecules and their complexes. 

Application Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Additional Information: Please see the attached flyer (2024_OCSB Pilot Project Proposals_final 1 1)

 

 

Office of Technology Commercialization presents the following opportunity for researchers to engage with industry (click here for more information, or email otc@ou.edu or gina-mcmillen@ouhsc.edu).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week, ARPA-H launched two programs including one that aims to completely change the health care paradigm through an incentive-based model and another that looks to restore sight in those who are blind:

The deadline to submit an LOI is February 29, 2024.
Read more about HEROES in a Perspective from Sanghavi in the New England Journal of Medicine.

 

“With THEA, we aim to revolutionize the reconnection of nerves to the brain and make these advancements accessible in the United States and around the globe, with the ambition to offer an alternative to lifelong blindness," said THEA Program Manager Calvin Roberts, M.D.

To learn more about the program, including information on its upcoming Proposers' Day, visit the THEA program page.

 

 

Description: OCAST is seeking proposals from qualified providers to deliver high-touch, assistance for two separate OCAST services.

Deadline: February 12, 2024 5:00 p.m. CST

 

 

Description: CSL’s Research Acceleration Initiative aims to fast-track discovery of innovative biotherapies through partnerships between CSL and global research organizations. These partnerships provide funding and access to industry experts for scientists working on novel biotherapeutic strategies in CSL’s therapeutic areas. The 2024 Research Acceleration Initiative will focus on innovative research projects that address unmet medical needs and are aligned with CSL’s Therapeutic Areas and scientific Platforms.

Scientists who wish to apply will be asked to submit a 300-word online abstract that outlines their proposal.  Interested researchers are invited to attend information webinars to learn more about the initiative: Webinars will be held on:

Applications Deadline: Submit a non-confidential, 300 word abstract via the CSL online application portal by 27^th February2024.

Link to the Full Announcement: Please see the attached flyer (Global RAI 2024_Scientific flyer_OUHSC.pdf).