• Open Faculty Research, Travel, and Computing (FRTC) competition

• BioRender and Paperpile licenses available to BioSci affiliates

• In-house proposal editing services for BioSci researchers

• Upcoming NIH webinars on program funding and human subjects research

• New NIH and NSF funding opportunities

Reminder: Faculty Research, Travel, and Computing (FRTC) Competition

BioSci is accepting applications for FY 2022–2023 FRTC funding. Faculty who have a primary appointment in BioSci can submit proposals requesting support for research, travel, and computer hardware or software. Apply here by the deadline on Friday, December 16, 2022 at 5 PM PT. Full competition details are available on the application page. We expect awards to be announced in January 2023.

BioRender Program License Available

BioRender is a web-based program that helps you create scientific figures up to 50x faster than traditional tools. The tool combines a library of over 50,000 scientifically accurate, expert-validated life science icons and templates for creating publication-quality figures in minutes — no drawing skills required! If you’re interested in joining BioSci’s license, please contact Matthew Martinez.

Paperpile Reference Manager Available

BioSci has purchased a license for Paperpile, a reference manager for Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Faculty, staff, and students can use Paperpile using the instructions below:

1. To get started, please go to https://paperpile.com/pricing/ in Google Chrome. (Note: you must use a Chrome-based browser for this step.) If you already use PaperPile, you can start with Step 6.

2. Click Start Free Trial and click Sign In With Google. Sign in to Google with your UCI email or another Google account.

3. Follow the prompts to allow access and install Paperpile Chrome Extension.

4. If prompted for permissions, allow access.

5. If you used a non-UCI google account, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, you should be all set.

6. After creating a trial account and installing Paperpile, go to your email address in the top right corner, and click Settings > Account.

7. Click on Activate Site License, and enter your UCI email. 

8. Click the activation link you receive in your email to activate your UCI site license.

In-House Proposal Editing Services

Having your grant proposal copy edited and proofread are key parts of the proposal development process. Copy editing ensures that (1) your ideas are presented clearly, logically, and persuasively (2) your subsections and paragraphs are organized effectively and have flow, and (3) your content is responsive to the solicitation. Proofreading ensures that your writing is free from typographical and grammatical errors. Effectively communicating the value of your research and ensuring the readability of your documents will make your proposals more competitive.

BioSci faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and other researchers can reach out to the Research Development team to request free, in-house assistance with copy editing and proofreading. For additional support, sometimes necessary with larger proposals, we can facilitate working with the editorial director in the Office of Research.

December

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Seminar Series

Barbara Nikolajczyk; Professor; Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences and Associate Director for Translational Research in Diabetes; Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center; University of Kentucky

1114 Natural Sciences I

February

Annual NIH Virtual Seminar

Join the National Institutes of Health for a free and virtual series of events on NIH grant topics and policies, designed for researchers, administrators, and others in the research community.

Register and learn more here.

NIH Free 2-Day Virtual Event on Human Subjects Research Policies, Inclusion, & Clinical Trials

• What are the basic HHS regulations and NIH policies that apply to research involving human subjects, including clinical trials?
• How do you prepare a research application or proposal for review that addresses the regulatory requirements?
• What are some strategies for developing realistic and scientifically acceptable inclusion plans?

NSF Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates in Biological Sciences (RaMP)

The Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates (RaMP) in Biological Sciences program invites the submission of proposals to establish networks to support full-time research, mentoring, and training for recent college graduates who have had few or no research or training opportunities during college in research fields typically supported by the Directorate of Biological Sciences (BIO). Projects are expected to train individuals for a range of potential career pathways in the biological sciences including: research-focused M.S. or Ph.D. graduate programs; entry-level positions in industry, federal, tribal, or state agencies, education and research centers, or not-for-profit science-based organizations; or other STEM careers.

Individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM, first generation college students, and students at under-resourced institutions frequently have limited opportunities to participate in the undergraduate research experiences that are necessary to be competitive for graduate programs or other STEM career pathways. This program will provide postbaccalaureate research experiences for cohorts of trainees, either in ongoing research programs, existing research networks, or in new research projects designed specifically for the RaMP networks.

Proposals will use a network structure that generates a supportive and strong collaborative mentoring environment centered around a cohesive biological research theme. The networks are expected to include diverse organizations and can be regional, national, or have an international component. The network will facilitate the recruitment and selection of postbaccalaureate research participants (hereafter, mentees) and mentors. Projects must provide inclusive and culturally-aware training to mentors in addition to providing professional development opportunities for all network members, including mentees, mentors, co-mentors, and other STEM professionals. Networks are expected to involve and facilitate communication and training among mentors and mentees from different organizations, institutions, and/or departments. Proposals submitted under this solicitation should focus on research-based inquiry projects that include analytical and technical training and professional development opportunities.

Deadlines: February 16, 2023; January 18, 2024; Third Thursday in January, Annually Thereafter

Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

This Trailblazer Award is an opportunity for NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators to pursue research programs that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with the life and/or biomedical sciences. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high risk-high impact, and may be technology design-directed, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven. Importantly, applicants must propose research approaches for which there are minimal or no preliminary data.

A distinct feature for this FOA is that no preliminary data are required, expected, or encouraged. However, if available, minimal preliminary data are allowed. Preliminary data are defined as material which the applicant has independently produced and not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal. All preliminary data should be clearly marked and limited to one-half page, which may include one figure. Applications including data more than one-half page or more than one figure will be considered noncompliant with the FOA instructions and will not go forward to review.

Next deadline: February 16, 2023

NIH NOSI: Administrative Supplements to Recognize Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Mentorship

NIH invites applications to support administrative supplements to existing NIH awards to support scientists who have demonstrated compelling commitments and contributions to mentorship and enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the biomedical sciences. Funds will support ongoing and future efforts.

Excellent mentorship and superior training are critical to developing exceptional future scientists and building a diverse scientific workforce in the U.S. However, these efforts may not always be appropriately recognized or well compensated. As such, the intent of this NOSI is to reach those individuals with limited NIH support.

Mentoring can be defined as “a professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners through the provision of career and psychosocial support” (NASEM, 2019). Mentorship provides psychosocial and career support, self-efficacy, and science identity; it is also culturally responsive (NASEM, 2019).

Please read the NOSI for more details, including eligibility requirements and submission information.

Deadline: February 17, 2023; June 16, 2023; October 16, 2023; etc.

Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)

This FOA invites grant applications for Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC). As intellectual hubs for environmental health science research, the EHSCC is expected to be the thought leaders for the field and advance the goals of the NIEHS Strategic Plan (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/strategicplan/). The Core Centers provide critical research infrastructure, shared facilities, services and/or resources, to groups of investigators conducting environmental health sciences research. An EHSCC enables researchers to conduct their independently-funded individual and/or collaborative research projects more efficiently and/or more effectively. The overall goal of an EHSCC is to identify and capitalize on emerging issues that advance understanding of the relationships among environmental exposures, human biology, and disease. The EHSCC supports community engagement and translational research as key approaches to improving public health.

Next deadlines: April 19, 2023; April 19, 2024

Help us to generate information for the Research Bulletin.

Submit details about seminars and other research-related events on campus here. 

Submit funding opportunity announcements here.

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If you’re a faculty member, postdoc, graduate student, or other researcher in the School of Biological Sciences and would like help with a grant submission, please email bio-research@uci.edu.

To let the Pre-Award team know of your planned proposal submission, please fill out this form at least four weeks before the deadline.