In this edition:

Feature

Southeast Clinical and Translational Science Conference – March 4-5

Don't Miss Poster Sessions on March 4, 10:30-11:35 & March 5, 10:15-11:20

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. Register today!

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).

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.

Need Funding for Your Biomed Idea? – Meet with Biolocity by February 19

Biolocity provides a combination of funding, project management, and consulting resources to early-stage technologies that address an unmet clinical need and have compelling commercial potential. This includes innovations within any clinical discipline with the ability to impact patient health. Each funding cycle, over $1.5 million in funding and commercialization support is available for distribution. Technology development support is provided through project management, strategy and business planning, marketing, regulatory, and reimbursement consulting. There is no funding limit per project, however budgets are based on commercialization milestones identified as the most critical next step for development during the application process.

Imlay Innovation Fund RFP – Due February 19

The Imlay Innovation Fund is intended solely to support collaborative activities and pediatric innovation and discovery efforts between Georgia Tech and Children’s, focusing on practical steps that will lead to clinical impact as well as potential commercial opportunities. Two types of projects are eligible for funding: Quick Wins and Innovation Investment. Proposals should focus on solving a problem that will impact care delivery and/or has the potential to positively impact child health.

Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) – LOI Due February 26

The purpose of this FOA is to enhance the capability of NCATS CTSA Program KL2 scholars and recipients of diversity and re-entry supplements supported by the CTSA Program to conduct research as they complete the transition to fully independent academic translational scientists. These R03 grants will support different clinical and translational science research projects, including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary data analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology.

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.

SYNERGY II Nexus Call for Proposals – Due February 28

Emory’s Provost’s Office, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, SOM, and College of Arts and Sciences announce the 2021 cycle of “Synergy II Nexus” Awards. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the ability of many scholars to engage fully in their research. This year’s funding RFA is focused specifically on collaborative, multiple investigator initiated projects (1) that involve 2 principal (lead) independent scholars with at least one from a WHSC unit and one from ECAS, GBS, Law, Candler or Oxford, and (2) at least one of the two principal leads is at an early career stage (Assistant Professor, regardless of track).

Emory SOM I3 (Imagine, Innovate and Impact) Nexus Awards – LOI Due March 8

The Emory SOM Imagine, Innovate and Impact (I3) Nexus Awards are soliciting proposals to develop new interdisciplinary research projects that have the potential to impact health or generate biomedical knowledge. The I3 Nexus Research Awards will provide seed money to fundamental biological and translational investigators for obtaining sufficient data to ultimately develop external collaborative funding applications, and to investigators who may not otherwise engage in multi- and interdisciplinary research. These awards require interdisciplinary team collaboration, with at least one collaborator outside of the home department/division (within the Emory SOM) who brings a different discipline, expertise, or methodology to the project.

Basket Clinical Trials of Drugs Targeting Shared Molecular Etiologies in Multiple Rare Diseases (U44 Clinical Trial Required) – LOI Due March 13

The purpose of this FOA is to support basket clinical trials of drugs targeting shared molecular etiologies in more than one rare disease. To facilitate clinical trial start up, and leverage existing datasets, preference will be given to applications focusing on diseases that are under study by the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), and that involve collaborations with RDCRN clinical investigators.

Multi-disciplinary Machine-assisted, Genomic Analysis and Clinical Approaches to Shortening the Rare Diseases Diagnostic Odyssey (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) – LOI Due March 19

This FOA invites researchers to submit applications for multi-disciplinary diagnostic strategies for rare diseases that combine machine-assistance, genomic analysis, and clinical consultation. Of particular importance, these strategies must be able to be adopted and performed at the primary or secondary care levels by front-line healthcare providers and be readily integrated into their clinical care workflow.

* Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Pediatric Networks for the Human Cell Atlas – LOI Due March 30

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invites applications for three-year collaborative projects for the generation of healthy, single-cell reference data from pediatric tissue samples for the Human Cell Atlas (HCA). The Pediatric Networks should collectively generate new tools, open source analysis methods, and data from a diversity of donors and organs that provide valuable contributions to the HCA community.

Georgia CTSA Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Research Design Grants – Due March 31

Georgia CTSA’s Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Research Design (BERD) program is soliciting proposals to support novel methodological research in biostatistics, epidemiology, or health services research and related areas to advance clinical and translational research (CTR). Review criteria include quantitative methodological research to fill gaps in CTR, innovation, feasibility, and plans for dissemination and translation of results. Awardees are encouraged to disseminate any software developed in their research to relevant publicly available software repositories. Full-time faculty from Emory, Georgia Tech, Morehouse School of Medicine, and UGA may submit proposals. New investigators are encouraged to apply; meritorious applications from new investigators will be prioritized for funding. Two awards up to $20,000 will be awarded.

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

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.

Phlebotomy 101 Introduction to Venipuncture – March 25 & 26

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.

National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) Research Study Cohort 3 – March 25 – 26

NRMN SETH will be offering Grant Writing Coaching and Mock Study Section for Junior Faculty, and Early-Stage Investigators who are actively writing NIH style research proposals. The randomized controlled study is specifically designed to meet the needs of diverse investigators at RCMI, CTSA, IDeA and other NIH funded emerging research institutions committed to workforce diversity. Early-Stage Investigators will learn grant writing techniques developed at Northwestern University while working in small coaching groups with up to 5-6 study participants and 1 coach.

Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program

The BMSF DCTCDP is a 2-year program designed to support the career development of early-stage investigator (as defined by NIH) physicians underrepresented in medicine, or physicians who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research, to become independent clinical trial investigators who are engaged in advancing health equity through their research and mentoring. The DCTCDP provides an award for salary support to protect time for all program-related activities. The application is a two-step process, beginning with a Letter of Intent (LOI). The application portal is open now and will close on July 2.

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.

Georgia CTSA Ethical Dilemma of the Week

Drug Trials: Expediting Approval (PDF)

Innovation & Translation

Bench2Market Talks: Curious about FDA Strategy? – Feb 17

Join our February webinar from 11:30 - 12:30 led by Richard DiMonda who will discuss differing regulatory pathways based on technology type and classification, variables in cost and timeline, and what they mean to you and your technology. This talk is part of the Bench2Market series covering commercialization topics important to university innovators co-sponsored by the Georgia CTSA and Biolocity.

Community

COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A with Dr. Aneesh Mehta

Matt Ryan, quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, speaks with Emory infectious disease expert Dr. Aneesh Mehta on COVID-19 vaccination safety and efficacy. This video provides helpful and factual information for viewers looking to protect themselves and their families.

Georgia CTSA Community Engagement Forum – April 1–2 (Abstracts Due: February 15)

We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to share your research and/or program or policy experiences related to academic and community partnerships. The Georgia CTSA Community Engagement program is an inter-institutional collaboration focused on accelerating the translation of science and research discoveries to application at the community level towards advancing population health. Professionals, students, and community members who would like to share research, policy work, or programs that address health or healthcare in Georgia are encouraged to submit an abstract by February 15.

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

CEP Research Symposium – TODAY

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.

AiR Webinar – February 2

Join AiR (Advances in Research) via Zoom from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM to learn more about “Using single cell transcriptome analysis to identify differences and similarities in tumor microenvironment at diagnosis in MPAL and AML” with Research Scientist Beena Thomas, PhD and “Analysis of the T-ALL transcriptional landscape at single cell resolution" with Assistant Professor Swati Bhasin, PhD.

Implementation Science, Health Equity, and Diabetes Prevention: Lessons from the Caribbean – February 3

Join us via Zoom at 4:00 PM with Emory SOM Assistant Professor Saria Hassan, MD to learn more about “Implementation Science, Health Equity, and Diabetes Prevention: Lessons from the Caribbean.”

NIMHD Director’s Seminar Series – February 4

Join Dr. L. Ebony Boulware from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM for her presentation, “Where the Cloud Meets the Ground: Democratizing Health Data to Improve Community Health Equity.” Review challenges in translating research and health learnings into community health improvements, describe efforts to inform community health equity through data democratization efforts, and consider next steps in research.

CORPH Seminar – February 5

Join CORPH (Clinical Outcomes Research & Public Health) via Zoom from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM to learn more about “Elevating the Impact of Pediatric Research Through Effective Statistical Collaboration” with Research Assistant Professor Shasha Bai, PhD.

K-Club: Using Graphics to Enhance Grant Proposals – February 8

Join John Adamson, Managing Director and Dr. Bryan Debusk, Senior Grants Consultant at Hanover Research to learn more about “Using Graphics to Enhance Grant Proposals” from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM via Zoom.

Emory SOM FAALI Lecture Series: Pandemic Disruption of the Healthcare Business – February 11

Join us via Zoom from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM to learn more about Pandemic Disruption of the Healthcare Business with Dr. Bryce Gartland.

Emory SOM FAALI Lecture Series: Time Management and Improving Efficiency – February 16

Join us via Zoom from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM to learn more about Time Management and Improving Efficiency with Professor Andi Shane MD, MPH, MSc, and Professor Marianne Celano, PhD, ABPP.

Smart and Connected Soft Bioelectronics for Advancing Human Healthcare – February 17

Join Assistant Professor W. Hong Yeo, PhD at 8:00 AM via Zoom to learn more about “Smart and Connected Soft Bioelectronics for Advancing Human Healthcare.” Webinar is part of the Jay E. Berkelhamer, M.D., Pediatric Research Grand Rounds.

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 Science 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.

International GMP Conference – March 8 – 11

The International Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Conference was established in conjunction with the FDA in 1976 to create an annual ongoing dialogue between regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry on important issues in drug compliance and quality. Attendees will leave the conference with valuable information and ideas that will facilitate the production of safe, high quality drugs for consumers.

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.

7th Annual Health Services Research Day – May 5 (Abstracts Due: March 8)

Health Services Research Day is going virtual! Join us for this symposium and networking opportunity where researchers across Georgia will learn about ongoing quality, effectiveness, and value-based research activities. Oral and poster presentations will be selected from submitted abstracts.

Southeastern Pediatric Research Conference – June 11 (Abstracts Due: March 1)