Dear Colleagues,

In this issue we are sharing Journal of Experimental Medicine’s interview with our DOM faculty colleague Sara Suliman, a member of the ZSFG's Division of Experimental Medicine who articulately conveys her excitement for collaborative science and tells us about her experiences as a new faculty member at UCSF. In addition, this month’s newsletter is absolutely packed with funding and resource opportunities – including many new ones — for DOM researchers at all levels. 



All the best, 

Diane and David

Diane Havlir, MD, Associate Chair for Clinical Research

David Erle, MD, Associate Chair for Biomedical Research

The Journal of Experimental Medicine asked Sara Suliman, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Experimental Medicine, how she got interested in science, what she's currently working on, and what she thinks about the future of academic science. Sara shared her multinational journey to UCSF, her perspective as both a basic immunologist and a public health researcher, and her recent experiences in launching her own lab and establishing productive new collaborations here at UCSF. It's well worth reading the entire interview in JEM!

UCSF Parnassus Institute Trainee Minisymposium (PITRAMI)

PITRAMI is a new forum for bringing Parnassus-based lab scientist trainees and faculty together to interact and share their research. The first annual minisymposium will take place on Tuesday, February 28 at 3:00pm and feature sixteen flash talks in two parallel sessions, followed by a social hour. The sessions will take place at Parnassus Heights, room N-217/N-225. Please consider attending and interacting with colleagues.

For additional information about presenters and sponsors, click the button below.

DOM PREPARE Program

Requests for grant reviews are accepted on an ongoing basis

Get peer reviews for your proposal via the PREPARE program! You do not need to have a draft to request a review – just enter the study name and a brief description and we'll match you with experts who will provide feedback and guidance. Submit a request today! 

For additional information, click here. To request a concept sheet, full proposal, or summary sheet review, click the button below.

SOM Faculty Travel Awards for Child, Elder, or Dependent Care

Awards are granted on a rolling basis

To support School of Medicine faculty members who have child, elder, or dependent care responsibilities, the School of Medicine’s Academic Affairs Office provides funding through Travel Awards.

The intent of these funds is to promote a family friendly environment so that the expenses associated with childcare, elder care, or dependent care are not an impediment to faculty members’ participation in professional conferences. Please continue to adhere to UCSF travel guidance, in accordance with the latest public health orders.

School of Medicine faculty with an assistant, associate or professor rank and who hold an appointment with a step designation are eligible to apply. The maximum award amount for one professional conference/meeting is $2,000.

For questions, please contact Sheila Quimpo. For additional information and to apply, click the button below.

REMINDER: UCSF UCTRAC Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center

Applications are due by February 27

The UCSF-UCB Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center is announcing new funding opportunities for new-to-TB investigators, including:

• Voucher Program for basic science research in TB 
• Consultation Service Request for clinical research in TB 
• RAP Awards for mentored scientist and mentored under-represented scientist in TB research

Applications for voucher and mentored scientist awards are due by February 27. Consultation service requests are available on a rolling basis.

For questions, please contact info@uctrac.org. For additional information and to apply, click the button below.

REMINDER: UCSF RAP Family Support Award

Applications are due by February 27

The RAP Family Support Award proposals are intended to help researchers maintain research productivity in the face of significant but temporary time commitments related to significant family caregiving needs. The funding, $40,000 in total costs, will provide supplemental support to assist with addressing gaps in research productivity.

UCSF faculty with >50% appointment in any series, and in all ranks, are eligible to apply. Junior faculty applicants need to have a mentor who is appropriate for the planned research activity.

For additional information and to apply, click the button below.

REMINDER: UCSF CPR³

Applications are due by February 28

As a joint program between UCSF, the California Health and Human Services Agency, and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), CPR³ plans to fund UC-wide research that brings together UC investigators, public health experts, and community members in order to help inform and guide future pandemic recovery and readiness efforts for the state of California.

Dr. Priya Shete and the CPR³ team have recently released requests for proposals seeking California-focused pandemic recovery and readiness research related to two priority topics:

• The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on children and adolescents
• The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental health

These funding opportunities are open to all UC investigators. Three award types ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 are available. See CPR³’s Funding Opportunities page to learn more.

UCSF PARC: Pain and Addiction Research Center (PARC) Fellowship

Applications are due by March 3

PARC is pleased to announce a call for applications for research in pain and addiction, made possible by an anonymous donor. PARC is accepting applications for two $55,000 research fellowships:

Fellowship A. Integrative, behavioral, and/or non-pharmacological approaches to treat pain and addiction 

• This fellowship funds research studies that advance knowledge regarding the mechanisms and/or efficacy of integrative, behavioral, and/or non-pharmacological approaches to treat pain and addiction.

Fellowship B. Health services research and implementation science in pain and addiction 

• This fellowship funds research that will ultimately improve the care of patients with pain and addiction through a focus on health services and implementation science. 

Projects may be at any stage of development. UCSF faculty members in all series, including adjunct, and at all levels are eligible to apply. Faculty must be a member of PARC. For questions or to confirm PARC membership status, please contact PARC Program Manager Anna Landau. For additional information and to apply, click the button below.

UCSF RWJ Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP) 

Applications are due by March 15

The AMFDP awards four-year postdoctoral research grants to physicians, dentists, and nurses from historically underrepresented backgrounds who are committed to careers in academic medicine. The level of support is $420,000 over four years, which includes an annual $75,000 stipend, plus $30,000 per year for research support, and unparalleled mentorship. For more information, please contact Meshell Johnson.

To learn more about the program, click the button below. To access the application website, click here.

UCSF Living Therapeutics Initiative (LTI)

Applications are due by March 17

The UCSF LTI's mission is to support the vast scientific talent and clinical expertise at UCSF and help accelerate the development of promising cellular therapies from basic research to clinical evaluation for patients underserved by other treatment options. The promise of cellular therapies spans multiple and diverse indications and as a result the LTI is disease agnostic.

The LTI is issuing a new request for proposals (RFP) for three funding mechanisms for cellular therapy projects:

Preclinical/proof of concept studies

• The preclinical/proof of concept studies should be designed to lead to clinical trials within a defined period and have the potential to make the greatest impact on patients’ lives, particularly in disease areas with unmet need for new, effective therapies. Awards may be up to $500,000 total over two years for the full award and up to $75,000 over one year for the pilot award. 

Late-stage preclinical studies

• The Late-Stage Preclinical Project funding is intended to fund pre-IND enabling studies, manufacturing or clinical trial start up activities for cellular therapies with the potential to make the greatest impact on patients’ lives. Awards will vary and be based on actual costs of e.g. vectors, virus or manufacture and will typically be up to $1,000,000 total over one to two years.

Clinical stage projects

• The Clinical Trial Stage funding is intended to fund the clinical trial evaluation, clinical material manufacturing and/or clinical correlative studies of those cellular therapies. Awards will vary and be based on actual costs of e.g. clinical expenses, product manufacture and will typically be up to $2,000,000 total over two years.

For questions, please contact the Director of LTI, Cammie Edwards. Applications should be mailed as a single PDF file to LTI@ucsf.edu. For additional information and to apply, click the button below.

REMINDER: UCSF Diabetes Research for Equity through Advanced Multilevel Science Center for Diabetes Translation Research (DREAMS-CDTR)

Applications are due by April 24

The DREAMS-CDTR invites proposals for preliminary research focused on health equity that will provide pilot data essential for planning future diabetes translation research K award and R-level awards by early-stage investigators.

Applicants must be an early-stage investigator, have a doctoral degree (e.g., MD, PhD, DrPH), and currently be primarily affiliated with one of the DREAMS-CDTR institutions (Kaiser Permanente Northern California, UCSF, UC Davis, UC Merced, Stanford).

Pilots are funded by NIDDK through the DREAMS Center. For questions regarding the RFP, please contact Dean Schillinger. For application instructions, click here. To apply, click the button below.

Copyright © 2023, University of California, San Francisco, All rights reserved.

Please send comments, suggestions and questions to:

Diane Havlir, MD, Associate Chair for Clinical Research (diane.havlir@ucsf.edu)

David Erle, MD, Associate Chair for Biomedical Research (david.erle@ucsf.edu)