December 9, 2022

Announcements, events, funding opportunities and more news for the Mass General Research Institute community.

In this edition:

(Scroll down for more info and click on the links for additional details)


Funding Opportunities:

  • Smith Family Foundation Odyssey Award
  • COURAGE Program
  • Limited Submission Funding Opportunities
  • Foundation Funding Opportunities


Announcements:

  • All of Us Research Program, Give the Gift of Research
  • MGB Commercialization and Inclusive Leadership Program
  • 2023 DF/HCC Celebration of Early Career Investigators in Cancer Research 
  • Mass General Hospital Summer Research Opportunity for Student
  • 2023 MGH Nursing Research Day 
  • Connell Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nursing Research
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Competition to Select HHMI Investigators
  • Transportation of Biological Samples
  • Machine Learning Foundational Curriculum 
  • Plan ahead for December’s ERIS Virtual Office Hours


Events:

  • December Research Council Recording
  • Basics of Science Writing for English Language Learner (ELL) Investigators
  • Meditation Sessions available every week
  • Career Development Panel Series 4: “When to say ‘Yes’”
  • Presenting Your Science: Developing and Delivering Outstanding Presentations 
  • Grant Writing Course
  • Fun Fridays- Instant Gratification: The Practice of Spontaneous Thank You Notes
  • Faculty Transition Webinar Series-“Retirement Nuts and Bolts”

Smith Family Foundation Odyssey Award

A program of the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation



What are they?

The Smith Family Foundation Odyssey Award was created in 2017 to fuel creativity and innovation in junior investigators in the basic sciences. The Award supports the pursuit of high impact ideas to generate breakthroughs and drive new directions in biomedical research. The awards will fund high-risk, high-reward pilot projects solicited from our brightest junior faculty in the region. Projects should be conceptualized as a novel research line and a distinct and novel off-shoot from the applicant’s current research.

Eligible applicants must be junior investigators who received their first independent faculty appointment on or between November 1, 2014 and November 1, 2019.


There is no longer a limit on the number of applications from a given institution. Applicants no longer need to be internally selected and nominated by their institutions. Please apply directly to the sponsor.


How much is the award?

The award is $400,000 over two years ($200,000 per year)


When is the deadline?  

Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 12:00 Noon


How do I learn more about the opportunity?

Smith Family Foundation: Odyssey Award – Click here

COURAGE Program


What is the program?

The COURAGE Program provides resources to advance the careers of 20 early career investigators (post-docs or early faculty) working in obesity, nutrition, or diabetes. This 3+ year program is open to individuals who identify as being from one or more of the following racial/ethnic groups: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.


Who should apply?

Eligible applicants must be at a postdoctoral level or above. They must be from an underrepresented background, defined as individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders). The research topic must be in nutrition, metabolism, obesity, or diabetes. There is no restriction on the institution from which the applicant applies, i.e., awards can be made to any institution, including our partner institutions in the application, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the University of Puerto Rico. Preference will be given to early-career investigators.


How much is the award?

Please submit a budget for up to $50,000 in direct costs. Indirect costs are not supported. The period of funding is for one year, beginning June 1, 2023.


When is the deadline?  

The application must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023. We expect to announce awards by April 3, 2023. The funding period will begin on June 1, 2023 and it will support 1 year of research.

 

How do I learn more about the opportunity?

For information about the COURAGE program visit www.courageprogram.com

For non-science-related questions, please contact our team at MGHCOURAGEprogram@mgh.harvard.edu.

For science-related questions, please contact Dr. Takara Stanley at 617-724-9109 or tstanley@partners.org.

Flyer

Limited Submission Funding Opportunities


We ask that all MGH Investigators interested in applying for any limited submission award submit a Letter of Intent (see detailed instructions below) to the MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) by the deadline indicated for each award to be considered to receive an institutional nomination. 


CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:

See full details for all awards on our website.


NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 – Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. 

Learn more


NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 – Independent Clinical Trial Required)

The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators.

Learn more


NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 – Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. 

Learn more


NCI Cancer Screening Research Network: Statistics and Data Management Center (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is one of three FOAs that will support a comprehensive effort by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to provide infrastructure to develop the Cancer Screening Research Network (CSRN).   

Learn more     


NCI Cancer Screening Research Network: Coordinating and Communication Center (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)       

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is one of three FOAs that will support a comprehensive effort by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to provide infrastructure to develop the Cancer Screening Research Network (CSRN).   

Learn more   


Enhancing Capacity for Strategic and Applied Research Activities in Support of Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases – NEW!

The purpose of this NOFO is to advance strategic and applied research in support of neglected tropical disease (NTD) control and elimination, particularly in sub-Saharan African NTDendemic countries. 


Pediatric Critical Care and Trauma Scientist Development Program (K12 Clinical Trial Optional)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications to support a national program of mentored career development and training in research for junior faculty in pediatric critical care medicine and pediatric trauma surgery.

Learn more



Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites grant applications for Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHS CC). As intellectual hubs for environmental health science research, the EHS CC is expected to be the thought leaders for the field and advance the goals of the NIEHS Strategic Plan.

Learn more

Foundation Funding Opportunities

Please contact Corporate & Foundation Relations in the Office of Development at devcfr@mgh.harvard.edu if you wish to submit a proposal in response to any of these opportunities. Note that proposals are still routed through the standard InfoEd/Research Management process.

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:
See full details for all awards on our website.

Research Grant Program, A-T Children's Project. $150,000. LOI Deadline: Continuous


Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). $75,000. Application Deadline: 1/26/23


NEW! Glenn Foundation Discovery Award, American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). $525,000. LOI Deadline: 2/15/23


Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowships in Aging Research, American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). $75,000. LOI Deadline: 1/25/23


NEW! The Sagol Network GerOmic Award for Junior Faculty, American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR). $150,000. LOI Deadline: 1/5/23


Bladder Cancer Research Innovation Award, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). $300,000. LOI Deadline: 1/10/23


NEW! Precision Prevention Initiative (multiple opps), Breast Cancer Research Foundation. $2.25 million. LOI Deadline: 1/16/23


APSF-FAER Mentored Research Training Grant, Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER). $300,000. LOI Deadline: 1/1/23


NEW! Cadiogenic Shock Research Grant, International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT). $140,000. Application Deadline: 1/16/23


NEW! Extracorporeal Photopheresis Immunomodulation in Thoracic Transplantation Challenge Grant, International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT). $90,000. Application Deadline: 1/16/23

Do you want to learn more about identifying external funding opportunities? Please click here to request a research consultation with Amy Robb or see ECOR’s website for information on the Pivot database.

LEARN MORE
See full details for all announcements on our website.

All of Us Research Program this Holiday Season and Give the Gift of Research



The All of Us Research Program has a simple mission: to help advance research so we can learn more about what makes us sick and what keeps us healthy. Participants are from different races and ethnicities, age groups, and regions of the country. They are also diverse in gender identity, sexual orientation, and health status. 

 

This holiday season, give the gift of research by joining the All of Us Research Program and help make the world a healthier place to live. All of Us aims to improve health for all by gathering health data from one million or more people to build one of the largest and most diverse health databases in history. By joining, you could help All of Us to enable individualized prevention as well as treatment and care by empowering thousands of health research studies across the country and around the world. 

 

What Participants Receive:

All of Us participants can learn about their health, their DNA, and receive other benefits. This includes information about:

  • Your genetic ancestry and traits
  • Whether you may have a greater risk of developing certain hereditary diseases or health conditions
  • How your body might react to certain medicines

 

Join All of Us at Mass General Brigham

To join All of Us as a participant, please visit JoinAllofUs.org/Giving2022 

To learn more, please visit the All of Us Research Program on the Pulse: https://pulse.massgeneralbrigham.org/hub/initiatives/all_of_us

MGB Commercialization and Inclusive Leadership Program 


The MGB Commercialization and Inclusive Leadership Program (CILP) is a one-day in-person program on commercial application and inclusive leadership offered by the MGB Innovator Community Expansion Initiative (ICEI) in collaboration with Babson College. This program supports the Innovator Community Expansion Initiative’s (ICEI) goal of increasing the pool of potential innovators across the Mass General Brigham system and providing tools and resources to drive excellence in commercial outcomes. 

 

CILP will provide 50 participants the skills, resources and networks needed to grow not just as innovators but as leaders and proponents of commercialization at Mass General Brigham.

 

Who should apply?

  • Early career clinicians or researchers
  • Individuals who
  • have not executed a license at MGB
  • are motivated to start their commercialization journey
  • want to be a part of the Innovator Community at MGB

 

The one-day in-person program is scheduled for March 14, 2023, from 9 – 5PM at the Babson Executive Conference Center (1 Snyder Drive, Babson Park, MA 02457). We aim to deliver this program in-person but will monitor the COVID situation closely.

 

Applications are due January 15, 2023. Click here to apply

 

Contact icei@partners.org with any questions.  

Visit website, RSVP, Submit an abstract

Mass General Hospital Summer Research Opportunity for Students


The Massachusetts General Summer Research Trainee Program (SRTP) was founded by the MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion in 1992 for students historically underrepresented in medicine (UiM) who are interested in biomedical research and/or academic medicine. SRTP pairs accepted students with an MGH faculty preceptor to provide guidance and mentorship in a new or ongoing research project. This year the program starts with the orientation on Monday, June 4, 2023, and ends on Friday, July 28, 2023.


For more details and to apply, go to: www.massgeneral.org/cdi/programs

2023 MGH Nursing Research Day 


We invite nurses to submit an abstract for consideration for MGH Nursing Research Day, which will be held in May 2023! At this time, it is anticipated that the event will occur virtually, and posters will be shared via our Virtual Poster Platform on the Munn Center website.

Questions? Please email the Munn Center: MunnCenter@PARTNERS.ORG

Connell Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nursing Research


The Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is inviting nurse applicants for the second postdoctoral fellow for the Connell Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nursing Research established in 2019. This is a unique opportunity for early-career nurse researchers within two years of completing a PhD degree (graduation year 2022 or 2023) to receive postdoctoral training at MGH, the leading independent hospital in NIH funding.


The fellowship provides developmental support and resources to advance nursing research in:

Symptom Science in Adults- including the identification of symptoms and symptom management in the context of acute and chronic illnesses among diverse populations.

*Applicants with an interest in women’s health and women living with HIV strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with an interest in nutrition and obesity research also encouraged.

 

Highlights of the Connell Postdoctoral Fellowship include:

  • Salary support with benefits for 2 years.
  • Expert mentorship from accomplished nurse scientists within the Munn Center and across MGH and associated institutions.
  • Diverse training and research development opportunities within and outside of MGH, including Harvard Medical School and local nursing schools.
  • Participation in opportunities offered through the MGH Research Institute: https://www.massgeneral.org/research/ including extensive support for professional development, research education and training, and communication.

 

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident/green card holder and a nurse who is a new or recent (calendar year 2022 or 2023) graduate from an accredited PhD program from a U.S. certified institution.

 

Specific questions may be directed to:

Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research

Massachusetts General Hospital

125 Nashua Street

Boston, MA 02114

Phone: 617-643-0431

Email: MunnCenter@partners.org

Learn More

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Competition to Select HHMI Investigators


The HHMI Investigator competition is open to basic researchers and physician scientists from more than 300 eligible institutions who catalyze research in basic and biomedical sciences, plant biology, evolutionary biology, biophysics, chemical biology, biomedical engineering, and computational biology.


Candidates apply directly to HHMI. Applications must be received by March 21, 2023. Information about this program and competition, including benefits of becoming an HHMI Investigator and eligibility requirements for this competition may be found at hhmi.org/investigators.


We seek a broad applicant pool and welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We anticipate appointing approximately 25 scientists who will push the bounds of biomedical research and train and mentor the next generation of scientists.


If you have a question about the 2024 competition, please email sciencecomp@hhmi.org

Transportation of Biological Samples (BioLift)


To transfer biological samples we encourage faculty to use BioLift.


BioLift is an online application and solution for transporting biological samples between the Charlestown Navy Yard, MGH Main Campus and the Ragon Institute. 


If you have any questions, please login and click on the help button.


You can also reach out to Kelé Piper, Research Compliance Director, at kkpiper@mgh.harvard.edu.

View Website

Machine Learning Foundational Curriculum 

Mass General Brigham's Data Science Office is pleased to announce the Machine Learning Foundational Curriculum course is now available to take online for MGB employees!


Presented by Dr. Kathy Andriole, this training program will introduce you to the fundamentals of Machine Learning (ML) in healthcare, with an emphasis on practical concepts and knowledge. The curriculum consists of recorded lectures, self-directed exercises, and hands-on interactive demonstrations that expose learners to the tools and techniques involved in developing, validating, and translating AI/ML into clinical practice.


Click here: https://datascience.massgeneralbrigham.org/machine-learning-foundational-curriculum to request access (MGB username and password required). 

Plan ahead for December’s ERIS Virtual Office Hours



Virtual ERIS Scientific Computing Office Hours, Subject matter experts will be online to help you troubleshoot and get started with ERISOne/Two Linux Clusters, ERISXdl GPU platform and more.

December 12, 2022 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

 

Virtual ERIS Office Hours, Subject matter experts will be online to help you navigate RISC tools and services available to support research and innovation.

December 12, 2022 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

 

Office hours occur on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

LEARN MORE

December Research Council Recording


Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Dr Cesar Castro and Dr Julie Price will be discussing the future of the Center for the Diversity and Inclusion at Massachusetts General Hospital. The presentations will cover future initiatives and roles in The Center for Diversity and Inclusion that will help continue to achieve the mission of the center.


NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy

Martha Jones and Andrew Chase will be joining us to discuss the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy changes that go into effect on January 25, 2023. They will be discussing the main components of the new policy changes to best help all the members of the Mass General Research Institute best prepare for these new changes.

View Recording

Basics of Science Writing for English Language Learner (ELL) Investigators

Friday, December 9, 2022, 12:00 – 1:30 pm, Zoom 

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Research Careers

 

Open to English Language Learner faculty and postdocs.

Getting results and disseminating findings to as wide an audience as possible is an essential part of the research endeavor, and understanding the basic techniques of Scientific Writing is vital for this effort. Dr. Jhaveri will discuss the fundamentals of science communication, with a focus on structure, logic, precision, clarity and conciseness, as well as on the components of a research manuscript.

 

Facilitator: Sonal Jhaveri, PhD, Science Program Director, Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She teaches Science Communication and Language Skills to graduate and medical students and postdocs at MIT and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

 

Click to register

Two Meditation Sessions available every week


Two Meditation Sessions available every week

SESSION 1: Meditation Mondays with Dr. Darshan Mehta 

Every Monday, 8:00 – 8:30 am, Zoom à next session, Monday, December 12!

Co-sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Well-Being and the MGPO Frigoletto Committee

Join Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, Director, Office for Well-Being, for a guided meditation session on Monday morning. 

Register and add to calendar

 

SESSION 2: Midweek Meditation with Guest Leader 

Every Wednesday, 8:00 – 8:30 am, Zoom à next session, Wednesday, December 14!

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Well-Being

Join guest leader Lisa Leung-Tat, MGH Cancer Center, for next Wednesday’s guided meditation session on December 14th!

Register and add to calendar

Career Development Panel Series 4: “When to say ‘Yes’”

Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, Zoom 

Provided by MGH Center for Faculty Development & Mass General Brigham

 

Drawing on faculty interest, the Center for Faculty Development has organized a series of four webinars on specific aspects of academic career development, whether to build toward promotion consideration or to enrich professional knowledge and experience. Learn more about where to find and how to join initiatives or committees of interest, the dimensions of major administrative roles, how and when to get involved on an editorial board, and, ultimately, when it makes sense to say yes to a new responsibility—or decline the opportunity.

 

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to: 

  • Recognize the challenges posed by having 168 hours each week and being nice
  • Identify the opportunities you should always say yes to
  • Discuss the opportunities with colleagues that you should likely say no to
  • Recommend mentees/colleagues to help further their careers when you are unable to say yes to requests/invitations

 

Target Audience: This activity is intended for faculty and faculty trainees.

Course Director: Miriam A. Bredella, MD, Director, Center for Faculty Development; Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

 

Panelists:

Kenneth A. Freedberg, MD, Director of the Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Department of Medicine, MGH and Professor of Medicine, HMS

Karen K. Miller, MD, Chief, Neuroendocrine Unit, MGH and Professor of Medicine, HMS

Jennifer S. Temel, MD, Clinical Director, Thoracic Oncology Center, MGH and Professor of Medicine, HMS

 

ACCREDITATION

In support of improving patient care, Mass General Brigham is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Mass General Brigham designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

Click to register

Presenting Your Science: Developing and Delivering Outstanding Presentations

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 4:00-5:00 pm, Zoom 

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Division

 

Biomedical presentations are, by necessity, rich with complex content. However, presenters often struggle to organize and communicate this content in a way that best serves their audience.

 

This session will review the development of outstanding scientific presentations, with a focus on:

-       How to design presentation materials to facilitate learning

-       How to communicate content across various audiences

-       Visuals to include (or delete)

-       How to align your presentations with the requirements of virtual platforms

 

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to...

1.   Identify the elements that shape the development and delivery of outstanding scientific presentations

2.   Design high-quality slides that focus on learning

3.   Revise presentations to better align with particular requirements of virtual delivery

 

Facilitator: Emily Green, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development at UMass Chan Medical School.

 

Click to register

 

Grant Writing Course

Thursday, December 15, 2022, 12-1pm, Zoom

Sponsored by the Office for Research Careers

 

Created by the MGH Science Writing Group led by Becca Ward, PhD, this series returns for the second year. It is open to all MGH trainees and faculty. There is no requirement to attend every session, but you are highly encouraged to do so. More specific information on various sessions will follow.

 


Session 8 - (Dec 15): Documents for Unique Situations: Introduction & Multi-PI Plans

facilitated by Trisha Berger, Ph.D., Director of Scientific and Medical Communication for the Cellular Immunotherapy Program & Becca Ward, Ph.D., Medical Writer and Program Manager

 

Click to register 

 

Fun Fridays- Instant Gratification: The Practice of Spontaneous Thank You Notes

Friday, December 16, 2022, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Well-Being

 

Fun Fridays offer a refreshing mid-day break from work to indulge in physical, mental, or creative activity.

 

Did your parents force you to write thank you notes? Did you find the task tedious? We’ll explore another avenue to thanking others—sheer spontaneity! It’s a lovely way to show how much you care and to bring yourself some instant gratification as well.

 

Facilitator: Anne Levy, PhD, is the Senior Program Manager in the Center for Faculty Development. She has always loved and practiced creative writing, incorporating it into her former career of teaching high school English.

 

Click to register

 

Faculty Transition Webinar Series-

“Retirement Nuts and Bolts”

Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom 

Sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development  

 

The Center for Faculty Development’s Office for Senior Faculty Transitions invites you to join a panel from Human Resources, Professional Staff Benefits and the Employee Access Center. The panel will cover where to begin the process of retirement, what it entails and what you should consider during the process.

 

Panelists:

Dee Dee Chen, MS, Director, Professional Staff Compensation and Benefits Office

Nicholas Martin, Human Resources Director

Ellen Nelson, Director, Employee & Labor Relations at Mass General Brigham

Virginia Rosales, Human Resource/Benefits Manager, Professional Staff Benefits

Lisa Staffiere, LICSW, CEAP, RYT, Senior Employee Assistance Consultant and Certified Employee Assistance Professional 

 

Click to register

 

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