JANUARY 2024

NEWSLETTER

The Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI) newsletter lists upcoming events, resources, services and grant deadlines for UMB research faculty and fellows. 

Upcoming CARTI Seminars:

• Mock Study Section: Understanding the NIH Grant Application Review Process (Jan 18 @ 1pm; HSF 2 Auditorium)
• Writing Effective Titles and Abstracts (Jan 25 @ 9am; Zoom)
• How to Incorporate a Conceptual Model into your Research Strategy (Jan 30 @ 9am; Zoom)
• Managing Up: Communicating with Your Boss (Jan 31@ 9am; Zoom)
• Tips for Writing Case Reports, Commentaries and Review Articles (Feb 15 @ 9am; Zoom
• The Basics of Writing a Research Grant (Feb 27 @ 10am; HSF3 Room 1010)
• Negotiation Skills (Feb 28 @ 9am; Zoom)

To register for CARTI's events, click HERE.

Scholarly Writing Accountability Groups (SWAG): 4 New group starting in January

Additional Events:

• UMSON Research Seminar Series: Navigating the “IRB” When You Are Not Doing Research  (Jan 18 @ 12pm; Zoom) 
• Society of Clinical Research Associates: Ethical Principles of Clinical Research (Jan 24 @ 12pm; Zoom)
• UMB Graduate School: Applications are now being accepted for: 
• Master of Science in Epidemiology and Clinical Research – Clinical Research Track 
• Certificate Program in Clinical Research

Research Funding Opportunities: 

• V Foundation (Cancer Research)
• Fighting Blindness Foundation
• The Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund (Neuroscience Research)
• American Heart Association 
• UM Center for Addiction Research, Education, and Service (CARES)
• NIH (Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research)

Mock Study Section: Understanding the NIH Grant Application Review Process

Thursday, January 18

1:00 – 2:00pm

HSF2 Auditorium, HSF2 Building, 20 Penn St (1st floor)

During this session, early career faculty who are preparing to submit an NIH R01 grant application will gain insight into how NIH research applications are scored and reviewed, including a “mock study section” discussion of a grant application. Panelists will also discuss common critiques that are made during a study section meeting, characteristics of a successful R01 application and strategies for identifying a study section.

 Panelists:

Dudley K. Strickland, PhD

Professor, Department of Surgery; Director, Center for Vascular & Inflammatory Diseases; UMSOM

Stefanie N. Vogel, PhD

Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UMSOM



Syed Saif Hasan, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMSOM

Writing Effective Titles and Abstracts

Thursday, January 25

9:00 – 10:00am

Zoom

Effective titles and abstracts are key components of a scientific paper, as these two parts of the paper are read most often and are also the basis for searches. This session focuses on how to write an interesting and informative title and abstract, including tips on writing style.  This session begins with a didactic session (20 minutes), followed by an examples-driven discussion (40 minutes).

Speaker: Marey Shriver, PhD, Executive Director for Faculty Development, Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI), UMSOM

Tips for Writing Case Reports,

Commentaries and Review Articles

Thursday, February 15

9:00 – 10:00am

Zoom

This session will help clinicians/clinician educators learn how to initiate and develop peer reviewed publications that don’t involve “traditional” peer-reviewed research. Participants will also learn strategies to get the most out of being promoted with these types of publications (e.g. Do the literature search for a grand rounds talk and then publish a review; involve a trainee in a case report and get points for mentoring and a publication).

Speaker: Rose Marie Viscardi, MD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, UMSOM

Managing Up: Communicating with Your Boss

Wednesday, January 31

9:00 – 10:00am

Zoom

Managing a successful research program and advancing in your career requires working with and communicating effectively with your boss or bosses. This session will provide tips and strategies for developing a better working relationship, improving communication, and setting expectations with your boss. In addition, we will discuss best practices for providing feedback.

Speaker: Mary-Claire Roghmann, MD, MS, Associate Dean for Physician Scientist Training, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Medicine, UMSOM

Negotiation Skills

Wednesday, February 28

9:00 – 10:00am

Zoom

The ability to negotiate successfully is essential to managing a research program; however, early stage faculty often lack training in negotiations skills. In addition, scientists –especially at the early stages of their careers –feel uncomfortable with the process of negotiating, and are uncertain how to do this effectively. During this session, participants will receive tips for negotiating for protected time, resources, etc. as an early stage faculty member.

Speaker: Irina Burd, MD, PhD, Chair & Sylvan Frieman, MD Endowed Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, UMSOM

How to Incorporate a Conceptual Model into your Research Strategy

Tuesday, January 30

9:00 – 9:30am

Zoom

Conceptual models can serve multiple purposes within the research strategy of a grant. During this 30-minute session, we will discuss how to use or adapt a conceptual model to provide a basis in theory, relate key concepts, and structure an analysis. We will also address specific use cases of conceptual models in implementation science.

Speaker: Jonathan Baghdadi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, UMSOM

The Basics of Writing a Research Grant

Tuesday, February 27

10:00 - 11:00am

HSRF3 Building, Room 1010, 670 W. Baltimore St (1st floor)

This session will provide a broad overview of writing a research grant. Topics will include early considerations before writing a grant application, including various funding mechanisms. The session will introduce the major components of a grant application, and best practices for writing each section. 

Virtual option is available by request. Email Stacie Mendoza for Zoom link.

Speaker: Mary-Claire Roghmann, MD, MS, Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health; Associate Dean for Physician-Scientist Training, UMSOM

Scholarly Writing Accountability Group (SWAG) Program

Virtual Program to Help Faculty Increase Their Scholarly Writing Productivity

The Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI) provides a virtual peer accountability/support program designed to increase writing productivity among UMB early stage faculty called Scholarly Writing Accountability Group (SWAG). A description of our virtual SWAG program follows, including details on how to participate.

What is a VIRTUAL SWAG?

A virtual SWAG is an active peer-led writing group for UMB junior faculty that meets for 1-hour, once a week over a 10-week period using Microsoft Teams/Zoom. Groups follow a structured agenda including 15 minutes of updates and goal-setting followed by 30 minutes of individual writing and then 15 minutes of reporting and wrap-up. Each group is limited to 4-8 members who must commit to attending at least 8 out of the 10 weekly sessions. In a SWAG, there is no peer review of writing; SWAGs focus on the process of writing, not the content. The purpose of SWAG is to help junior faculty get in the habit of 1) writing in short blocks of time daily or almost every day and 2) identifying and prioritizing feasible writing goals.

Writing accountability groups are being used at multiple major medical schools. The data which have been reported on the results of this program are very favorable, reflecting marked increases in the quantity and quality of writing by junior faculty participants.

What are the Benefits of Joining a SWAG?

Faculty who join SWAG will:

• Develop new writing habits to achieve writing goals
• Improved time management skills
• Gain a greater sense of control over the writing process
•  Build a small community of support/social network

New SWAGS forming:

• Mondays 9-10am (Jan 29 - Apr 1) ~ 3 spots left

• Mondays 11am – 12pm (Jan 22 – Mar 25) ~ 2 spots left

• Wednesdays 1 – 2pm (Jan 24 – Mar 27) ~ 2 spots left

• Fridays 11am – 12pm (Jan 19 – Mar 22) ~ 3 spots left

Registration

New SWAGs at UMB are being formed on a rolling basis. If you’re interested in participating, please submit the following REQUEST FORM.

Questions? Email Stacie Mendoza

CARTI'S Seminar Slides & Recordings

CARTI'S Individual Consultations

CARTI'S Funded Grant Library

The Center for Advanced Research Training & Innovation (CARTI) now has a funded grants library available to faculty who are preparing an NIH grant application. These samples were shared by UMSOM faculty who have funded NIH grant applications including, but not limited to the following mechanisms:

• Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Awards
• Career Development Awards (K): K01, K08, K23, K24
• NIH Research (R) Grants 
• Diversity Supplements

To gain access, contact Marey Shriver, PhD or Stacie Mendoza.

CARTI'S Mini LIbrary

University of Maryland School of Nursing

Research Seminar Series

Navigating the “IRB” When You Are Not Doing Research

Thursday, January 18

Zoom

This seminar aims to assist performance improvement practitioners with tips and perspectives to consider when submitting a "Non Human Subjects Research (NHSR)" application in CICERO to obtain an authoritative determination. Insightful for those who work in EBP, QI, and research fields.

The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) 

Baltimore Chapter

The Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA) is a non-profit, charitable and educational membership organization committed to providing education, certification, and networking opportunities to all persons involved in clinical research activities. 

The Baltimore Chapter's monthly meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend.  Below is the topic for the next meeting:

Ethical Principles of Clinical Research

Wednesday, January 24

12:00 - 1:00pm

Presenter: Edye T. Edens, JD, MA, CIP, CCRP, Senior Research Compliance Consultant, First Class Solutions, Inc.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the history behind how we formed ethical principles in clinical research and what we define thematically as an ethical principle of clinical research
• Understand the connection of these ethical principles to all our regulatory requirements
• Discuss examples of the worst case scenarios and dissect how we can prevent them in the future
• Categorically develop deeper knowledge on how these ethical principles guide our day to day operations in clinical research

UMB Graduate School

Clinical Reseasrch Training

Applications are being accepted by the UMB Graduate School for the following:

·      Master of Science in Epidemiology and Clinical Research – Clinical Research Track

·      Certificate Program in Clinical Research

 Both are designed specifically to meet the needs of clinicians and scientists who want further education and training to develop a successful career as a clinical and translational investigator. Graduates will gain the ability to identify important clinical research questions, develop research protocols, generate pilot data, conduct clinical research, analyze and write the results in a publishable form and develop and submit grant proposals. Former students include faculty members (particularly those on or applying for career development awards), fellows, residents and medical and dental students.

Please see the details and application deadline for each below:

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL RESEARCH – CLINICAL RESEARCH TRACK

• 30 credits
• Eligible for tuition remission
• Designed for clinicians and clinicians-in-training wanting to develop a successful clinical research career

Early Admission Deadline: March 1, 2024

Final Application Deadline: May 15, 2024

For more information, visit the WEBSITE

In particular, read the "Frequently asked questions" for each. 

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN CLINICAL RESEARCH

• 12 credits
• Eligible for tuition remission
• For clinicians and scientists who do not have time to do a full MS but need to gain skills not covered in their health profession or graduate education

Early Admission Deadline: March 1, 2024

Final Application Deadline: May 15, 2024

For more information, visit the WEBSITE

In particular, read the "Frequently asked questions" for each.

For an individual consultation on whether this training is appropriate for you, please contact Jennifer Albrecht, PhD at jalbrecht@som.umaryland.edu

Research Funding Opportunities

Seeking Foundation Funding for your Research?

The SOM’s Office of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations, provides services and resources to assist UMSOM faculty with identifying private foundation funding for research, programs, educational initiative, and community outreach at the local, regional, and national level. Visit their website for more information and to schedule an appointment. 

Additional funding opportunities can be found at:

 UMSOM Internal Funding Opportunities & External Funding Databases

UMGCCC Funding Database

(Cancer related research)

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