In this edition:

Feature

Special Announcement

Did You Know?

Georgia CTSA Leader Emphasizes Trustworthy Messengers for Vaccine Communication

In a recent Washington Post article, “Now That There’s a Coronavirus Vaccine, How Do You Persuade People to Take It?” Georgia CTSA Community Engagement Program Director and NIH’s Georgia CEAL Principal Investigator Tabia Henry Akintobi, PhD, MPH, emphasizes the need to identify and educate community messengers.

Funding (* New Opportunities)

NIH Funding Opportunities Specific to COVID-19

This page contains a listing of active and expired funding opportunities specific to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation 2021 Physician Scientist Fellowship – Due January 5

The Physician Scientist Fellowship (PSF) award aims to support research during the final years of subspecialty fellowship and aid in the transition into an academic faculty appointment. The specific goals of the PSF program are to: support physician scientists in subspecialty fellowship to conduct an outstanding clinical research project; ensure research time protection to enable development of research skills; and facilitate strong mentorship relations. Award consists of $100,000 direct costs plus $10,000 (10 percent) indirect costs each year for two years.

Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation Access to Care Grants – Due January 10

The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation welcomes proposals for investigator-initiated projects that demonstrate the benefits of new healthcare delivery methods or prevention approaches. KTGF is most interested in improving access to mental health care for children through the use of novel models or approaches, including but not limited to digital technology (e.g., Internet, cellphone apps), expanding the number of professional and paraprofessional treatment personnel who are trained to deliver mental health services, and delivering care in non-psychiatric settings (e.g., primary care, schools, home, or other novel settings).

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP) – Due January 14

The primary goal is to substantially enhance the postdoctoral training and experience of underrepresented minority junior scientists. This grant is meant to supplement the training of postdocs whose research activities are already supported. It is not a research grant. The program targets postdoctoral fellows with PhDs in the biomedical or medical sciences. Applicants with MD degrees who have secured a postdoctoral research appointment beyond clinical fellowship will be considered for this program.

Georgia CTSA Pilot Grants RFP – LOI Due January 15

Georgia CTSA’s Pilot Grants program is soliciting proposals that either a.) generate preliminary data and refine research strategies for subsequent extramural grant applications OR b.) develop the best approaches and methodologies to address complex translational and clinical research problems. Awards involving one institution will be up to $40,000 in total direct costs. Awards involving two or more partner institutions will be up to $50,000 in total direct costs, with no more than $40,000 allotted to each institution. The total number of awards to be made is variable based on merit, funds requested, and Pilot Program budget; a maximum of $200,000 will be awarded in this round. Indirect costs will be added after the awards have been made. Full-time faculty from Emory, Georgia Tech, MSM, and UGA may submit proposals.

Emory SCORE Pilot Grants – Due January 25

The Emory Specialized Center of Research Excellence on Sex Differences (Emory SCORE) will fund a variable number of one-year, non-renewable awards ranging from $10K - $30K plus indirect costs, for projects that account for sex as a biological variable when examining key sex influences on health processes and outcomes. Additional awards that are in line with the overlapping missions of Emory SCORE - to strengthen science through accounting for sex - and its partner organizations may be funded in partnership with the Emory Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), the Emory Diabetes Center (EDC), and the Emory Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Applications outside these fields are also strongly encouraged.

* Racial Equity 2030 (Lever for Change & Kellogg Foundation) – Due January 28

This $90 million challenge seeks ideas from anywhere in the world and will scale them over the next decade to transform the systems and institutions that uphold inequity. Solutions may tackle the social, economic, political or institutional inequities we see today. Teams of visionaries, change agents and community leaders from every sector are invited to join. An Informational Meeting via Zoom is December 21 at 1:00PM.

Drug Development Collaboratory (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) – Due February 9

The purpose of this FOA is to support intramural-extramural collaborations on late-stage translational science projects between NCATS Therapeutic Development Branch (TDB) and extramural researchers, for therapeutic development of small molecules, biologics, or gene therapies.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) Innovation in Regulatory Science Awards – Due February 12

Supports academic researchers developing new methodologies or innovative approaches in regulatory science that will ultimately inform the regulatory decisions FDA and others make. The foundation strongly encourages investigators to address regulatory science in areas of the FDA’s strategic priorities including product manufacturing & quality, and food safety & applied nutrition.

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Visual Proteomics Imaging – Due February 17

Seeks to support 2.5-year challenge grants in the field of visual proteomics. The ability to view protein molecules in cells and monitor changes in their structure, quantity, distribution, and interactions is key to understanding what causes diseases and finding treatments and cures. This grant program will advance technology development for the field of visual proteomics and aim to obtain near-atomic resolution readouts inside the cell. Opportunity is explicitly aimed at technology development. It is not intended to support question-driven basic or translational research, clinical trials, or drug development.

* Cures Within Reach: Clinical Repurposing Research to Impact Veterans – Due February 26

This RFP is seeking repurposed treatments to address unmet and high priority medical needs of veterans, including mental health, PTSD and brain injuries, with up to $50,000 in funding for a repurposing clinical trial. We are interested in generic or proprietary drugs, devices, nutraceuticals or diagnostics that could be repurposed to create "new" treatments.

* New Chemistries for Un-drugged Targets through A Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration (ASPIRE) Collaborative Research Program (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) – Due July 8

This FOA aims to promote partnerships between NCATS intramural investigators (e.g., those conducting research within the labs and clinics of NCATS) and extramural investigators (e.g., those conducting research in labs and clinics outside of the NIH). Specifically, The FOA will provide support for extramural investigators to take advantage of the unique research opportunities available at the NCATS ASPIRE Laboratory within the NCATS Division of Pre-clinical Innovation, and develop innovative ASPIRE modules that will facilitate identification of novel chemical entities targeted towards currently undrugged biological space.

* Virtual Approaches Towards New Chemistries for Un-drugged Targets through A Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration (ASPIRE) Collaborative Research Program (U18 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) – Due July 8

This FOA will support intramural - extramural collaborations to develop virtual modules that will enhance the platform’s capabilities. The anticipated outcome includes identification, design, synthesis, and validation of new chemical entities as starting points for drug development of novel targets, and the expansion of chemical space available for drug screening.

Education

Winship K12 Clinical Oncology Career Development Training Program – LOI Due January 4

Selected scholars will have full-time appointments and will receive 75% protected time for research, formal mentored training in clinical cancer research, up to $100,000 per year (up to two years) to support salary and benefits, and up to $30,000 per year (up to two years) for other research/training related expenses. Potential applicants must first submit the K12 LOI. To support excellence and diversity among applicants and awardees, proposals are encouraged from groups identified as nationally underrepresented in the sciences including women, members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

ADRC Research Education Component RFA – Due January 11

The REC mission is to support a select group of trainees and junior faculty who are interested in developing greater experience in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia (ADRD) research, through enhanced mentoring and curricular activities. REC participants will have the opportunity to enhance their career interests in AD/ADRD research through tailored support from our REC faculty through mentorship, lectureship, and hands-on trainings.

NCATS/FDA Translational Science Interagency Fellowship – Due January 15

The Translational Science Interagency Fellowship (TSIF) is a new postdoctoral fellowship opportunity developed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Fellows will be jointly mentored by NCATS and FDA scientists on a research project of mutual interest to both organizations. Fellows in this program will develop skills of value to future careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry and government.

Phlebotomy 101 Introduction to Venipuncture – January 28 & 29

Phlebotomy 101 is a two-day classroom and clinical, hands-on training to venipuncture offered through the Georgia CTSA Clinical Research Centers (GCRCs). The course is offered bi-monthly to research coordinators from Emory, MSM and UGA.

Georgia CTSA TL1 (T32-like) Training Grant Clinical & Translational Research Training - Predoc Due February 15, Postdoc Due March 15

The TL1 program is focused on providing innovative didactic and mentored research training to individuals interested in careers that encompass clinical and/or translational research. The TL1 program supports predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees (medical and PhD students, resident and fellow physicians, PhD postdocs, and PharmD residents).

Georgia CTSA KL2-Mentored Clinical and Translational Research Scholars Program – Due March 1

The goal of the KL2 Scholars program is to support and enhance career development for junior faculty (MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or PharmD) committed to a career in clinical and/or translational research. The Georgia CTSA is committed to assisting junior faculty at partner institutions to become independent, established, and ethical clinical and/or translational research investigators.

Emory BIRCWH Program – Due March 1

The Emory BIRCWH program, short for Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health, is a highly selective career development program for junior faculty interested in women's health research and/or sex/gender science. The ultimate goal of the BIRCWH program is to train junior faculty, through a mentored research and career development experience, to become independent investigators who use novel, interdisciplinary approaches to advance the science of women’s health and sex/gender research. Communicable disease research is one area of focus for the Emory BIRCWH program.

Artificial Intelligence & Bioethics Spring 2021 Course

Calling all graduate students and working professionals! This course will offer a broad overview of ethical challenges presented by contemporary AI technologies by Professor John D. Banja. Topics include algorithmic construction, using data for the public good, data privacy, algorithmic accuracy and bias, re-identification of data referents, sharing and selling data, autonomous vehicles, integrity of the data user chain and regulatory concerns, AI moral status, the future of employment, cyberhacking and ransomware, and cyberwar/dystopian futures.

Free Online Trainings for Clinical Research Professionals

Georgia CTSA and the University of Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) have created a new Online Course Catalog with free course and program offerings available to clinical research professionals. Participants earn a certificate or badge with contact hours (continuing education – CE) from an accredited provider upon completion of a course or a program (series of courses). Contact hours can be used to meet requirements for CRP certification renewal. The newest program, “Quality by Design in Clinical Trial”, is now available online.

Harvard Catalyst Survey

The Postgraduate Education team at Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University’s Clinical & Translational Science Center, is conducting a survey to deepen our understanding of the research community and its educational needs. We hope to better reflect and celebrate diversity, in all of its forms, by connecting with you. Your response will inform future outreach, identify barriers to access, and assist with initiatives currently in development.

Research Resources

N3C - COVID-19 Analytics Platform Now Open

Researchers studying COVID-19 now are able to access an innovative new analytics platform that contains clinical data from the electronic health records of people who were tested for the novel coronavirus or who have had related symptoms. Part of the NCATS National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Data Enclave, the centralized and secure data platform features powerful analytics capabilities for online discovery, visualization and collaboration.

All of Us Researcher Workbench Database

The All of Us Research Program at Emory University is excited to announce the launch of the Researcher Workbench Database – a cloud-based platform enabling researchers to execute rapid, hypothesis-driven research on one of the largest and most diverse biomedical datasets of its kind. Researchers may visit the login page to create an account and use their Emory University email account to register.

AI, Radiology and Ethics: A Podcast Series

The most recent generation of artificial intelligence technologies are introducing a host of ethical problems to radiology practice and health care delivery. Join Dr. John Banja, a medical ethicist at Emory University’s Center for Ethics, as he and his guests discuss the ethical challenges that artificial intelligence presents.

Georgia CTSA Ethical Dilemma of the Week

Data Representation: An Instance of Data Manipulation (PDF)

Innovation & Translation

Bench2Market Talks: Intellectual Property Strategy – January 22

Join us at 11:30 AM to learn the fundamentals any scientist or engineer needs to know about intellectual property. Speaker, James Rains, Director of Practice at Georgia Tech, helps attendees demystify the world of patents by explaining the meaning of patentability, freedom to operate, prior art, and discussing patent strategies.

Community

Participants Needed for COVID-19 Vaccine and Therapeutic Trials

Adults 18 and older, from all races and ethnicities, are needed to participate in COVID-19 trials. Please spread the word to help recruit minorities, especially for vaccine trials.

Events

Blue Sky Group: Recruiting Subjects for Human Trials – January 7

Join researchers and clinicians from across the Georgia CTSA for a session on “How to Recruit Subjects into Human Trials: Recruiting, Enrolling and Conducting Research Virtually” via Zoom from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Share your experience, learn from others, enjoy opportunities for interdisciplinary networking and find potential collaborators!

Blue Sky Group: COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Complications – January 13

Join researchers and clinicians from across the Georgia CTSA for a session on COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Complications via Zoom from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM. Share your experience, learn from others, enjoy opportunities for interdisciplinary networking and find potential collaborators!

Team Science Skill Workshop: Developing Trust and Psychological Safety – January 15

Join Georgia CTSA via Zoom from 12:00 PM -1:30 PM with Associate Professor Jessica L. Wildman, PhD from Florida Institute of Technology. At the end of this session, participants will be able to define trust and psychological safety as they apply within work teams, identify examples of common behaviors that build trust, break trust, and restore trust in work teams. Also, develop strategies to build and maintain trust over time in work teams.

COVID FORCE Seminar Series – January 15

Join us via Zoom from 1:00 PM – 12:00 PM to learn more about “COVID-19 Vaccines - How Did We Get Here, Where Are We, and Where Are We Going?” from Professor Evan Anderson, MD.

Qualitative Data Analysis Online Workshop - January 19-23

This online workshop integrates principles with skills for conducting rigorous qualitative data analysis. Synchronous sessions are conducted in real time over Zoom and held at 1pm-4pm EST each day and involve participation in skill building activities, interactive discussions and hands-on software sessions. The price of this QUAL-WORKS course is $750.

Mentored Qualitative Analysis Workshop - January 27

This online mentored session is conducted via Zoom with instructors from 1 PM- 4 PM. It enables you to bring your own project or data and receive expert individual mentoring on qualitative data analysis specific to your project. Prerequisite: participation in a previous QUAL-WORKS Qualitative Data Analysis workshop. The price of this course is $200.

CEP Research Symposium – January 29

Join us via Zoom from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM! The goal of the symposium is for researchers, stakeholders, staff, members, care partners and community members to share and discuss research aimed at empowering people living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We will take stock, move forward, encourage collaboration, and synergize the center's progress.

Team Science Skill Series: Leading Teams – February 19

Join Assistant Professor Julie Dinh, PhD from Baruch College for an interactive workshop via Zoom from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. At the end of this session, participants will be able to define leadership and its structures within work teams, identify common behaviors that develop and inhibit effective leadership within teams, and develop strategies to maintain leadership in current work environments, including within virtual settings.

Southeast Regional Clinical and Translational Conference - March 4 - 5

Hosted by the Georgia CTSA, mark your calendar and plan to virtually join us in 2021 as we bring together researchers from across the region to present the best new clinical and translational research and build collaborative partnerships. We’re excited to announce that Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH, Boston University, and Cato T. Laurencin, MD, PhD, University of Connecticut, will be our Keynote Speakers.

HIV & Aging: Mitochondria to the Metropolis - Population Determinants of Health – April 14 -16

This multidisciplinary conference will provide a venue for all attendees to build scientific partnership and contribute useful knowledge to the quality of care and life of persons aging with HIV. Abstracts due January 15.