Volume XXXVIV | October 2021
THE PARTNERSHIP POST
Congratulations, Carmenza Bruff!
Congratulations to Outreach Core member, Carmenza Bruff, for being recognized by Amplify Latinx as a 2021 Amplifier in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month! Amplify Latinx is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build Latinx economic and political power by significantly increasing Latinx civic engagement and representation in leadership positions across sectors.

Announcements
Annual Cancer Symposium Recording
The recording of the Annual Cancer Symposium from April featuring keynote speaker, Dr. James Bradner is now available on YouTube! Revisit his discussion on "Next Generation Cancer Therapeutics and Cancer Scientists."

Scientific Workforce Development Symposium Recording
The recording of the Scientific Workforce Development Symposium featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable, Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, is now available on YouTube! Revisit his discussion and the panel session on "Challenges and Innovations in Diversifying the Scientific Workforce." 

Cancer Disparities Research Network (CDRN)/ GMaP Region 4 E-Blast:
The CDRN broadcasts monthly announcements including events, funding and training opportunities, and job opportunities at NIH.
REC Post-Baccalaureate Program - Applications Open!
The Research Education Core has opened the application process for the Post-Baccalaureate Program! There is a priority review date of November 2nd, but applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.

The Post-Bacc program is a 1- to 2-year fellowship that engages individuals who have completed their bachelor's degree within the past two years.

The anticipated program dates are November 2021 - August 31, 2022.
Events
Introduction to R Workshop - Nov. 2nd
This online hands-on workshop will introduce participants to using R and RStudio. R is a simple programming environment that enables the effective handling of data while providing excellent graphical support.

DF/HCC Connect:Science Seminar Series - Nov. 2nd
Join other members of the science community for a presentation from Dr. Cedric Blanplain on his talk "Mechanisms Regulating Tumor Transition States." Seminars are held on a weekly basis.

Partnership Scientific Meeting - Nov. 15th
The Partnership will be hosting its first Scientific Meeting on November 15th! There will be presentations from former seed project investigators, Drs. Lorna Rivera and Jarvis Chen and Drs. Mesfin Bekalu and Rachel McCloud.

DF/HCC Lung Cancer Program's Annual Symposium - Nov. 17th
Join DF/HCC's Lung Cancer Program as they host their Symposium! Partnership PI, Vish Viswanath, will be one of the presenters giving a presentation on "Reaching the Hardly Reached: Tobacco Control and the Underserved."
Registration is required.
F99/K00 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Predoctoral Students
The NCI Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award is for 3rd and 4th year PhD students and provides up to six years of research support with no citizenship requirement. The FOA is intended to provide support in the following two phases:

  • The initial (F99) phase will provide support for 1-2 years of dissertation research (final experiments, dissertation preparation, and selection of a postdoctoral mentor).

  • The second (K00) phase will provide up to 4 years of mentored postdoctoral research career development support, contingent upon successful completion of the dissertation degree requirements and securing a postdoctoral position for further research and career development training leading to research independence. 

The Ph.D. student research does not need to be cancer-focused however, the K00-phase or post-doctoral work should be cancer-focused. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for postdoctoral positions at institutions other than where their predoctoral research was conducted. The two award phases are intended to be continuous in time. 

Please note that applicants must be nominated by their institution in a process determined by the institution. Only one nomination per institution per year is allowed.
COVID-19 Resources
UMass Boston Return to Campus
University Health Services offers free weekly COVID testing for any faculty, staff or graduate student authorized to be on campus, including those working in labs. Appointments are required to receive testing.

DFCI Return to Work
DFCI has reinstalled the universal mask policy for all staff while on Dana-Farber property, regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, all DFCI workforce members must be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021, unless granted a medical or religious exemption.

COVID-19 Pfizer Vaccine for People 12 and Over
People age 12-17 who live, work or study in Massachusetts are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. You do not need an ID or insurance to get it.

UMass Boston COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
UMass Boston will require vaccinations for all students coming to campus or physically accessing campus resources for the fall semester. Faculty and staff are strongly recommended to be vaccinated prior to the fall semester. 
 
Massachusetts Vaccine Locations
As noted on April 19th, vaccine eligibility in Massachusetts was expanded to the general public ages 16 years and older. The COVID-19 vaccine is free for all individuals.

DFCI Hospital Epidemiologist on the COVID-19 Vaccines
Dr. Meghan Baker speaks about the COVID-19 vaccines and what it means for Dana-Farber.

COVID-19 Vaccination
As hospital institutions across the Commonwealth begin to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, be sure to connect with your respective institutions regarding their distribution plans. Facts about COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the CDC's website below.

Viswanath Lab COVID-19 Dashboard
Visit the Viswanath Lab's COVID-19 Dashboard, a curation of credible COVID-19 resources to inform and educate on the novel coronavirus.
Research Training Opportunities
REC Post-Baccalaureate Program
The Research Education Core is now accepting applications for the 2021 post-baccalaureate program! There is a priority review date of November 2, 2021, but applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.
Application Deadline: Rolling Admission

DF/HCC Data Science Postdoc Open House - Nov. 3rd
If you are interested in learning more about postdoctoral opportunities at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and would like to learn about the research DFCI faculty is conducting, please sign up for this free event. Registration is required.

DF/HCC Yerby Post-Doctoral Fellowship - Nov. 5th
The deadline for the Yerby Fellowship program has been extended! The Yerby Fellowship is a year-long program with the goal to advance the intellectual and professional development of each individual.
Application Deadline: November 5, 2021

Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research (NIBR) Summer Internship
A NIBR Summer Internship is a unique opportunity for top-tier college students to gain research experience in a biomedical industry setting. Interns are mentored by NIBR scientists who are passionate about patient-driven approaches to drug discovery research and motivated to enhance students’ preparation for graduate and professional degree programs.
Application Deadline: December 31, 2021

Big Data Scientist Training Enhancement Program (BD-STEP)
BD-STEP is a two-year fellowship opportunity offered through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that uses data science to advance cancer research and patient care.
Application Deadline: Rolling Admission

Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD)
IMSD is a year-round, research-intensive, skill-building, mentoring program for undergraduate students interested in the biomedical sciences.
Application Deadline: Rolling Admission
Visit the Research Training page for more training programs.
Funding Opportunities
Application Deadline: November 1, 2021

Application Deadline: November 1, 2021

Application Deadline: November 2, 2021

Application Deadline: November 3, 2021

Application Deadline: November 15, 2021

Application Deadline: November 17, 2021

Application Deadline: November 19, 2021

Application Deadline: December 1, 2021

Application Deadline: December 1, 2021

Application Deadline: December 1, 2021

Application Deadline:  December 1, 2021

Application Deadline: December 8, 2021

Visit the Non-Partnership Funding Opportunities page for more.
Have an announcement you'd like to share? Email us and we will include it in our next newsletter!
617-287-6622 | U54Partnership@umb.edu | https://umb-dfhcc.org