August 11, 2023

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

NEW K12 Paul Calabresi Award for Clinical Oncology
Howard M. Goodman Fellowship 2024
NIMH Instrumentation Program
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards
Limited Submission Funding
Foundation Funding Opportunities

Announcements:

Leadership Development Program for Researchers
Well-being Education Grants
Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials
ChemDraw Software
Mathworks Training

Events:

MGH CRN Collaborative August Meeting
Promotion and CV Webinars
Understanding Your Paycheck and Fertility Planning
Navigating the NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award
MGH Postdoc Retreat
2023 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series
6th Annual Neuroscience Day
2023 Reproductive Medicine Symposium
Marcela del Carmen, MD Lecture Series
Research Tech Talk
MGH New (and established) Faculty Orientation
2023 Virtual Tumor Course: Registration Now Open
Meditation Sessions available every week

NEW K12 Paul Calabresi Award for Clinical Oncology

The DF/HCC K12 Internal Advisory Committee is seeking applications for the K12 Paul Calabresi Award for Clinical Oncology, entitled “Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Consortium Career Development Program in Clinical Oncology.” Funding for up to 5 new Scholars will be available, retroactive to September 1, 2023. Senior fellows and junior faculty, within three years of their first appointment, are eligible, provided they do not hold R01 or equivalent funding. The deadline for applications is Friday September 15, 2023.

The overall mission of the DF/HCC K12 Program is to identify the most talented trainees in our academic community and prepare them for careers in translational oncology research through didactic and practical experience in clinical investigation that is closely linked to laboratory research (including “wet” and “dry” lab). This K12 Program is designed exclusively for physicians (MD or MD/PhD) who have completed subspecialty clinical training in adult or pediatric hematology/oncology, or radiation oncology.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Program Administrator, Kelsey Laning (klaning@mgh.harvard.edu) or the Program Director, Timothy Graubert (tgraubert@mgh.harvard.edu).

Learn More

Required Activities

Application Instructions

Howard M. Goodman Fellowship 2024

What is it?

This is an endowed fellowship established by the MGH Department of Molecular Biology in honor of the founding Chief of the Department, Dr. Howard M. Goodman. The award is intended to further the careers of outstanding independent young scientists, who would normally hold the position of Assistant Professor, and have demonstrated the potential to rise to a leadership position in their chosen field. Applicants who hold a full-time appointment in any MGH department and are primarily engaged in research are eligible to apply.

How much is the award?

The award is $100,000 per year for two years plus 20% indirect costs and is effective April 1, 2024.

When is the deadline?

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 – 5:00 PM

Apply

FAQ page

NIMH Instrumentation Program

The NIMH Instrumentation Program (S10) encourages applications from NIH funded investigators that conduct mental health-related research to purchase or upgrade a single commercially available instrument or a group of components to create an instrument that is not commercially available. There is no maximum limit on the cost of the instrument, though the amount awarded by the NIH will be between $200,000 and $600,000. Examples of instruments that might be submitted under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) include light microscopes, electron microscopes, spectrophotometers, and biomedical imagers.

The MGH Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) will commit funding to provide institutional support for NIMH S10 proposals. ECOR has made this commitment because it recognizes that institutional support greatly increases the likelihood that a S10 will be funded.

If you are interested in applying for this grant, please fill out this NIMH S10 application and confirmation of endorsement form and return it to ecor@mgh.harvard.edu by Wednesday, September 6, 2023. We encourage applicants to continue working on their NIH application while ECOR reviews your internal LOI. The LOI will be used to determine the level of institutional support to allocate to this funding opportunity, though we will reach out to you if there are any questions. Applicants will receive a letter of institutional support required to submit the application to NIH.

The NIH deadline for applications is October 10, 2023, so we would greatly appreciate your notification of interest as soon as possible.

If you have questions, please contact MGH ECOR at ecor@mgh.harvard.edu or call 617-726-2335.

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards

What is it?

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country's economic, social and research-based growth. The award is designed for Canadian Citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens of Canada.

The objective of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship program is to:

attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral talent, both nationally and internationally
develop their leadership potential
position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow

How much is each award?

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship is a stipend of $70,000 (taxable) per year for 2 years and does not support indirect costs (IDC). There are no additional funds provided for travel/research. This Fellowship is not subject to the MGH 20% IDC requirement. The award will start sometime between April 2024 and October 2024.

When is the deadline?

MGH Internal Application Deadline: Friday, August 11, 2023 at 5pm

Sponsor Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Learn More

Application Guideline

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.

Limited Competition for the Continuation of Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Participating Clinical Centers (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The purpose of this Limited Competition is to extend the Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Network by continuing to support the Participating Clinical Centers (PCCs). The CureGN Network is a multicenter observational cohort study of glomerular disease patients with the goal of improving care for all glomerular disease patients.

Only renewal, resubmissions, or revisions are allowed. This call does not accept new applications.

MGH LOI Deadline: 8/15/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 9/19/23

NIH Application Deadline: 10/19/23

Learn more

Single Source for the Continuation of Cure Glumerulonephropathy (CureGN) Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

This is a non-competitive funding opportunity intended to fund a single award. The NIDDK is announcing its intent to issue a single source cooperative agreement award to the University of Michigan. The purpose of this Single Source is to extend the Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) Network by continuing to support the Data Coordinating Center (DCC).

Only renewal, resubmissions, or revisions are allowed. This call does not accept new applications.

MGH LOI Deadline: 8/15/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 9/19/23

NIH Application Deadline: 10/19/23

Learn more

Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants (T03) – NEW!

NIOSH / CDC invites grant applications for Training Project Grants (TPGs) that are focused on occupational safety and health training. NIOSH is mandated to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. NIOSH supported Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and TPGs are how NIOSH meets this mandate.

MGH LOI Deadline: 8/22/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 9/19/23

NIH Application Deadline: 10/24/23

Learn more

NCI Research Specialist (Clinician Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) – NEW!

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for the Research Specialist Award (R50) specifically for clinician scientists supporting NCI-funded clinical trials research.

The Research Specialist Award is designed to encourage the development of stable research career opportunities for exceptional clinician scientists who want to continue to participate in the NCI clinical trials networks through leadership in the 1) development of national clinical trials, 2) implementation of NCI clinical trials in their institutions, and 3) national service to the NCI clinical trials networks through participation in the scientific review committees, monitoring committees and other activities, but not serve as principal investigators of research project grants.

MGH LOI Deadline: 8/23/23

NIH Application Deadline: 10/06/23

Learn more

Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (R25 – Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/05/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 9/25/23

NIH Application Deadline: 10/25/23

Learn more

The Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar Awards

The Award will support individual postdoctoral scientists of exceptional creativity in the field of neurosciences. These transitional awards are to enable a postdoctoral researcher to advance to become a full-time faculty member at the Assistant Professor level or higher and to promote the development of a laboratory program that will lead to independent funding.

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/06/23

Sponsor Application Deadline: 11/01/23

Learn more

Institutional Network Award for Promoting Kidney, Urology, and Hematologic Research Training (U2C – Clinical Trial Not Allowed) – NEW!

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity is to invite Institutional Network Awards (U2C-TL1) to cultivate a highly integrated cohort of trainees and early career investigators and to develop career development resources to accelerate kidney, urologic, and hematologic research.

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/13/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 10/15/23

NIH Application Deadline: 11/15/23

Learn more

A Consortium for Gut-Brain Communication in Parkinson’s Disease (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) – NEW!

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites new applications to participate in the Gut-Brain Communication in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Consortium (GBPDC). The GBPDC will consist of up to six Gastroenterology Neurology Research Centers (GNRC) and one Coordinating and Data Management Center (CDMC). The CDMC is fully described in the companion NOFO, RFA-DK-23-001.

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/13/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 10/16/23

NIH Application Deadline: 11/15/23

Learn more

A Consortium for Gut-Brain Communication in Parkinson’s Disease (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) – NEW!

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to establish a Coordinating and Data Management Center (CDMC) that will coordinate and manage the activities of the Gastroenterology Neurology Research Centers (GNRCs), as described in the companion NOFO, RFA-DK-22-036, as part of the Gut Brain Parkinson's Disease Consortium (GBPDC).

MGH LOI Deadline: 9/13/23

NIH LOI Deadline: 10/16/23

NIH Application Deadline: 11/15/23

Learn more

EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (National Science Foundation)

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) fulfills the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. Through this program, NSF facilitates the establishment of partnerships among academic institutions, government, industry, and non-profit sectors that are designed to promote sustainable improvements in the research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and R&D competitiveness of EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions (i.e., states, territories, and commonwealths).

MGH LOI Deadline: 10/09/23

Sponsor Application Deadline: 12/06/23

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 full details for all awards on our website.

AAT Deficiency In-Cycle Grant Opportunities (multiple opps), Alpha-1 Foundation. $300,000. LOI Deadline: September 29
ACS Resident Research Scholarships, American College of Surgeons (ACS). $60,000. Application Deadline: September 15
Discovery Awards, (Guillain-Barre Syndrome/Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) GBS/CIDP Foundation International. $100,000. LOI Deadline: November 1
Grant Projects, SAGES Education & Research Foundation/Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). $100,000. Application Deadline: September 8
Colgate-Palmolive Postdoctoral Fellowship Award in In Vitro Toxicology, Society of Toxicology (SOT). $44,000. Application Deadline: October 9

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.

Review the Funding Opportunities

Leadership Development Program for Researchers

Application due Friday, September 15

This course aims to prepare investigators for challenges inherent in establishing and maintaining a successful research program. This 9-month long program features both didactic and interactive sessions. Faculty and trainees who complete this career-development course will sharpen their career focus and gain knowledge regarding the strategies that promote success in leading an impactful research program.

Learn more

Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

Tuesdays and Thursdays: September 5 – November 2, 2023 | 5:00 – 6:30pm

Online via OpenCourses

Applications due August 26, 2023

The Division of Clinical Research Education Unit, in collaboration with the MGH Infectious Disease Unit and the Department of Psychiatry, is offering a thirteen-session intensive course, Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials (DCCT), this September through November.

Physicians with a serious interest in clinical trials will be introduced to theoretical and practical issues facing clinical researchers. Course participants will learn how to envision, plan, develop and execute effective clinical trials. Study content includes research designs, protocols, ethical patient recruitment, informed consent, regulations, and clinical trial management. The course is ideally suited for clinical fellows starting their research years, junior faculty pursuing careers in clinical research, and physicians with an interest in becoming more actively involved in clinical research.

All participants are expected to use the course curriculum to develop and present a trial design at the final session of the course.

Enrollment is limited to facilitate interaction and individual attention. To ensure placement in the course, early application is recommended. All applications will be reviewed after the August 26th deadline.

Contact tla@mgh.harvard.edu with any questions.

Learn more

ChemDraw Software

ChemDraw licenses are offered at a discounted rate through the ERIS Research Computing Core. ChemDraw is a powerful, yet easy-to use, tool for producing chemical and biological drawings. You can create your own drawings or use those provided in the library of available templates.

This is a subscription service with an annual fee, which must be renewed each May 25th, to continue access. Once ordering you will receive an email with installation instructions (new users) or an activation code (renewals). Request through the ERIS Research Computing Core Service Catalog.

MathWorks Training

Online training is available, offered by MathWorks.

Promotion and CV Webinars

Understanding Your Paycheck and Fertility Planning

Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Zoom

Many MGH faculty receive compensation from multiple sources. We will cover how to read your MGH paycheck and best practices for reviewing your income. The second half of this session will cover fertility planning and what costs for egg freezing, IUI, and IVF can look like within the MGH system.

Speaker: Eryn Schultz, MBA, the CEO and Founder of Her Personal Finance. Eryn is the instructor for the Office for Women’s Careers’ 10-week Financial Planning Course for MGPO benefits-eligible faculty.

Navigating the NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award

Wednesday, August 16 | 10:00 – 11:00 am

Speaker: Hassan S Dashti, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor, Dept of Anesthesia, MGH

This 1-hour online Zoom presentation will focus on the specifics of the NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award, including important considerations, eligibility criteria, tips on writing a competitive K99R00 application, and preparing for a timely K99 to R00 transition. This session is meant to complement the "Conquering the K" course and, therefore, will not discuss general aspects of K awards, including how to write specific aims, career development plans, etc., Intended audience members include current postdoctoral research fellows within ~4 years of earning a terminal degree and current K99 awardees preparing to transition to the R00 phase of their award.

MGH Postdoc Retreat

Date: Sept 6, 2023 (8:30-6pm)

Location: MGB Assembly Row

The MGRI Center for Faculty Development’s Postdoctoral Division is organizing a one-day retreat on Sept 6 for Mass General Postdocs in honor of Postdoc Appreciation Week. The retreat will take place at MGB Assembly Row in Somerville (339 Revolution Dr, Somerville, MA 02145). Since this event will be in-person, there will be a cap on the number of postdocs that can attend. Please register using the link below if you are interested in attending. Click on the tentative agenda as a preview of some of the retreat’s talks and events.

Feel free to email pdd@partners.org if you have any more questions.

2023 Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series 10

Tuesday, September 12, 2023, 4:00 - 5:00 pm, Zoom

Provided by MGH Center for Faculty Development

The Anne Klibanski Visiting Lecture Series was created to support and advance the careers of women. These lectures bring together faculty from institutions that have hosted Anne Klibanski Scholars with MGH scholars, on topics that overlap both research areas.

Dr. Kerns will present on “Enhancing the detection and treatment of anxiety disorders in autistic youth.”

Dr. Thom will present on “Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety in Williams Syndrome.”

Learning Objectives for Dr. Kern’s talk:

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

· Describe similarities and differences in how anxiety disorders presented in autistic v. allistic (non-autistic) youth.

· Describe challenges to assessing anxiety disorders in autistic youth and the importance of autism-tailored anxiety measures.

· Describe the evidence base supporting adapted and traditional cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety in autistic children.

Learning Objectives for Dr. Thom’s talk:

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

· To better understand the neurocognitive profile of individuals with Williams syndrome.

· Consider how cognitive behavioral therapy may be modified for individuals with Williams syndrome.

· Discuss emerging psychopharmacologic treatments for anxiety in Williams syndrome.

Presenters:

Connor M. Kerns, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Robyn P. Thom, MD, Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, MGH/HMS

6th Annual Neuroscience Day at Mass General Hospital

Thursday, September 14th, 2023, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Poster Registration Deadline: August 26th

Posters Due: September 6th

We invite the broad MGH neuroscience community to present their clinical and research work in the areas of Biomarkers at the 5th Annual Neuroscience Day Event. Poster presentations can include descriptions of innovative clinical, community-based, or educational programs involving biomarkers; or basic, translational, or clinical research in this area.

$500 Prize for three posters that best exemplify Mass General Neuroscience, by demonstrating innovation, creativity, cross-disciplinary expertise, and a path to high clinical impact. You can register your poster by registering for the event.

The poster session will be from 12:15 – 2:00 pm on September 14th. This year, our poster session will be in person, so please account for setup time during the morning. We will send more information as it becomes available. Poster presenters are responsible for the management of their own poster. Neuroscience Day is a private event open to the entire MGH neuroscience community and select donors.

Poster submission limit: 1 poster per presenter

To be eligible for a prize, you must register for the main Neuroscience Day event and the poster session by August 26th, then send a PDF and title for your poster to Sue Clough at sclough@mgh.harvard.edu by September 6th.

See the full agenda

2023 Reproductive Medicine Symposium

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 4-6 PM

We are excited to announce the 2023 Reproductive Medicine Symposium: Sex and Gender Medicine in Reproduction hosted by the Reproductive Endocrine Unit, MGH, on Tuesday, September 19, from 4-6 pm via Zoom. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Kejal Kantarci, Director of the Women’s Health Research Center at Mayo Clinic. We will highlight selected abstracts with a 5-minute oral presentation during the Symposium.

We invite individuals across MBG and the Harvard community to register to attend and to submit abstracts for consideration for oral presentations during the Symposium. Details, registration/ abstract submission, can be found at https://forms.gle/dGrboDnFJGjQLfn57

We hope annual Symposium continues to create a consortium of reproductive medicine and science professionals across institutions and disciplines.

Marcela del Carmen, MD Lecture Series for the Advancement of Women and Diverse Faculty and the 2023 Women in Medicine and Science Symposium Keynote

Wednesday, September 27, 2023, 3:00 – 5:00 pm,

Provided by MGH Center for Faculty Development & BWH Center for Diversity and Inclusion

The Marcela del Carmen, MD, Lecture Series for the Advancement of Women and Diverse Faculty and the 2023 Women in Medicine and Science Symposium have collaborated to commemorate Women in Medicine Month. This will take place at the Wolf Conference Center, BWH

The Women in Medicine and Science Symposium highlights the achievements of women faculty and trainees at Brigham and Women’s and Mass General Hospitals. The Symposium celebrates the accomplishments of women faculty and trainees across different disciplines – including basic science, clinical and translational research, clinical innovation, and education – with the goal of strengthening the MGB community.

Speaker:

Joanne Wolfe, MD MPH, is the Chair of Pediatrics at MassGeneral for Children and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She previously served as the Division of Pediatric Palliative Care in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Director of Palliative Care at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) for nearly 30 years. She also served as the Vice President for Faculty Development at the Dana-Farber. She is Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She holds an MD degree (1990) from Harvard Medical School and an MPH (1998) from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Wolfe’s research is focused on easing suffering and promoting wellbeing in children with serious illness and their families. She also co-directs the Multinational Pediatric Palliative Care Research Network.

Research Tech Talk

September 28, 2023

The next virtual Research Tech Talk is Thursday September 28th, 2023 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

Topics:

MGB Digital Information Security will provide updates, current and future initiatives.
MGB Digital PEAS and Enterprise Mobility Management will present updates, current and future initiatives.

MGH New Faculty Orientation

Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, Zoom

An opportunity for new (and established) faculty to learn about the various offices and networks that support our clinical and research faculty. While this is designed for those who are new to the MGH faculty, all faculty members are welcome to attend. This two‐hour session is designed to provide an overview of the MGH environment and faculty resources focusing on: MGH and MGPO; Center for Faculty Development; Key Executive Committees; and other important resources such as EAP and Harvard Catalyst.

2023 Virtual Tumor Course

Tuesday, Oct. 24 to Friday Oct. 27, 2023

The 38th Annual Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment: Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology course will continue to offer the best in critical analysis of what is currently known about the tumor microenvironment, angiogenesis, metastasis, immunology. This will include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, tumor metabolism, and the role of microbiome.

The internationally recognized faculty speakers will present their latest findings from the clinic and the lab and highlight key gaps in the knowledge of cancer and outline future directions for research at the bench, in the clinic, and in drug development.

The course will continue its four-day online webinar-based live lecture format. Learning formats will include didactic lectures, Q&A and group case discussions.

The faculty will encourage an open discussion and will provide critical comments on challenges and future opportunities in research in cancer and in establishment of novel therapy approaches and biomarkers to guide treatment. The aim of this course is to analyze and synthesize the most up-to-date findings.

Faculty will present valuable information in a systematic and comprehensive framework, along with a critical review of the latest techniques. This course is dedicated to helping to improve clinical translation of this knowledge and competence, leading to improved cancer treatment.