logo   
UAB CCTS Digest
February 21, 2014
 
www.uab.edu/ccts  Follow us: @uabccts 
 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Click now to "Like" us on Facebook!
National Exercise Clinical Trials Network (NExTNet) meeting at UAB
Click to watch the video on the National Exercise Clinical Trials Network (NExTNet) meeting at UAB
On February 4 and 5, Marcas Bamman, PhD, Director of the 

 

Please note: 
The TIERS Event, originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, and the Professional Skills Training Program (PSTP) originally scheduled for Feb. 13, will both be rescheduled. Look to future issues of the "Digest" for updates, as well as as on our website, www.uab.edu/ccts and on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!

  

To keep up with CCTS Events and happenings, subscribe to our 

CCTS Calendar today. Here's a quick how-to. 

 
EVENTS
 
Monday, February 24
New!  Epidemiology/Biostatistics Clinic in The Edge of Chaos

  

This clinic provides the UAB community access to epidemiology and biostatistics resources.  Available most Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Edge of Chaos (Lister Hill Library, 4th floor).  Check the  Edge of Chaos calendar  for confirmation of meeting dates and times. 

 

Wednesday, February 26

UAB CCTS Biostatistics Clinic

11:30 am-1:30 pm

Pittman Center for Advanced Medical Studies (PCAMS) 

1924 7th Avenue South

 

 

 

Are you in need of some data analysis or research design assistance? These drop-in clinics are designed for investigators needing assistance with: 

  • Study Design 
  • Sample Size and Power Calculations 
  • Data Analysis 
  • Display of Data and Results
  • Interpretation of Results 
  • Statistical Software  

The Biostatistics Clinic is open to all faculty members, post-docs, fellows, residents, and students. Attendees are invited to bring statistical and methodological questions about on-going research projects, projects being planned, manuscripts in progress, responses to peer reviewers, and published articles. They are also invited to bring their laptops. Assistance will be provided by members of the  CCTS BERD group. A light lunch is served.  

 

Wednesday, February 26

 Lessons from the Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Bioethics, healthcare disparities and implications for 21st-Century medicine

Featuring Rueben Warren, MDiv, DDS, DrPH, director of the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care at Tuskegee University  

Dr. Reuben Warren, Tuskegee University

12PM
Volker Hall Lecture Room E (first floor)

The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs in the UAB School of Medicine invites you to join us as Dr. Rueben C. Warren, Director of the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Healthcare, discusses the history of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and its implications for bioethics, primary care, medical policy, and research.

Food and refreshments will be served.

 

Friday, February 28

UAB World Rare Disease Day Symposium

 

 

Featuring Bruce Korf, MD, PhD (UAB); Wayne Grody, MD, PhD (UCLA); Greg Barsh, MD, PhD (HudsonAlpha Institute); Les Biesecker, MD, PhD (NHGRI); Maria Descartes, MD (UAB); Meagan Cochran, MS, CGC (UAB) 

Learn how genome sequencing can be used in medical practice

Topics include:

  • Genetic diagnosis by genome sequencing
  • Genomics of developmental delay
  • The UAB Undiagnosed Diseases Program and the NIH ClinSeq Project

8 am-3 pm 

Children's Harbor

1600 6th Ave S #200

Birmingham, AL 35233

                                                                     

Registration fee is $15; click here to register.

 

 

 

Monday, March 3

Department of Defense CDMRP Opportunity Event

Noon-1 pm

Pittman Center for Advanced Medical Studies

1924 7th Avenue South

 

 

The CCTS wants to help position investigators to apply for Department of Defense (DoD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) announcements.  Pre-announcements are being issued now and Program Announcements are expected to be posted on the Grants.gov website in March. we have assembled a group of investigators who have either received DoD funding or reviewed DoD applications to discuss the application process (administrative issues, how to best define a military connection, etc.).  If you are interested in one of the targeted research areas, we would like to invite you to a lunch meeting in PCAMS (located at 1924 7th Avenue South) on Monday, March 3, noon-1 pm.  So that we can plan for lunch, please RSVP to Cheryl Perry (cperry@uab.edu) by Thursday, February 27.   

 

 

Tuesday, March 4

 11 am-Noon

 

"What Kind of Clinical Trials should a National Network Conduct? A Perspective from one year of the NIH HCS Collaboratory and the Startup of PCORI."


Robert Califf, MD 
Director, Duke Translational Medicine Institute, Duke University 

Medical Towers Room 634

 

Dr. Califf is Vice chancellor of clinical and translational research, director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute (DTMI), and professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, Robert Califf, MD, leads a multifaceted organization focused on the transformation of how discoveries are translated into improved medical care.  Prior to his role at DTMI, he was the founding director, Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), a premier academic research organization. He is the editor-in-chief of American Heart Journal, the oldest cardiovascular specialty journal.  He is considered an international leader in the fields of cardiovascular disease treatment, health outcomes, quality of care, and medical economics.

 

Please register to attend this presentation at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/special-visiting-speaker-seminer-dr-robert-califf-tickets-10625427941 no later than February 28.

 

If you have any questions regarding the seminar, please contact Ryan Outman (routman@uab.edu).

 

Thursday, March 13

Professional Skills Training Program: Challenges of Ethical Authorship

Drs. Jeff Engler and Jennifer Greer, the UAB Graduate School

11 am-12:15 pm 

West Pavilion, Room E

 

 

Join us for the March installment of our Professional Skills Training Program seminar series, presented by Dr. Jeff Engler, Assocate Dean for Academic Affairs, UAB Graduate School and Dr. Jennifer Greer, Instructor, UAB Graduate School.

 

Students and faculty will examine the challenges of authorship, academic style of writing, and ethical presentation of data in images and figures, then evaluate cases and reflect on their own protocols.  

Learning objectives - to understand:
  1. the standards for inclusion as an author;
  2. how to mediate authorship disputes;
  3. ethical issues in sourcing and citing;
  4. how to ethically paraphrase, avoiding unintentional plagiarism; and
  5. what is proper and improper in preparing images for publication.
The PSTP is designed to provide practical assistance in the areas of scientific writing (such as the development of grants and scientific manuscripts), scientific presentations, career development, and leadership. Developed and sponsored by the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), the target audience of the PSTP is all faculty, staff, trainees and students interested in expanding their professional skills in the stated areas. Seminars are held monthly on the second Thursday from 11:00 to 12:15 p.m. in West Pavilion Room E. Click here to register.

 

 

Thursday, March 20

Minority Health Research Center 9th Annual Health Disparities Research Symposium

Doubletree Hotel

808 20th Street South

 

For more information and full agenda visit: http://www.uabmhrc.com/

To register click here.

 

Friday, March 21

Second Annual Joint Symposium in Transplantation

"Improving on Success: Identifying and Affecting the Key Barriers to Better Transplantation"

7:30 am-5 pm

 

Emory Conference Center Hotel

1615 Clifton Rd.

Atlanta, GA 30329

 

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

We invite submission of abstracts relevant to transplant immunology or protective immunity.  Top selected abstracts will deliver an oral presentation, with other abstracts selected for poster presentations.  The abstract submission deadline is March 1, 2014.  Submit your abstract (250 words) to  vwebb@emory.edu.

 

Speakers:

Keynote Address:  Flavio Vincenti, MD

Transplantation in the 21st Century:  Successes and the Hurdles for Success

 

Richard Formica, MD Yale University

The Impact of the New Kidney Allocation System

 

Topics to include:

Access to Transplantation

Disparities in Transplantation

Changes in Organ Allocation

Transplant Quality & Economics in the 21st Century

 

REGISTRATION: 

Email Vicky Webb at vwebb@emory.edu for free registration

 

 

Friday, March 28

"Survival Skills for Young Investigators"

Presented by Dr. Tung-Tien (Henry) Sun

Cell Biologist, New York University School of Medicine

 

10:30 am-1:30 pm

 

The Edge of Chaos, Atrium

Lister Hill Library (LHL), 4th Floor

1700 University Boulevard, Birmingham AL 35294

 

  

The workshop will be presented by Dr. Tung-Tien (Henry) Sun, distinguished Cell Biologist at the New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Sun's research interests are in cell and molecular biology of stratified epithelial differentiation.  His papers have been cited over 8000 times since 2008 (H-index 84).  He has published in many prestigious journals includingScience, Nature, Cell, JBC, PNAS, and JCB.  Many of his papers on keratin and epithelial stem cells are considered "citation classics."

  

Attendees will learn the necessary skills that need to be mastered in order to survive and excel in research, including how to get any laboratory technique to work reproducibly and predictably, and how to read a paper actively rather than passively, etc.   

  

"Survival Skills for Young Investigators" is a free one-day workshop for pre-registered graduate students, post-docs, and early-stage investigators.  Refreshments and lunch will be provided to all who pre-register.  To register, please visit http://survivalskills.eventzilla.net To learn more about the content of Dr. Sun's discussions please visit his workshop website athttp://sun-lab.med.nyu.edu/Scientific+Methods. 

  

Funding Opportunities:


  • Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Fiscal Year 2014 Appropriation Announcement

    The Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) Defense Appropriations Act provides $200 million to the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). The funding is provided to support select medical research projects of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health.

     

    The vision of the PRMRP is to improve the health and well-being of all military service members, veterans, and beneficiaries. This program is administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).  

    FY14 PRMRP program announcements and general application instructions are anticipated to be posted on Grants.gov in Spring 2014. Application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. This press release should not be construed as an obligation by the government.
      
    All applications must conform to the final program announcements and application instructions that will be available for electronic downloading from the  Grants.gov (http://grants.gov ) website. The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all USAMRMC funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.


    Point of Contact:

    CDMRP Public Affairs 
    301-619-9783  

    usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil

     

     

Looking Ahead in 2014:


Translational Science
Conference Accepting Abstracts Through February 17, 2014
  
If you were snowbound and a little behind on submitting your abstract for Translational Science 2014, sponsored by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) and the American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR)-you're in luck! The deadline has been extended through February 17, 2014.

  

Among the distinguished scientists and leaders who will be presenting are:
  • Dr. Christopher Austin, Director of the National Center for Advancing Clinical and Translational Science (NCATS)
  • Dr. Bruce Gellin of the National Vaccine Program Office, US Department of Health and Human Services
  • Dr. John McKew of the National Center for Advancing Clinical and Translational Science (NCATS)
  • Dr. William Chin, Executive Vice President, Science and Regulatory Affairs, PhRMA
The program will include Mock Study Sections and Concurrent Sessions on "Scientific Misconduct: Pitfalls for the Junior Investigator," "How to Write a K Grant," "K to R" Mentoring to Success," "Pediatrics/Child Health," Academic Advancement for Translational Researchers," and "Serendipity in Science."  
New this year, a limited number of abstracts will be selected for oral presentations, in addition to poster sessions.

Submit your presentation abstract to  Translational Science 2014 Abstract Submission by Wednesday, February 17, 2014.

  

 

ADDA Request for PreProposals for Pilot Funding

The Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance, with the UAB CCTS and the Center for Emerging Drug Discovery (CEDD) plan to fund up to 2 pilot grants of up to $50,000 per year for 2 years. The process to apply is now a two-step system, requesting 2-page pre-proposals with a deadline of Monday, February 17, 8:30 a.m.

 

More details can be found in the attached PDF. Please read this carefully and make sure your proposed project falls within the scope of the solicitation.

 

Selected pre-proposals will be invited to submit a full proposal due on April 14; funded projects will have a start date of July 1, 2014.

 

Request for Proposals: 

The UAB Hepato/Renal Fibrocystic Disease Core Center (UAB HRFDCC; P30 DK074038) invites brief proposals for Pilot and Feasibility studies in basic and translational research related to HRFD. Please see the attached announcement. Letters of Intent are due: February 17th, 2014.

  

For additional information, contact Bradley Yoder (byoder@uab.edu), Michal Mrug (mmrug@uab.edu) or Joanne Murphy-Ullrich (murphy@uab.edu). 

 

 

Call for Applications: UAB Center for Exercise Medicine Pre-Doctoral Training Program

Program Title: Interdisciplinary Training in Pathobiology and Rehabilitation Medicine

Grant Number: 1T32HD071866

Sponsor: NIH National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research

 

Purpose:

The overarching goal of this training program is to develop future leaders in translational rehabilitation research who are specifically equipped to test and disseminate novel rehabilitative strategies that will alleviate functional impairment and compromised life quality in the face of chronic disease management.  Exercise medicine is a major focus of this training program.

 

Application, Review, and Selection:

1.      Applicants should submit a letter of interest and CV to exercise@uab.edu.

2.      Applicants will be reviewed by the Executive Committee, followed by interviews of the top candidates.

3.      Select candidates will prepare an Individual Development Plan with the primary mentor and translational mentoring team. To learn more about the primary mentors and their research programs, click here.

 

Learn more about the program under Training Opportunities at:  www.uab.edu/exercise.

 

SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: JUMP IN!

diving-board-child.jpg  

 

2014 McGill Pharmacoepidemiology Summer Program course offerings within the summer session at McGill University.  Enrollment is limited.


This year we will again offer 4 courses, each given intensively over a 4-day period and taught by skilled pharmacoepidemiologists and talented instructors. The courses have been revamped to incorporate newer techniques of design and analysis, as well as to discuss "hot topics" in pharmacoepidemiology.

May 5th - May 9th:       Introduction to Pharmacoepidemiology (Dr Linda L�vesque)   May 12th - May 15th:   Intermediate Pharmacoepidemiology (Drs Laurent Azoulay and Kristian Filion)
May 19th - May 22th:   Advanced Pharmacoepidemiology (Prs Samy Suissa and Pierre Ernst)   May 26th - May 29th:  Pharmacoeconomics: Applied Statistical methods (Dr Jaime Caro)

 
Spend one or a few weeks in Montreal, at a time of the year where the snow has melted long ago and the weather is lovely. May is a busy time in Montreal, with many conventional and eccentric festivals (Beer, International music, Digital arts fest, Chamber Music Festival, Anarchist book fair, Montreal Bike Fest, etc).  You will meet other outstanding students from around the globe, coming from diverse milieus of academia, industry and regulatory agencies.     

  

 

Plan Ahead for Summer!

Johns Hopkins June 16-July 3, 2014

Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology & Biostatistics

Baltimore, MD

 

www.jhsph.edu/summerepi

 

2014 courses include:

 

  *   Principles of Epidemiology

  *   Statistical Reasoning in Public Health 

  *   Conducting Epidemiological

  *   Nutritional Epidemiology

  *   Molecular Biology for Genetic Epidemiology

  *   Pharmacoepidemiology

  *   Longitudinal Data Analysis

  *   Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

  *   Advanced Methods in Observational Studies: Design

  

See Our Full Course List and click for deadlines, application info, and more! 

 

 

Modeling Mucosal Immunity

Summer School & Symposium, June 9-13, 2014

Blacksburg, VA

 

Modeling Immunity for Biodefense travel awards now available!

The NIH/NIAID Modeling Immunity for Biodefense (MIB) program provides a annual Summer School & Symposium program to introduce and apply advanced modeling tools and techniques to the study of immunology for hypothesis generation and testing. The application of high-performance computational modeling to this data-rich field is leading to exciting advances using a "lab-to-model-to-lab" iterative discovery process, a team-science approach that presents novel opportunities for immunologists and bioinformaticians.

On June 9-13, 2014, Modeling Mucosal Immunity will take place on the campus of Virginia Tech as a 3.5 day summer school followed immediately by a 1.5 day symposium with leading researchers in the fields of computational modeling and immunology. Modeling Mucosal Immunity is presented by the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens (MIEP), a Center with the mission of understanding the mechanisms of action underlying immune responses to enteric pathogens.

The focus for this event will be real-world application of computational modeling approaches to studying mucosal immunity. Researchers will lecture, lead hands-on labs, present their latest novel research, and participate in a panel discussing the challenges and rewards of applying modeling techniques to immunology and infectious diseases research.

Travel awards are available for students, postdocs, faculty, and staff who wish to attend, with a preference for junior investigators, students and postdocs. Applications are due March 10th, 2014. Awards will be announced March 25th, 2014. Information regarding registration for the summer school and symposium will be provided before March. However, if you are interested in a travel award, apply now and wait until after the awards are announced to register.

Travel award details are available here.  The Summer School website has a faculty list and more details. 

Questions? Contact MMI at summerschool@vbi.vt.edu

 

Contacts: 

Dr. David Bevan, Education Coordinator  drbevan@vt.edu  - (540)231.5040

Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera, Center Director  - jbassaga@vbi.vt.edu - (540)231-7421

 
February is Black History Month - Click image for a full listing of events at UAB

 

Quick Links...
Visit us on the web at: www.uab.edu/ccts and follow us @uabccts  Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter