Research Affairs: Researcher's Alert for June 12, 2013

Funding Opportunities

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:09:17 -0700

Looking for Funding Opportunities? Check out the revised New Funding Opportunities page. It is updated regularly with opportunities from the American Heart Association, Department of Defense (DOD) office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Another resource for searching for funding opportunities is SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network), which has more than 40,000 opportunities from more than 10,000 global sponsors. To access this system, log into LLeRA (https://era.llu.edu/) and click on the ‘Find Funding’ at the top of the page. Links to training videos for how to use the system are in the upper right corner of the SPIN page.

And now, moving forward . . .

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. -- Zora Neale Hurston

NIH proposals will transition to new forms in September

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:08:14 -0700

NIH will be transitioning to updated electronic application forms packages. These packages, identified with a Competition ID of FORMS-C, will be required for all applications with due dates on or after September 25, 2013 with the following exceptions:

Individual Research Career Development Award Programs (Ks), Institutional Training and Career Development Programs (Ts and Ds) and Individual National Research Service Awards (Fs) applicants will be required to use FORMS-C packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2014.

Small Business programs (SBIR/STTR) applicants will transition to FORMS-C packages later in 2014, when we can combine these form changes with anticipated form changes relating to the Small Business Authorization Act.

Details of the form changes are documented at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/files/FORMS-C_Changes.pdf.

Full details can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-13-074.html

IRB tips for researchers engaged in international research

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:05:54 -0700

As the academic year comes to a close, a number of students and faculty develop plans for travel and research abroad. We advise investigators to keep in mind some of the additional steps that factor into IRB approval of international research:

Investigators must provide the LLU IRB with some form of documentation that their planned research meets local ethical standards and will protect human subjects. Having a letter that addresses local/cultural sensitivities from an independent representative from a local university, non-governmental organization, or other appropriate institution indicates that the study design meets such standards.
In some instances (such as research in smaller tribal communities), investigators should provide the IRB with an explanation of how they will be invited into the community.
Propose any necessary changes to the consent document and/or process to be culturally appropriate.
When necessary, allow for extra time in getting translations for informed consent.

Fact sheet: Impact of Sequestration on NIH

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 10:36:14 -0700

The NIH has released an informative fact sheet on how the sequestration will impact its FY13 operating plans and the effect this will have on medical research and the scientific workforce. The sequestration requires NIH to cut 5 percent or $1.55 billion of its fiscal year 2013 budget evenly across all programs, projects, and activities. The immediate impact will be an NIH-wide average reduction of 4.7 percent to existing proposals and approximately 700 fewer competitive research project grants awarded. The complete fact sheet, along with the FY2013 operating plan, fiscal policy for grant awards, and funding strategy links, is available at http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jun2013/nih-03.htm.