In this edition:

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

Funding Opportunities

• Innovation Award to Catalyze Military-Connected Research
• K12 Investigator Award
• MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Institute Spark Grant 2024
• Andrew L. Warshaw, M.D, Institute for Pancreatic Cancer Research 
• MGH Screening Technologies in Primary Care Innovation Fund
• Limited Submission Funding
• Foundation Funding Opportunities

Announcements:

• NEW MGH Information Security & Privacy Awareness Weeks
• NEW Caring for Dependent(s) Travel Awards
• Request iThenticate user access Reminder
• Free Writing & Communication Resources for Researchers
• GoToMyPC licenses expire on April 30, 2024 
• Research Support Services 
• Faculty Parental Wellness Program
• SAS License Renewals

Events:

• NEW Fun Fridays- Writing for Joy
• NEW MGB Town Hall for the Research Community 
• Research Tech Talk
• REDCap Survey Features and Functionality
• NEW an investigator-initiated multicenter clinical trial: the PERL study
• Annual Musculoskeletal Research Symposium
• Lubin Family Foundation Scholar Award Annual Symposium
• 2024 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series 07
• Nancy J. Tarbell, MD Faculty Development Lecture Series
• Fourth Annual Conference on Precision Psychiatry
• Two Meditation Sessions available every week

FY 2025 Innovation Award to Catalyze Military-Connected Research

Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, is providing catalyst funding to be used toward innovative, military-focused research. The purpose of this funding is to stimulate new ideas and exciting approaches to research designed to yield meaningful impact for Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members and Military-Connected Families. 

We plan to provide 2 grants of $75,000 each, inclusive of 20% indirect costs. The project period for your proposal can be either 1 year or 2 years. To be eligible to apply, the Principal investigator(s) must hold an MGB faculty appointment in any department.  The application deadline is Friday May 31, 2024 at 5:00 pm. 

K12 Investigator Award

The Harvard Catalyst K12 Investigator Award (formerly KL2/CMeRIT) provides advanced training in clinical and translational research to senior fellows and junior faculty from all health professions represented by Harvard Catalyst, including medicine, dentistry, and nursing.

Awardees will pursue a mentored research project in their area of expertise. It is expected that the research performed within the K12 program will provide the basis for a subsequent NIH award (e.g., K23, KO8, or RO1).

The K12 Investigator Award program provides two years of salary support at 75% of the awardee’s institutional salary base, up to the K12 NIH salary cap of $160,000 (i.e., $120,000 would be covered). Surgeons may request salary support of between 50% and 75%. Educational programs within Harvard Catalyst will be tuition-free. Funding for awardees begins October 1, 2024.

Applications are due May 24.

MGB Gene and Cell Therapy Institute (GCTI) Spark Grant 2024



The GCTI Spark grant 2024 is now open! The Spark grants fund projects that can demonstrate tangible advancements towards clinical applications as well as commercialization outcomes including licensing, commercial partnerships, or new spinoff companies.

Deadline - Friday, April 19, 2024

Andrew L. Warshaw, M.D, Institute for Pancreatic Cancer Research 

The Andrew L. Warshaw, M.D., Institute for Pancreatic Cancer Research invites applications for pilot grant funding from MGH investigators. Applications are welcome from new investigators, established investigators in the field of pancreatic cancer, as well as senior investigators who have not previously worked in this area.

Up to three pilot grants will be funded for one year at $60,000 plus the applicable indirect cost rate.

Deadline - Friday, May 3, 2024, at 5:00PM

MGH Screening Technologies in Primary Care Innovation Fund



There is great promise for the development of new technologies to detect disease or disease risk factors at an earlier stage in the primary care setting. However, innovative screening technologies are frequently difficult to get off the ground due to challenges conducting research in the primary care setting and difficulties translating and commercializing technologies that need to be implemented in a cost-effective manner and on a large scale.

Award: One pilot grant will be funded for one year at $50,000 (direct costs) + 20% (indirect).

Due date for proposals: April 30, 2024

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.

Nathan Shock Centers Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

MGH LOI Deadline: 4/22/24

Learn more

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

MGH LOI Deadline: 4/30/24

Learn more

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

MGH LOI Deadline: 4/30/24

Learn more

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

MGH LOI Deadline: 4/30/24

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.

For all open foundation funding announcements, see the MGB Innovation External Funding Database



CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES:

See this week’s full foundation funding announcements (including eligibility, RM deadlines, and IDC) on our website.

1. Research Grant and Young Investigator Award Program (multiple opps), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). $50,000 (No IDC). Abstract Deadline: May 1
2. Research and Training Scholarships, American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation (AAOGF). $120,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: July 1
3. NEW! Ataxia Grants (multiple opps), Ataxia UK. £30,000 (≈$37,000) (Unspecified IDC). LOI Deadline: June 26
4. Path to a Cure Collaborative Research Grant, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). $3 million (12% IDC). Application Deadline: July 29
5. The Future of Duchenne, Dutch Duchenne Parent Project NL (DPP NL). €100,000 (≈$107,000) (No IDC). Application Deadline: July 1
6. Harrington Scholar-Innovator Physician-Scientist Award, Harrington Discovery Institute/University Hospitals (UH). $100,000 plus opportunity to qualify for up to $1.1 million. (No IDC). LOI Deadline: June 5
7. Research Grant Program, Mendez National Institute of Transplantation Foundation (MNITF). $150,000 (10% IDC). LOI Deadline: June 15
8. Stryker/ORS Women's Research Fellowship, Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS). $50,000 (No IDC). LOI Deadline: June 17
9. SCI/D Research Grants and Fellowships (multiple opps), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Research Foundation. $200,000 (8%). Application Deadline: July 1
10. Greater Value Portfolio, Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation. $400,000 (10% IDC). LOI Deadline: May 16
11. Research Grants and Fellowships Program: Prevention and Early Detection Grants, Prevent Cancer Foundation. $100,000 (No IDC). Application Deadline: June 14
12. Pilot Awards, Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). $300,000 (20% IDC). Application Deadline: June 13
13. NEW! Pilot Progression Award, Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). $900,000 (20% IDC). Application Deadline: June 13

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.

NEW MGH Information Security & Privacy Awareness Weeks

April 22nd -26th is Information Security & Privacy Spring Awareness Week!

Spring-cleaning doesn’t only apply to housework, dusting off your digital habits and environment should be included too. Whether it’s reviewing your app permissions, or sanitizing your email inbox, doing a digital declutter helps protect you and your data from cyber threats. Learn all the ways to refresh your digital defenses during Information Security & Privacy Spring Awareness Week on Vitals. There are also virtual coffee breaks during the week for more discussion, learn more.

NEW Caring for Dependent(s) Travel Awards

The Center for Faculty Development (CFD) is pleased to announce the call for Caring For Dependent(s) (CFD) Travel Awards. This $1,000 award* will help make travel to an academic/society meeting directly related to his/her academic advancement possible. The award is open to faculty and postdocs who have plans to attend a professional meeting between June 1 and November 30, 2024. Funding is intended to help defray additional care expenses that go above and beyond care needs, (e.g., extended day care, extended elder care, caregiver travel) while the faculty member or postdoc is traveling.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m., Thursday, May 2, 2024. For further information regarding the application process, please e-mail cfd@partners.org.

Click here for more info and to apply

Request iThenticate user access Reminder

All Mass General Brigham investigators are eligible for an iThenticate account. To facilitate account setup, investigators need only to complete the iThenticate Registration Form. Once your account has been processed, you will receive an email with further instructions for account set up. Links to training and resources for the iThenticate software are also available on the Research Compliance page on the Navigator site. Please reach out to MGB Research Compliance with any questions.

Free Writing & Communication Resources for Researchers

Harvard Catalyst’s Writing and Communication Center was established in 2021 to empower clinical and translational researchers and team members throughout every stage of their careers to better articulate their science. Learn More

The center includes dozens of free resources, tools, and trainings on science communication, including self-guided learning modules, videos featuring leading experts, rubrics, templates and worksheets, links to courses, recommended reading, and more. 

MGH Ode to Joy - Celebration of the Arts

Submit your artistic talent by Friday, May 3

Share your talent at in-person celebration to recognize the incredible talents outside of your work at MGH. The Center for Faculty Development announces the first MGH Ode to Joy—a celebration of art created by our faculty and trainees. We want to convene our community to recognize the incredible talent that exists outside of and beyond the talent performed in clinic, in OR, and in labs, and revel together in the transformative power of artistic expression. Click here for more details.

Please submit, as is relevant to your chosen work of artistic production, a word document, photo, video, or recording to this form by Fri, May 3.

GoToMyPC licenses expire on April 30, 2024 

When GoToMyPC users log on to GoToMyPC, a pop-up message reminds them it’s renewal time. Additional information and instructions for renewals are available in the Service Desk knowledge article KB0018797. If you have questions or need assistance, please open a ticket at the Digital Service Hub.

Research Support Services 

Are you having trouble managing your research activities and need some help? Do you have an upcoming leave or vacancy and could use coverage from an in-house, experienced Grant Administrator? Look no further than Research Support Services!

Research Support Services (RSS) provides experienced Grant Administrators to support and manage all aspects of the research grant life cycle for as long or short a time as you need. 

For more information, please email us at ResearchSupportServices@mgb.org​ or visit us on our Research Navigator page.

Faculty Parental Wellness Program

The Faculty Parental Wellness Program is designed to improve the personal well-being and professional productivity of expectant and new parents who are faculty at MGB. The program started at MGH and is now expanding to include BWH, BWFH, and Mass Eye and Ear, with funding from the MGB Office of the Chief Medical Officer. Benefits for participants include the following: 

1. Feeding and lactation stipends
2. Parental Wellness Advocate (PWA) pairings: This is the opportunity to be connected to an experienced parent who provides guidance and practical strategies on navigating parental leave and the transition back to work
3. Opportunity to join virtual new parent groups
4. Access to lactation resources

SAS license renewals

If you purchased a SAS icense through the Digital Research Computing Core, your license will renew this month, and the fund listed in your account will automatically be debited. The FY24 cost for Server/Citrix licenses was reduced to $204 per person, per platform; SAS Desktop licenses will remain at $300 per license. Invoices for your updated SAS license will be emailed on May 7th.  IMPACT: If you want to maintain your license no action is needed. To cancel your license, please go to rcservices.partners.org or contact rcc@partners.org for assistance. 

See these events and more on the calendar of events

NEW Fun Fridays- Writing for Joy

Friday, April 19, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Join published author, essayist and expressive writing teacher Áine Greaney Ellrott to discover how expressive writing can bring joy, comfort and clarity to our professional and personal lives. Learn the “why,” “how” and “where” of practicing wellness writing for just a few minutes per day or a few times per week. You don’t have to be a writer to join us, and this interactive session will include optional writing and (optional) sharing.

Past and upcoming workshop and presentation venues include Seattle Children’s Hospital; The Youth at Risk Conference; The North of Boston Cancer Resource; The Justice Resource Institute (JRI); Hope Floats Healing and Wellness Center; American Holistic Nurses Association; and the Carver School of Medicine.

NEW MGB Town Hall for the Research Community 

Thursday, April 25th at 10:00am – 11:00am

Please join us for the next Mass General Brigham (MGB) Town Hall for the Research Community on Thursday, April 25^th at 10:00 am - 11:00 am via zoom. The Town Hall will be recorded and posted to the MGB Research and Education News & Updates Vitals Page.

This session consists of presentations by senior leaders. You may submit your research-related question(s) in advance to mslogan@mgb.org. Dr. Anderson and team will also address questions posted in the chat box as time allows. 

Research Tech Talk

April 26, 2024, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, Zoom

Presentation: MGB Cloud Foundations presented by Jane Murray - Vice President of Digital Research Operations and Matthew Pratt - Manager, MGB Digital 

REDCap Survey Features and Functionality

April 26, 2024 | 10:00 – 11:00 am

REDCap Representatives: Dan Foley and Jeremy Alphonse

Learn how to create, send, and collect research data using the REDCap Survey feature.

REDCap surveys provide a powerful tool for collecting responses from survey participants by 1) emailing or texting a link to your survey, 2) entering data direct on a tablet/kiosk, and/or 3) posting a link on websites. We will also review Responsy, which is a Mass General Brigham secure mobile platform for REDCap survey collection.

This is open to all employees who work within the Mass General Brigham network.

REDCap link: https://rc.partners.org/research-apps-and-services/collect-data#redcap

NEW How to organize an investigator-initiated multicenter clinical trial: the PERL study

Wednesday, May 1 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Dr. Doria received his medical degree and his doctorate in endocrinology and metabolism from the University of Padua in Italy, and his MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. He has been at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard for over 30 years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as a faculty. He is currently a Senior Investigator and Head of the Section on Genetics and Epidemiology at the Joslin Diabetes Center. He is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Annual Musculoskeletal Research Symposium

May 6th, 2024, Assembly Row

Announcing the 9th Annual Musculoskeletal Research Symposium hosted by the Center for Musculoskeletal Research at MGH. Join MSK researchers from around Massachusetts for a great day of talks, posters and networking. Featuring renowned guest speakers Alison Boyce from the NIH and Sundeep Khosla from the Mayo Clinic, the symposium will be held at Assembly Row on Monday May 6. Lunch and snacks provided.

Lubin Family Foundation Scholar Award Annual Symposium

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 12:30 – 6:00 pm

Symposium program and schedule with keynote speaker Dr. Harold Varmus. The Lubin Family Foundation Scholar Award provides unmatched mentorship opportunities and financial support to the most promising physician-scientists across Boston’s academic medical community as they launch their careers in cancer research. Join us at this special inaugural event to hear about advancements in cancer care and research led by Lubin Scholars and Mentors. Network and learn more about this prestigious award.

2024 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series 07

Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 pm 

"Insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of PCOS"

Presenter:

Chu-Chun Huang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch. Douliu City, Taiwan.

Nancy J. Tarbell, MD Faculty Development Lecture Series

Thursday, May 30, 2024, 12:00 – 1:00 pm

“Finding your Voice through Writing in Medicine” 

Presenter:

Grace C. Huang, MD, Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; and Hospitalist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 

Two Meditation Sessions available every week 



SESSION 1: Meditation Monday with Dr. Darshan Mehta 

Every Monday, 8:00 – 8:30 am, Zoom à next session, Monday, April 22!

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 the 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, April 24!

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

Join guest leader, Douglas Greve, PhD, Radiology Department, for next Wednesday’s guided meditation session.

Register and add to calendar

See these events and more on the calendar of events

Research Institute website

Bench Press Blog

MGH Research Intranet