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Bridges to Translation helps advance research, promote collaboration
Letters of intent due by March 23 for next funding awards
Understanding the risk of hydrogen sulfide in rural communities, developing technology to diagnose disease in the field and addressing kidney stones through proper hydration are three very different projects involving vastly different research disciplines. That's the point of the Bridges to Translation pilot project funding available through Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The aim is to generate innovative health research ideas that can be explored through collaboration. The program seeks to link researchers not traditionally in health research with those who can help mold an idea.
 Letters of intent are now being accepted for Bridges to Translation IV. The institute will award up to $300,000 in funding to Penn State faculty, with most awards between $35,000 and $65,000, for projects that help overcome roadblocks that move research findings in the laboratory to practical knowledge applied to patients in an exam room. The institute is looking for researchers who are developing new evidence-based programs and practices, new ways to analyze data, innovative training programs and novel technologies; researchers like Weihua Guan, an assistant professor of electrical engineering.
Guan received pilot funding through the institute in 2015 to work on technology to more easily diagnose malaria. Guan's technology can diagnose a patient within 30 minutes and can work with a smart phone to interpret results. He was assisted by his graduate student, Gihoon Choi, in developing the technology, which uses discs inserted into a portable analyzing unit to check blood, saliva, sputum, urine, stool and pathogens including parasites, bacteria and viruses. Guan has named his technology AnyMDx.
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INSTITUTE LECTURES AND SEMINARS
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Bench to Beside and Beyond Seminar Series is Thursday
"Translation Genomics: When, what and how to return research results" will be presented at the next Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute Bench to Bedside and Beyond Seminar Series from noon to 1 p.m. on March 22. This seminar will be held in Lecture Room A at the College of Medicine or at 116 Henderson at University Park. Register at
bit.ly/B3March2018.
Jennifer McCormick, Ph.D., associate professor of humanities and director, Research Ethics Consultation Service, Penn State College of Medicine, will describe and illustrate through a case study and audience participation the ongoing discussions surrounding genetic incidental findings and return of genetic research results. Topics will include defining a genetic incidental finding; the difference between a primary, incidental and secondary finding; and what should and should not be offered to be returned.
The Bench to Bedside and Beyond Seminar Series is held to encourage an engaged translational science workforce while promoting a culture of continuous improvement in research conduct and practice at Penn State.
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Data Mining Basics: Unsupervised Learning is tomorrow
 Nilam Ram, professor of human development and family study, will present "Data Mining Basics: Unsupervised Learning" at the next Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) Recent Topics in Research Methods Seminar Series. This seminar will be held from 4-5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at 116 Henderson, University Park. It will also be teleconferenced to C1742K at Penn State College of Medicine and stream online via Zoom. Zoom link is provided upon registration.
Recent methodological advances in data acquisition and analysis have expanded the possibility to explore, interpret and make sense of ever-growing behavioral and social data streams. Data mining techniques are increasingly being employed in many settings. This session reviews the conceptual bases and strategies employed in
unsupervised learning through introduction of hierarchical, partitioning, and density-based approaches to
clustering algorithms.
The Recent Topics in Research Methods Seminar Series features lectures on fundamental research methods in the fall semester with more advanced topics in the spring semester. Statisticians and methodologists from multiple Penn State departments present these seminars.
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Discovery Series to feature 'Innovations Training and iCorps @ NIH'
"Innovations Training and iCorps @ NIH: Planning and Funding the Future of Your Research" will be presented at the next Discover Seminar Series, part of the Research Quality Assurance Lunchtime Lecture Series at Penn State College of Medicine. The seminar will be held at noon on Wednesday, March 21 in Lecture Room D at the College of Medicine or via Zoom link for University Park attendees.
The presenter will be Kevin M. Harter, director, Center for Medical Innovation, Penn State College or Medicine. University Park attendees may use Zoom:
https://psu.zoom.us/j/649295413. Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute co-sponsors the Discover Series.
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Panel discussion on opioid epidemic is April 6
Penn State College of Nursing and Penn State Clinical and
Translational
Science Institute will host The Opioid Epidemic: Impacts on Nursing, the Community and Family from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 6, in Freeman Auditorium, HUB at University Park. A panel of experts will present facts, testimonials and an understanding of what to expect and how to respond to the opioid epidemic hitting Pennsylvania. For more information, call 814-863-4039 or [email protected]. Nurses can earn 2.5 CE contact hours.
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INSTITUTE TOOLS, RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS
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Clinical research guidebook is an example of strong collaboration
 A new, extensive online guidebook helps early-career to established Penn State researchers more easily navigate the clinical research process at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The guidebook, a project sponsored by Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, shows the benefit of the 62 institutions awarded Clinical and Translational Science Awards sharing best practices to advance medicine.
"P
enn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute's mission is to accelerate discoveries to benefit human health," said Dr. Lawrence Sinoway, institute director. "While that mission can involve highly technical assistance like advanced computing or data analysis expertise, it can be as simple as creating a resource that helps researchers find the answers or guidance they need quickly so that they can get back to answering their scientific questions through clinical research. Without clinical research, our findings in the laboratory can't be used practically to help patients in the exam rooms."
The guidebook provides an overview of federal regulations and processes and procedures for conducting clinical research at Penn State College of Medicine or Hershey Medical Center. Elizabeth Galgocy, Office of Research Quality Assurance, was inspired to bring the guidebook to Penn State after attending a Clinical and Translational Science Award consortium event.
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Fellowship equips researchers with skills to engage community in research
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| Dr. Gina Brelsford |
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Gina Brelsford's, daughter was born at 32 weeks in 2007 and was hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care (NICU) unit for five weeks. That experience inspired the associate professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg to study the role of religion and spirituality in coping by parents of children in the NICU. It is through her experience as a Community-Engaged Research Core Faculty Fellow that she hopes to take that research out into the community to better understand the psychology of religion and spirituality in a variety of environments. 
The Community-Engaged Research Core Faculty Fellowship Program is a year-long opportunity that matches a researcher with a mentor. Community-engaged research serves the needs and involves those who have a stake in improving health including communities and their members, patients, clinicians, researchers, purchasers, payers, industry, hospitals and health systems, training institutions, and policy makers. The fellowship is a program of Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
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Connect with the institute on LinkedIn
 Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute has launched a LinkedIn page. Follow the institute's page and share with your networks to help broaden the reach of the programs and services we offer. Sharing the important work and successes of the institute is important to helping communicate the value that the institute adds to Penn State and its faculty. Check the
LinkedIn page out here.
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Honavar is guest panelist at NIH workshop
Vasant Honavar, Ph.D., co-director of the institute's bioinformatics core, is a panelist at today's BD2K Behavioral and Social Sciences and Big Data Workshop at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development. Honavar is featured on the panel discussion, Big Data Training Needs for BSS Researchers.
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Zheng paper on nanovesicles published in Cancer Research
A team of researchers including Siyang Zheng, Ph.D., associate professor biomedical engineering, developed an approach and platform to create large amounts of fillable and targeted nanovesicles, tiny sacs released by cells that carry chemical messages between cells. This research was recently published in the journal Cancer Research. This project is similar to another project Zheng is working on that was funded through Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute's Bridges to Translation III pilot grant program. Zheng was also previously funded for a successful pilot in the CTSI Novel Methodologies RFA.
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Sharing your success is sharing the institute's success
Have you had research published that cites the Clinical and Translational Science Institute? Has a patent been filed on technology developed using Institute funding or resources? Did your pilot project receive external grant funding? Share it with us at [email protected]. Sharing your successes helps show the importance and the effect of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Penn State.
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Nominations open for College of Medicine Faculty Research Recognition Awards
Nominations are now open for the Fifth Annual Penn State College of Medicine Faculty Research Recognition Awards. The Research Recognition Awards honor the outstanding research achievements of Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center investigators for:
* Outstanding Research Publication
* Distinguished Early Stage Investigator
* Outstanding Collaborative Research
* Excellence in Education Research
* Career Research Excellence
* Career Citation Milestone Award
Nominations can be submitted by faculty, staff or by self-nomination and will remain open until Friday, March 28. Learn more about the awards and nominate here.
The Research Awards are sponsored by the College of Medicine's Office of the Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and organized by its campus Research Team.
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2018 Mayers Lecture to be held April 5
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Nash |
David Nash will present the 21st Annual Stanley P. Mayers Endowed Lecture, held by Health Policy and Administration at Penn State College of Health and Human Development. The lecture will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 5 at Nittany Lion Inn ballrooms A, B and C. Nash is a board-certified internist who is internationally recognized for his work in public accountability for outcomes, physician leadership development and quality-of-care improvement.
Senior recognition awards will precede the lecture at 6 p.m. and a reception will follow the lecture at 7:30 p.m. in ballrooms D and E.
Registration is not required for the lecture. However, if planning to attend the reception, contact Mark Sciegaj at [email protected] or 814-863-2861 by March 26.
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Zebrafish meeting to be held in Hershey on April 13
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Zebrafish Spring 2018 Meeting will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 13 in C3621 at Penn State College of Medicine. Faculty and staff interested in learning more about the use of zebrafish in research are welcome to attend this free event. The keynote will be delivered at 2:30 p.m. in Lecture Room B by Teresa Porri, CT manager at Cornell University, Institute of Biotechnology. F
or more information or to register, visit here.
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Institute for CyberScience to hold one-day symposium
Penn State Institute for CyberScience will hold a one-day symposium, "Harnessing the Power of Data," from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, March 30 at Nittany Lion Inn Ballroom. The event will feature a keynote address from Jim Kurose, assistant director of NSF's Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate; panels on "Smart and Connected Communities" and "Precision Health"; and a poster session featuring research by Institute for CyberScience faculty and graduate students. The event is free for Penn State faculty and graduate students. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
For more information, and to register, visit here.
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Invent Penn State Venture
and IP Conference is April 19 and 20
The Invent Penn State Venture and IP Conference will be held April 19 and 20 at the Penn Stater Conference Center. Venture Connection, a dynamic format that facilitates small group meetings between investors and entrepreneurs well-matched on key criteria, with opportunities for private, one-on-one follow-up, will be featured. For more information,
visit pennstatevip.com.
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Pattishall Research Lecture to feature Alexander
Lacy M. Alexander, associate professor of kinesiology, will present the
Pattishall Research Lecture at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28 in the Bennett Pierce Living Center, 110 Henderson Building. The lecture will be preceded by a reception, which is open to all, at 3:30 p.m. Her talk is titled "Your Skin as a Window into Vascular Health."
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Rock Ethics Institute launches new podcast
Examining current issues and breaking news from an ethical perspective will be the focus of "Rock the News," a new monthly podcast by the Rock Ethics Institute. "Rock the News," will feature faculty and special guests from various backgrounds as they discuss pressing ethical concerns addressed in current media headlines.
Learn more here.
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Bridges to Translation IV letters of intent due March 23
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K Grants 2018 Workshop Series to begin March 26
Registration is now open for the K Grants 2018 Workshop Series. This series will be held March 26, April 9, April 16 and April 23. Attendance at all four sessions is preferred. Register for either in-person attendance at C3621 in the College of Medicine or virtually through Zoom.
For more information or to register, click here.
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NIH Tobacco Control Policies funding opportunities
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American Cancer Society Institutional Research
Grant
The American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant is available through Penn State Cancer Institute for cancer-related research by junior faculty. This grant allows researchers to obtain preliminary data that will enable them to successfully compete for national peer-reviewed grant support. The grant supports research in areas of special interest to the American Cancer Society, including psychosocial and behavioral research, health policy or health services research, cancer in the poor and medically underserved and childhood cancer. For more information, visit here.
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American Diabetes Association's Pathways to Stop Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association's Pathways to Stop Diabetes provides up to $1.625 million per award in combined salary and project support. The Association expects to support between four and six applicants. Internal submission deadline is April 6. One application can be submitted from the College of Medicine and one from the rest of the University. For more information, visit here
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IMPORTANT DATES
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DATE + TIME
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EVENT
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LOCATION
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March 19
3:00-4:00 p.m.
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REDCap/i2b2 Open Office Hours |
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March 19
1:00-2:00 p.m.
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Via Zoom
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March 20
2:00-3:30 p.m.
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Via Zoom
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March 20
4:00-5:00 p.m.
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116 Henderson, University Park
C1742K, College of Medicine
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March 21
10:00-11:00 a.m.
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REDCap/i2b2 Open Office Hours |
Via Zoom
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March 21
Noon
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Lecture Room D, College of Medicine
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| March 23 |
Bridges to Translation IV
Letters of Intent Due
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HELP TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Cite the NIH CTSA award any time you use
Penn State CTSI resources, services and facilities or received funding through the CTSI.
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Newsletter Submissions: To be included in the CTSI Newsletter, please send announcements, including a link, to [email protected]
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