August 18, 2020 Research Bulletin

Dear Research Community Colleagues, 

As the summer of 2020 comes to a close, we continue to carefully monitor COVID-19 and the impact on our research programs. With your help and support, we continue to ramp up clinical and community-based research and review best practices for laboratory research in this environment. 

On a special note, I wish to congratulate and recognize Thomas Campbell, MD as the newly appointed UCHealth/University of Colorado Chief Clinical Research Officer and Associate Dean of Adult Health Research. Dr. Campbell is a respected and internationally recognized research leader and we are fortunate to have in this role. 

Please join us in welcoming Tom to this key research leadership role for UCHealth and the CU School of Medicine. 

Sincerely, 

Thomas Flaig, MD
Vice Chancellor for Research

Featured Funding Opportunities

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institutes (PCORI)

About PCORI

PCORI was created as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The agency is charged with providing a better understanding of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options for patients, their caregivers, health care providers, and other stakeholders. This charge is met through 1) research, 2) an emphasis on research methodology, and 3) efforts to encourage other funding agencies to incorporate patient-centered research methods.

What's new at DARPA?

Phased Large Awards in Comparative Effectiveness Research (PLACER)

Deadlines

LOI: September 29 at 5 pm ET
Full application: January 12, 2021

Additional August 2020 featured funding opportunities

Collaborative Research Opportunities

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

What's new at NCI?

Notice of intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network (U19 Clinical Trial Required)

Interested in collaborative research?  Do you have a collaborative research funding opportunity you would like to announce or are you searching for a collaborator on a specific proposal?   

Collaborations between research groups are growing, and the collaborating groups can be across the hall, University of Colorado campuses, the country, or the globe. Scholars or groups in different fields work together on interdisciplinary projects. 

The OVCR wants to offer this space on a bi-weekly basis for promotion of collaborative research funding opportunities (internal and external funding) and solicitations for prospective interdisciplinary collaborators for proposed funding applications.   

Send inquires to ResearchAdminComm@CUAnschutz.edu

NIH Funding Announcements

Junior Faculty Funding & Review Opportunities

The K to R program is a pre-submission mock grant review process for faculty who are submitting their first R-level application. This CCTSI program provides the opportunity for anyone to submit their R-type grant proposals for internal review prior to submission to the NIH or other funding agency. Participants of this program will receive insight into the grant review process and help to improve the science and format of their applications thereby increasing their chances for success. The process requires internal submission of planned R application, or equivalent, approximately 6 weeks in advance of NIH deadlines. Core reviewers will then discuss the applications and provide verbal, as well as, written feedback for incorporation into the final proposal. Both the proposed PI and his or her mentor(s) are required to attend the mock study section where the grants are discussed. Specialty content reviewers will also participate in study sections on an "ad hoc" basis. 

Who is eligible?
Participants must be planning to submit an R type application or equivalent. Acceptable grant types include RO1, RO3, R21, VA Merit, subspecialty type research applications (e.g. ADA, AHA, JDF, ATA). Candidates must also have a faculty appointment at a CCTSI affiliated institution.   

LOI Due: August 21
Application Due: September 4
In-Person Grant Review: September 18 (1-4pm)
NIH Deadline: October 5 

For more information, please contact KTR Program Director: Maggie Wierman, MD 

For uploading/format issues contact: Galit Mankin

Paul Calabresi Award for Clinical Oncology Research (PCACOR) Scholars University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC) K12 Award

Deadline: August 21 

Earliest Start Date: September 1 

Program Plan and Goals
The purpose of this PCACOR is to prepare highly qualified cancer clinical researchers called Paul Calabresi Clinical Oncology Research Scholars (Scholars) who can independently design, manage, and complete cancer clinical trials.  Scholars learn to communicate and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams of clinical and basic/behavioral research scientists to test rational hypotheses and manage all phases of cancer clinical trials using state-of-the-art laboratory analyses to personalize cancer treatment.  This K12 is led by Madeleine Kane, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, and Virginia Borges, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology. 

Eligible Scholars are clinical oncologists (MD, DO, PhD, RN, PharmD, or equivalent) who have completed their clinical training, and PhD’s in a scientific discipline who are pursuing translational human-oriented cancer research and who have completed at least two years of postdoctoral training.  The level of faculty appointment is determined by CU Denver | Anschutz Human Resources policy.  Strategies for recruitment of candidates for this PCACOR program (leading into its 18th year of funding) focus on junior faculty in oncology disciplines who have already received appointments at CU Denver | Anschutz. Expansion of the program pool to include senior fellows in clinical disciplines, as well as basic scientists, has permitted expansion of recruitment efforts, but awards are made when Scholars begin their junior faculty status. 

Application: 

1. Face page 
2. Detailed Curriculum vitae (not Biosketch) including training history, awards, bibliography, presentations, clinical trials, teaching experience
3. A detailed personal statement (maximum two pages) demonstrating a commitment to a career in clinical oncology research, personal strengths that will ensure success, a discussion of the steps needed to successfully pursue this career, examples of projects and/or the applicant's area of interest, a statement of why the individual should be chosen for the program
4. Previous Research Experience checklist 
5. Three letters of reference sent directly to the Program leader, including a letter of commitment from the applicant’s Chair or Division Head

Questions: Please direct your questions to Paige Diller

The ADEAR Training Program is now accepting applications for post-doctoral training in HIV/AIDS-related research for the 2020-21 academic year.  This integrative program provides multidisciplinary training in basic, translational and clinical science in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) research. 

Postdoctoral scientist will receive training under the direction of a broadly based group of faculty at the University of Colorado campuses in Aurora, Boulder and Denver, Colorado State University and Denver University. 

The training program faculty are experienced mentors and actively engaged in research related to the discovery and evaluation of new antiretroviral drugs or the application of existing antiretrovirals for the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS.  Information about the participating institutions can be found by contacting Kelly.Rico@CUAnschutz.edu 

Trainees receive salary and benefits support according to NIH guidelines, travel funds, and funds to pay for training-related coursework. Support is typically provided for two years, contingent on progress in the first year. One additional year of support can be requested at the end of year two. Award of a third year of support is contingent on approval of the Training Program Steering Committee. 

All applicants must: 

• Hold a terminal degree in their field (e.g., DDS, DO, DNP, DVM, MD, PharmD and/or PhD)   
• Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident “Green Card” holder
• Be committed to a career as an investigator in HIV-related research
• Be able to devote full-time effort to the training program during the period of support.
• The applicant’s mentor has to be a full-time faculty at one of the above mentioned institutions and hold an R01 or equivalent funding during the training period.   

General instructions, criteria, and selection process: 

• Please refer to the NIH web site for specific Institutional NRSA (T32) details and requirements. All candidates must agree to applicable payback stipulations in the T32 regulations.
• All candidates should have completed their terminal degree by the start of T32 support, have not received independent funding, and have a proposed mentored research project related to the discovery and evaluation of new antiretroviral drugs or the application of existing antiretrovirals for the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
• All recipients will be encouraged to submit at least one additional grant during the funding cycle.
• All candidates doing human subject research are required to have passed the NIH required human subjects training and test (CITI Basic), and have approval from the IRB and CTRC (if appropriate) before initiating the research.
• All candidates are expected to include appropriate (recently revised) training in responsible conduct of research per NIH Grants Policy Statement (see below).
• Co-mentoring between senior and junior level faculty is encouraged.
• Underrepresented minority, disabled, or disadvantaged candidates are especially encouraged to apply. All proposals should relate to the high priority topics for HIV/AIDS research

Application Instructions: 

Applications, which include the following documents, must be submitted electronically through the program website linked below by Tuesday, September 22, 2020. Please contact Kelly Rico, ADEAR Program Administrator with any questions.     

The awards will be announced in October 2020. 

Just Announced

Notice of Changes to Funding Opportunities from the NIH

• Notice of Modifications of PA-18-842 "Administrative Supplements to Support Cancer Disparity Collaborative Research"

Specific COVID Related Funding

• RFA-OD-20-014: “Automatic Detection and Tracing of SARs-CoV-2”. This RFA supports proof-of-concept research on automatic, real-time detection and tracing of SARS-COV-2 by integrating aptamers or other virus-sensing elements with digital devices. 
• RFA-OD-20-021: Emergency Awards RADx-RAD: Novel Biosensing for Screening, Diagnosis and Monitoring of COVID-19 From Skin and The Oral Cavity (Fast-Track STTR Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-019: Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Data Coordination Center (DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-020: Emergency Awards RADx-RAD: Novel Biosensing for Screening, Diagnosis and Monitoring of COVID-19 From Skin and The Oral Cavity (Direct to Phase II SBIR Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-017: Emergency Awards RADx-RAD: Screening for COVID-19 by Electronic-Nose Technology (SCENT) (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-018: Emergency Awards: Exosome-based Non-traditional Technologies Towards Multi-Parametric and Integrated Approaches for SARS-CoV-2 (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-015: Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Wastewater Detection of SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) (U01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
• RFA-OD-20-022: Emergency Awards: Chemosensory Testing as a COVID-19 Screening Tool (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
• RFA-OD-20-016: Emergency Awards: RADx-RAD Multimodal COVID-19 surveillance methods for high risk clustered populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
• RFA-OD-20-023: Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Predicting Viral-Associated Inflammatory Disease Severity in Children with Laboratory Diagnostics and Artificial Intelligence (PreVAIL kIds) (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)   

RADx-rad will support new, or non-traditional applications of existing approaches, to enhance their usability, accessibility, and/or accuracy. RADx-rad will be centrally aligned and coordinated to harmonize the data collection, storage, and management, providing an opportunity to further explore and identify additional approaches to understand this novel virus. Beyond the current crisis, it is anticipated that the technologies advanced through RADx-rad may also be applicable to other, yet unknown, infectious agents.

Special Announcements

Mini-symposium and pilot grant program sponsored by the Cancer Center on Cancer and Aging

The mini-symposium will be on November 2nd and 3rd (9-11 am), and focus on research at the interface of aging and cancer.  Presentations will be from all four Cancer Center Programs (MCO, THI, CPC and DT) plus a few additional talks from regional aging centers. Topics will range from a very basic understanding for how aging impacts cells (from mutations to metabolism to pathways to telomeres), immune function, cancer progression, therapeutic responses, clinical outcomes, and patient decision-making and survivorship.   

There is also an associated RFA for pilot grants.  These applications are to be collaborative, multi-disciplinary, impactful, engage the community, and have a broad impact.

This bulletin is distributed on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month for the CU Anschutz Research Community.   

Past Research Bulletins can be found here.

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