Author: Jessica McBride

Important NIH teleconference on Covid-19 Monday, March 16, 2020

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Jessica McBride

Dear UConn Community,

Research!America is hosting a conference call on Monday, March 16th from 1:30 to 2:30 PM with NIH Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak. Dr. Tabak will discuss NIH’s efforts to ensure research institutions and scientists are accorded the flexibility needed as they confront COVID-19-related research disruptions. No need to RSVP for the call (call number below). To dial in:

What: Teleconference with Dr. Larry Tabak
When: 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET, Monday, March 16, 2020
Call-In: 866-876-6756 (toll-free) or 704-288-1165 (U.S.)
Passcode: 737857

The following are additional updates and guidance from the NIH and NSF

o Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 for the National Science Foundation

o NSF website for the research community with detailed guidance on the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

o Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 for the National Institutes of Health

o Flexibilities Available to Applicants and Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance Affected by COVID-19

Cheers,
Radenka

Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
UConn/UConn Health

COVID-19 Research Continuity Planning and Guidance

Posted on March 12, 2020March 17, 2020 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues:

This guidance is being provided to help address questions regarding planning and preparation for potential impacts to research amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. UConn is actively monitoring and responding to the changing circumstances surrounding this situation, and information is posted and updated frequently on the following site: UConn Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates.

Life safety and the good health of our research workforce, students, faculty, staff, and animals remain our highest priority. Research should continue only to the extent that it can be conducted competently and safely. We encourage open communication to ensure agreement about procedures for students and staff working in labs and research facilities. Faculty should be especially mindful of the competing needs of students who may have concerns about their research progress and degree completion, as well as their personal health and well being. We ask that faculty work to find creative and flexible ways to accommodate the needs and concerns of students and staff working in their labs.

With the ongoing concern about the spread of this disease, laboratories and research facilities should begin to plan for the possibility of a significant disruption to routine operations. Each laboratory or research facility is best positioned to create a continuity plan that will meet their unique needs. While not intended to be all-inclusive, this guidance is provided to aid in the development of your plan. The following describes the current situation, but any of the below information may be modified as the situation develops and based on resources and personnel constraints in Storrs, at UConn Health, and within the OVPR.

Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) Specific Information

UConn and UConn Health will maintain essential infrastructure, however, this may need to be modified depending on resources and personnel availability.
Given that many staff may be working remotely, the primary mode of communication should be email rather than phone.
Assume that research administration units such as Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance will continue to provide services.
Assume that Animal Care Services and Environmental Health and Safety will maintain their critical functions.
Additional guidance will be forthcoming regarding travel bans and cancellation of activities on grant-funded projects.
Researchers should continue to follow sponsor requirements for grant-funded activities and use existing mechanisms to make adjustments or modifications as needed.
Sponsors continue to release guidance. Below are examples from the NIH and NSF. You should monitor your funding agency for additional information.

o Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 for the National Science Foundation

o NSF website for the research community with detailed guidance on the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

o Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 for the National Institutes of Health

o Flexibilities Available to Applicants and Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance Affected by COVID-19

Research Continuity Guidance for Laboratories and Research Facilities

Considerations in developing your plan:

A significant percentage of your workforce may be out sick or unable to come to work.
Access to campus buildings, offices, laboratories and other facilities access may be limited or prohibited.
Essential research infrastructure, such as power and telecommunications, will be maintained. However, this may need to be modified as the situation develops based on resources and personnel constraints.
Orders for critical supplies may be delayed.
Core facilities and other fee-for-service resources may not be available.
Essential research support functions will be maintained. However, this may need to be modified as the situation develops based on resources and personnel constraints. At some point, research support functions may need to be curtailed, delayed, or suspended.
Research activities should only be continued to the extent there are qualified and trained staff available to safely and competently conduct those activities.

Steps you can take now to ensure continuity of critical functions:

Ensure that you have access to emergency contact information for your critical staff, including cell phone numbers.
Review contingency plans and emergency procedures with your staff.
Identify procedures and processes that require regular personnel attention (e.g., cell culture maintenance, animal studies).
Assess and prioritize critical activities.
Identify any research experiments that can be ramped down, curtailed, or delayed.
Identify personnel needed to safely perform essential activities.
Ensure cross-trained staff have the appropriate training and competency to perform research activities correctly and safely.
Ensure you are documenting critical step-by-step instructions in your Standard Operating Procedures.
Coordinate with colleagues who have similar research activities to identify ways to ensure coverage of critical activities.
Avoid performing high-risk procedures alone. When working alone is necessary, exercise maximum caution. Have a notification and safety plan when working alone.
Ensure that high-risk materials (radioactive, biohazards, chemicals) are secured at all times.
Maintain a sufficient inventory of critical supplies that may be impacted by global shipping delays.
Prioritize. Depending upon the nature of your research, consider prioritizing work that can only be carried out in your research facility, and put off tasks amenable to remote work, such as data analysis. Obtaining results and data now that could be analyzed remotely in the future is a potential option that might create future flexibility.

Remote access:

Ensure that those involved in research projects have access to information they need to carry out work remotely (e.g., access to literature, existing datasets and research-related files, and meeting software, such as Zoom).
Ensure data and information are backed-up and available remotely.
Test and update remote work technologies such as VPN and Zoom conferencing.
Review the UConn policies on alternate work arrangements, like telecommuting.

Measures you can take to prevent the spread of illness among your group:

Follow CDC Guidelines on Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities

Research continuity summary:

Advance planning will allow everyone in your research group to focus on their own efforts and work together as a team, rather than wondering how they and their team members are to proceed.

Quick Checklist:

Identify critical operations.
Identify critical personnel and ensure they know what to do in the event of suspended operations. Establish a contingency plan for your laboratory to maintain critical functions should someone in your laboratory become ill or students are not available to perform work.
Remind personnel of your communication plan or create one if not in place.
Ensure remote access to files, data, servers, etc.
Prioritize experiments.
Follow UConn’s requirements related to non-essential travel, and check travel restrictions before making travel plans.

Sponsored Program Services (SPS)

We expect that SPS will continue to be able to submit proposals, but PIs should be mindful of deadlines and submit proposals well in advance. Typically, federal agencies are very flexible about deadlines under difficult circumstances beyond our control. However, if agencies are officially closed, proposals will most likely remain in a queue, pending resumption of agency operations – as has been the case during federal budget-related shutdowns. Additional information will be posted on the OVPR website as it becomes available.

Human Research Protection Program (HRPP/IRB)

The Human Research Protection Program (HRPP/IRB) has established processes to work and convene remotely. New submissions, amendments, continuing review, and other reportable information should be submitted as required. Human subjects research protocols do not need to be modified unless COVID- 19 exposure/symptoms are being added as a study specific exclusion criteria, or information related to COVID-19 exposure/symptoms will be collected as part of the study, or study related procedures or processes such as data collection by phone, video call, or online are being implemented. Consideration should be given to delaying interactions with study participants where possible. This could involve canceling or postponing study visits or conducting study visits remotely where possible. If interactions with study participants need to continue, follow CDC Guidelines on Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities in making determinations about research participation. Additional information will be posted on the OVPR website as it becomes available.

IACUC and Animal Care Services

The IACUC has established processes to work and convene remotely. New submissions, amendments, annual and three-year renewals, and other reportable information should be submitted as required. Additional information will be posted on the OVPR website as it become available.

Animal Care Services has established a plan to maintain animal husbandry activities. This plan includes cross training research staff to assist with husbandry activities in the event animal care staff are not available due to illness. Additional information will be posted on the OVPR website as it becomes available.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The IBC has established processes to work and convene remotely. New submissions, amendments, renewals, and other reportable information should be submitted as required. Additional information will be posted on the OVPR website as it becomes available.

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)

EHS has established procedures to maintain essential research support. However, essential research support functions may need to be modified as the situation develops based on resources and personnel constraints. At some point, research support functions may need to be curtailed, delayed or suspended. Research activities should be continued only to the extent there are qualified and trained staff available to safely and competently conduct those activities. Facility security and security of high-risk materials (radioactive, biohazards, chemicals) should be maintained. Additional information will be posted on the EHS website as it becomes available.

Center for Open Research Resources and Equipment (COR²E)

Our intention is to keep core research facilities managed by COR²E operational. That said, many of our facilities have very limited staffing (some of which include student employees) and as such, may necessitate a reduction in services or even closure. Additionally, many of our core facilities rely on equipment and services from external vendors who may also experience delays that could transfer to our internal services. Facilities may also choose to limit/stagger usage of equipment to reduce contact between facility users. Users of the facilities are encouraged to plan their experiments accordingly and visit their respective core facility homepages and/or contact facility directors for the most current information (though changes to services and schedules will also be communicated to existing facility users via email). Finally, as shared communal facilities, we will be working to keep shared equipment spaces as disinfected as possible, but we also ask for users’ help in doing so (washing hands before using shared equipment, staying home at any sign of illness, etc.) If additional updates are needed, they will be posted both here and on the COR²E website homepage.

Technology Incubation Program (TIP)

TIP companies should anticipate being able to continue operations in the TIP space as long as UConn and UConn Health can assure this can be done safely based on the available infrastructure support, and only to the extent TIP companies have appropriately trained staff to continue operations competently and safely.
TIP companies should have their own disaster/emergency and business continuity plans.
TIP companies should monitor the UConn COVID-19 website for current information.

Sincerely,

Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
University of Connecticut

NSF 2026 Idea Machine

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

In the summer of 2018, the National Science Foundation (NSF) launched an innovative competition, the NSF 2026 Idea Machine, to crowdsource big challenges and big ideas that could help tackle them. The Idea Machine aimed to set the stage for breakthrough research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education through the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and beyond. NSF received around 800 entries from established researchers, students, teachers, and even high school and middle school students from all across the country. Those 800 big ideas have now been narrowed down to seven finalists, which were announced last week.

As we continue to work towards fulfilling President Katsouleas’ bold vision to boost research, scholarship, and creative works at UConn, I encourage you to visit the NSF 2026 Idea Machine site and learn about the program’s goals and the recently selected finalists. This provides UConn’s research community with an opportunity to see what is next for the NSF’s long-term agenda and align our activities based on our existing and emerging strengths.

Thank you for your continued commitment to grow UConn’s profile in research, scholarship, and the arts.

Cheers,
Radenka

Dr. Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
UConn/UConn Health
Professor in Sustainable Energy
438 Whitney Road Ext., Unit 1006
Storrs, CT 06269
Storrs: 860.486.3621
UCH: 860.679.2230
research.uconn.edu

F&A Rate Process Change

Posted on January 9, 2020January 21, 2021 by Jessica McBride

Dear Principal Investigator and Grants Administrator,

UConn must change its practice of grandfathering the F&A rate originally proposed to applying the F&A rate in effect at time of award (in some cases the effective rate will have increased due to a delay in the award start date). Even when this practice results in less F&A being charged to the grant, there have been repeated NSF audits requiring institutions to charge the negotiated rate in effect at the time the transaction posts. The same is true for UConn in the current NSF audit.

To meet this requirement, this year all sponsored projects are being transitioned so that expenditures that post to a sponsored project on July 1 or thereafter are charged in accordance with the current F&A rate agreement and not in accordance with the proposal budget:
• This applies to all projects that had a proposed F&A rate of 59.5%
• This does not apply to projects that have a mandatory F&A cap or a set or reduced F&A rate (such as training grants, many foundation sponsors, etc.)
• New awards will be set up at the F&A rate that is in effect when the notice of award is received. (In cases where the rate varies from what was submitted in the proposal, SPS will contact PIs and request that they submit a revised budget as a part of the award setup process.)
• SPS will contact you when a rebudget is needed; however, you may also submit a rebudget in advance of SPS contacting you
If you have an award that is ending this year, SPS will take the necessary steps as part of the close out of your award. You do not need to do anything.

During the transition period, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) will calculate the amount of additional F&A that will be charged to the award as compared to the proposal (awarded) budget and will credit this amount to the PI’s F&A account to support the impacted project. This transaction will be separate from the annual F&A distribution to faculty, departments, and Schools/Colleges, which will continue in accordance with the 10/10/10 distribution model. Please allow some time as SPS reviews and calculates each project account during this process. Accounts that have already been adjusted to 61% will be prioritized and the return will be completed by April 30, 2020. The return for the remainder of the projects will be completed by the end of the fiscal year. Should you have a unique circumstance, please don’t hesitate to contact Laura Kozma or Jen Przybyszewski.

Disclosure of International Relationships & Activities – Sponsor Guidance

Posted on December 30, 2019December 16, 2022 by Jessica McBride

Dear Investigator,

I write to update you on recent sponsor guidance regarding the disclosure of international relationships and activities and of your obligations to report such activities to the University and federal sponsors. The SPS website (see foreign collaborations) continues to be updated to include sponsor-released guidance as we become aware of it.

Please review the updates below for any sponsors to which you plan to apply or with which you are currently engaged to ensure you are aware of and compliant with their requirements. Additionally, and as a reminder, you must seek prior approval for consulting and disclose any significant financial interests to the University.

The following topics are covered below:

Department of Defense Update

National Institutes of Health Update

National Science Foundation Update

Letter from Office of Science and Technology Policy

Export of Research Materials Abroad

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Jessica McBride

To the UConn/UConn Health research community:

The Council on Government Relations (COGR) has issued an alert regarding recent situations where researchers have attempted to export research materials abroad. The FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies have increased their surveillance efforts to identify transport of research materials and verify that those exports comply with federal laws. These efforts are believed to be part of a nation-wide enforcement action to control the transport of biological materials that may present a threat to our national security and/or reduce the theft of intellectual property developed in the US, much of it with federal funds.

Transporting certain materials may require import/export permits or other documentation from federal agencies, including US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the FDA, USDA, Fish and Wildlife, and the CDC.

Anyone with questions should contact the applicable federal agency or the UConn Export Control Office (exportcontrol@uconn.edu) for assistance.

Mitigating the Impact of Fringe Costs on Research at UConn

Posted on December 23, 2019February 6, 2020 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

I write to inform you that I am taking action to help mitigate the burden our faculty face when competing for research grants due to the high fringe benefit rates being charged to UConn by the state. To address this issue, we will apply funds to reduce these rates across the board for the near-term. These reduced rates can be used in proposal submissions starting January 1, 2020. On the left, below, are the current rates. On the right are the new rates:

	Current Rates	New Rates for 7/1/20 – 6/30/21
Professional	64.8%	43%
Faculty	53.2%	43%
Graduate/Post Doc:	17.2%	15.5%
Special Payroll	24.3%	19.5%
Student	4.1%	2.4%

Additional details regarding proposal submissions, timelines, budgeting, and FAQs will be forthcoming from the Office of the Vice President for Research.

The overriding goal is to help create a more level playing field for UConn faculty as you compete nationally for grants by reducing our fringe costs so they are closer to those found at peer and aspirant institutions.

I am taking this action after numerous conversations with faculty since arriving at UConn in August, and in light of the evidence of the challenges our fringe costs create. We know from actual grant reviews that our fringe rates are out of line with those institutions directly competing with UConn for grant dollars. In some cases, our faculty must forgo funding opportunities simply because they cannot make the budgets work because of the higher fringe costs.

The capacity of faculty to turn hard-won grants into important research products is significantly reduced, including those associated with efforts to drive economic growth and innovation for the state of Connecticut. Furthermore, this reduced competitiveness increases the challenge of recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty.

Overall, these high rates have a significant negative impact on the University’s research mission and addressing them is a critical priority.

However, this is a temporary, stop-gap measure, not a permanent solution and it is not something we would do in the ordinary course of business. As you may know, these rates are abnormally high because of Connecticut’s substantial unfunded pension and retiree health insurance liabilities. The cost of that legacy unfunded liability is built into our fringe rates, inflating them. We are working closely with the state to identify a permanent solution to this problem, as UConn does not and will not have the resources needed to address this issue on our own over the long term. But, in my judgment, the need to reduce rates at UConn is urgent enough that we must act now and use our one-time funds prudently as we seek a lasting solution.

This will apply to the Storrs and regional campuses only. At UConn Health, we addressed this same issue some months ago for the current fiscal year. We have budgeted funds to cover a portion of the unfunded liability charged to UConn Health, providing immediate relief on existing grants. We are committed to working with the state to find a long term solution to this ongoing problem, university-wide.

It is my hope that this will make our faculty more competitive as you seek grants, allow you to apply more of your grant funds to your actual research and related costs, and make it easier for UConn to recruit and retain faculty going forward.

Once again, details from the OVPR will be provided in the coming weeks.

I wish you the best of luck on your upcoming grant applications and happy holidays!

Sincerely,

Tom
President
University of Connecticut

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram

OVPR Quarterly Reports – FY19Q4

Posted on October 9, 2019February 16, 2021 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

Now that data have been finalized, I would like to provide you with the FY19 Proposals, Awards, and Expenditures report relating to sponsored program activity—both research and education/service—managed by Sponsored Program Services within the Office of the Vice President for Research at UConn and UConn Health.

Proposals, Awards, Expenditures: FY15-FY19

In the report, data are presented in two ways: by the PI’s Academic Home Department and by the Managing Department or Center/Institute. Please refer to the first page of the report for definitions and information regarding the data. Should you have any questions regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please visit the OVPR website to view current and archived reports: OVPR Reports.

Please note that we have included an additional Summary of Sponsored Program Activity, which includes the Effective F&A rate on awards. This information provides a snapshot of our activity as compared to the same period last year.

While fluctuations from year to year in both grant awards and proposal submissions are common, the government shut down in January further impacted the timing of some awards and proposal submissions this year, which likely contributed to the reductions in overall numbers of individual submitted proposals and awards received. New awarded amounts are up in total, with Storrs and regional campuses ending the year slightly below last year’s totals and UConn Health receiving $8.4M more than last year. Overall dollars requested in proposals increased from $1.24M in FY18 to $1.26M in FY19.

The OVPR continues to seek creative solutions that allow UConn and UConn Health to grow our research enterprise through federal funding, industry partnerships, and collaboration with foundations. I am confident we can continue upward trends by continuing to work together, aggressively applying for extramural funding, and pursuing new channels of support for the tremendous research, scholarship, and creative activities taking place every day at UConn and UConn Health.

Thank you for your continued commitment and contribution to our students, to your research and scholarship, and to UConn/UConn Health.

Sincerely,

Radenka

Dr. Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research
UConn/UConn Health

START Preliminary Proof of Concept Fund

Posted on September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

Through a generous grant provided by the CTNext Higher Education Fund last year, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has been administering an early stage translational research funding program called the START Preliminary Proof of Concept (PPOC) Fund. Under the grant, funding is provided to investigators at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), University of Bridgeport (UB), and UConn on a competitive basis.

The START program aims to support the preliminary validation of innovative early stage technologies that have possible commercial potential and is designed to advance those technologies to be more attractive for additional funding. Proposals for the START PPOC Fund are welcomed from across all disciplines for early stage projects that may one day result in inventions and technologies that address unmet needs and have potential for commercial application.

As we wrap up the first year on funding, I would like to take a moment to recognize recipients from these institutions and ask that you join me in congratulating them on their efforts to commercialize technologies developed in the course of their academic research. For a full list of recipients and project information, visit the OVPR website.

For more information about the competition, visit the program website.

Thank you for helping to foster the culture of excellence in your schools/colleges, departments, and centers that allows UConn faculty to engage in research, scholarship, and creative activities at the highest levels.

Cheers,

Radenka

Celebrating UConn Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities

Posted on September 9, 2019February 16, 2021 by Jessica McBride

As we begin a new semester at UConn, I would like to reflect on our past academic year and share with you the excitement, successes, and progress we made in that time. As a public research university that engages globally in the creation of new knowledge, we measure our success by the impact of our scholarly and educational outcomes, research, innovation, and the creative work of our students and faculty. In the last few years, we have brought people together around shared goals across campuses and disciplines, an accomplishment that is palpable at UConn and has been critical to the success of our land-grant mission.

Our three consecutive years of growth in total awards have borne out the value of our collective efforts.

Thanks to the tireless work of our faculty, postdocs, students, and staff, our new extramural awards for FY19 reached a three-year high of $266.2M. In FY17, our total new awards were $184.5M and in FY18, they were $258M. UConn Health received over $100M in new awards this past fiscal year reaching an all-time high. Our combined efforts represent a 44% increase over three years. We also saw upward trends in our entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, with a record 39 high-potential startup companies joining UConn’s Technology Incubation Program, and a ranking of 93rd worldwide in the number of US patents issued for UConn inventions. It is a matter of great satisfaction for me to have helped position entrepreneurship and innovation as an equal mission for our faculty alongside teaching, scholarship, research and creative work.

Our committed focus on seed funding, proof of concept grants, and awards to support the arts and humanities has contributed to STEM and non-STEM excellence. In FY19, our office contributed $2.3M to internal funding programs and an additional $100K to support grant writing workshops and resources. We are thrilled to see engagement, collaboration, and distinction from all areas of the University, whether it be STEM, non-STEM, or a collaborative hybrid, and that these combined efforts are producing growth in research and extramural awards.

I would like to highlight a few new initiatives launched by the OVPR in FY19 that supported faculty success:

Convergence Awards for Research in Interdisciplinary Centers (CARIC): Support development of collaborative interdisciplinary teams to bid for major (>$5M) federally funded initiatives, such as research centers.
Support of UConn Human Rights Institute with two postdoctoral fellowships in collaboration with the Schools of Engineering and Business.
Program in Accelerated Therapeutics for Healthcare (PATH): In partnership with the Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, aims to accelerate the translational pathway to convert discoveries into new medical therapeutics. The program seeks to quickly develop novel approaches focusing on well validated molecular targets for a specific disease area with an unmet treatment need in the current commercial marketplace.
Scholarship and Collaboration in Humanities and Arts Research Program (SCHARP): In partnership with the Humanities Institute, SCHARP supports innovative works in scholarship and creative activities in the arts and humanities that have the potential to transform a field of study, impact the common good, or chart a new direction in scholarly, creative, or artistic direction.
STEAM Innovation Grant: In partnership with the School of Fine Arts, STEAM encourages innovative collaborations between the arts and STEM disciplines. Projects funded by this grant may result in publications, exhibitions, performances, academic symposia, or other research outcomes.
Stamford Innovate, a new internship program that connects talented UConn students with opportunities in startups in one of the fastest growing regions of the state.

If you want to learn more, click here for a full list of our internal funding programs.

As educators, we all take great pride in our students’ successes, and I wanted to take a moment to recognize some new student projects that are truly remarkable. In collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the OVPR supported a student-led podcast called In Vivo. With regular interviews about science, the arts, current events, and other topics, In Vivo highlights the amazing faculty, students, and staff that give UConn life. The show is conducted out of UConn’s WHUS studio and is run entirely by UConn students. Check it out and consider subscribing for future episodes to learn more about UConn researchers.

Another new initiative is World Poetry Books to support its mission of publishing and vigorously promoting a minimum of six books of exceptional poetry in translation each year. This support offers our students the opportunity to gain hands-on, professional publishing skills, and establishes UConn as home of a preeminent publisher of exceptional world literature.

While sharing accomplishments is important, we also want to increase transparency and continue to maintain open lines of communication as we push to raise UConn’s research profile. In addition to sharing research and tech transfer metrics on the recently revamped UConn Research website, we encourage faculty and staff to reach out with suggestions regarding new opportunities and unmet needs. It is only together – as a team – that we will continue to drive the growth of scholarship, research, and creative pursuits at UConn.

I’d like to conclude with a personal note of gratitude. I cannot thank all of you enough for giving me the opportunity to work with so many talented, hardworking, and committed colleagues. To my staff, I am deeply honored to serve as VPR and grateful for your support, continued improvement, and service to our faculty and students. At the end of a hard day, I find great inspiration in the knowledge that UConn’s faculty and staff – whether they be musicians, chemists, or scholars of law or other disciplines – are some of the world’s most innovative and active researchers. Thank you for making UConn a special place with a vibrant community of caring, collaborative people.

We are opening a new chapter for UConn with a new President who is focused on our excellence, strengths, and new opportunities. I look forward to this journey with all of you, and please remember my door is always open!

Cheers,

Dr. Radenka Maric

Vice President for Research, UConn/UConn Health

Scholarship Facilitation Fund Announcement

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

I’m very pleased to announce that the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has recently finalized award decisions for the Scholarship Facilitation Fund (SFF) Program. Through this program, the OVPR is able to provide up to $2,000 to UConn faculty across all disciplines, on a competitive basis, to promote, support, and enhance research, scholarship, and creative endeavors. The 2019 competition marked the first time that in-residence faculty were eligible to apply for SFF funding, a factor that contributed to a high level of participation in this cycle.

Please join me in congratulating the 2019 SFF recipients who competed in a highly selective competition.

For more information about the competition, visit the program website.

Cheers,
Dr. Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research
UConn/UConn Health

Important Information from the NIH and NSF

Posted on July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Investigator,

On July 10^th, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a reminder on NIH Policies on Other Support and on Policies related to Financial Conflicts of Interest and Foreign Components. This was followed on July 11^th by a Dear Colleague Letter on protecting research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from NSF Director, Dr. France Córdova. These notices relate to the ongoing concerns regarding foreign influence in federally funded research.

In response to these publications, the OVPR recommends that any collaborations with foreign entities or individuals, or appointments with foreign entities (including foreign talent or similar programs) be disclosed to the NIH or NSF program officer, your Dean, and the OVPR (contacts and additional information listed below).

The OVPR has posted additional guidance on our site regarding Active and Pending Support and Foreign Collaborations. For any questions or for guidance on this and other related matters, please contact:

Laura Kozma, Executive Director SPS (laura.kozma@uconn.edu)
Paul Hudobenko, Director SPS – UConn Health (hudobenko@uchc.edu)

Thank you for your cooperation,

Radenka Maric, PhD
Vice President for Research
UConn/UConn Health

Important Information from the NIH and NSF for UConn/UConn Health Investigators

The NSF Letter references the draft NSF Proposal and Award Policies & Procedures Guide published in May 2019. Clarifications in the draft Guide related to current and pending support and biographical sketches include:

Providing information for all current and pending support irrespective of whether such support is provided through the proposing organization or directly to the individual.
Expanding examples of current and pending support to include non-profit organizations and consulting agreements.
Reporting all projects and activities requiring a time commitment (no minimum has been established), even if the support received is only in-kind.
Appointments should include any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received.

The Dear Colleague Letter also states the NSF will be issuing a policy that NSF personnel and Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assigned personnel cannot participate in foreign government talent-recruitment programs.

The NIH Notice reminds applicants that in regards to Other Support, they must:

List all positions and scientific appointments, both domestic and foreign, held by senior/key personnel which are relevant to an application including affiliations with foreign entities or governments such as titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).
Report all resources and other support for all individuals designated in an application as senior/key personnel – including the program director/principal investigator and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation. All current support for ongoing projects must be included, irrespective of whether such support is provided through the applicant organization, through another domestic or foreign organization, or is provided directly to an individual who supports the senior/key personnel’s research efforts.
Report all current projects and activities involving senior/key personnel, even if the support received is only in-kind (e.g. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, employees), including, but not limited to, foreign financial support, research or laboratory personnel, lab space, scientific materials, selection to a foreign “talents” or similar-type program, or other foreign or domestic support.
Provide the total award amount for the entire award period covered (including facilities and administrative costs), as well as the number of person-months (or partial person-months) per year to be devoted to the project by the senior/key personnel.

The Notice also reminds applicants of the need to determine whether projects include a foreign component, defined as the existence of any “significant scientific element or segment of a project” outside of the United States including:

Performance of work by a researcher or recipient in a foreign location, whether or not NIH grant funds are expended and/or
Performance of work by a researcher in a foreign location employed or paid for by a foreign organization, whether or not NIH grant funds are expended.

If a significant portion of a project will be conducted outside the United States, then there is a foreign component and NIH prior approval is required. If all project activity is conducted within the United States, but there is a non-U.S. resource supporting the project, it must be reported as other support.

Program in Accelerated Therapeutics for Healthcare (PATH) Awards

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

I’m very pleased to announce that the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has recently finalized award decisions for the inaugural cycle of the Program in Accelerated Therapeutics for Healthcare (PATH). PATH is a partnership that includes the OVPR, the School of Pharmacy, and the School of Medicine to accelerate the translational pathway for researchers to convert their discoveries to new medical therapeutics. Under PATH, funding is provided to academic research programs designed to quickly develop novel therapeutic approaches focusing on well validated molecular targets for a specific disease area with an unmet treatment need in the current commercial marketplace. Projects focusing on a wide range of therapeutic interventions (small molecule, biologic, antibody, peptide, gene therapy) are eligible for consideration.

Given your leadership role in the University, I want you to be among the first to hear the results of this competition so you can join me in congratulating the awardees. Seven PATH grants were awarded in two categories after a highly selective competition:

PATH Trailblazer Grants – $75,000

Xiuling Lu, Pharmaceutical Science
Cutting Cancer at Its Root: Inhibition of Acute Leukemic Stem Cells Using Doxorubicin-Loaded Nanoparticles

Jessica Rouge, Chemistry
Determining the Pharmacology of a Novel DNAzyme-therapeutic Formulation for the Treatment of Allergic Airway Disease

PATH Ascent Grants – $10,000

Brian Aneskievich, Pharmaceutical Science
Establishing Protein Conformational Flexibility to Enhance Next-Step Drug-Screen Targeting

Nicholas Leadbeater, Chemistry
Towards Development of Novel Therapeutics for Treatment of Toxoplasmosis

Rajkumar Verma, Neuroscience, UConn Health
Discovery of Novel Purinergic P2X4 Receptor Antagonist for the Treatment of Ischemic Stroke

Simon White, Molecular and Cell Biology
Screening for Small Molecule Inhibitors against Enterovirus D68 2C Helicase

Ming Xu, Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health
Discover Drugs Targeting Cellular Senescence to Improve Healthspan and Lifespan

For more information about PATH, visit the program website.

Thank you for helping to foster the culture of excellence in your schools/colleges, departments, and centers, that allows UConn faculty to engage in research, scholarship, and creative activities at the highest levels.

Cheers,

Radenka

OVPR Quarterly Reports – FY19Q2

Posted on April 11, 2019June 4, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

Now that data have been finalized, I would like to provide you with several reports relating to sponsored program activity—both research and education/service—managed by Sponsored Program Services within the Office of the Vice President for Research at UConn and UConn Health. Please visit the OVPR website to view the following reports: https://ovpr.uconn.edu/news/quarterly-reports/

List of Proposals Submitted: FY19 2nd Quarter
List of Awards Received: FY19 2nd Quarter
Proposals, Awards, Expenditures: FY14-FY19Q2

In the reports, data are presented in two ways: by the PI’s Academic Home Department and by the Managing Department or Center/Institute. Please refer to the first pages of the reports for definitions and information regarding the data. Should you have any questions regarding these quarterly reports, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your continued commitment and contribution to our students, to your research and scholarship, and to UConn/UConn Health.

Sincerely,
Radenka

Dr. Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research
UConn/UCH

2019 CARIC Award Recipients Announced

Posted on March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 by Jessica McBride

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that two teams have been selected for funding in the inaugural cycle of CARIC (Convergence Awards for Research in Interdisciplinary Centers).

CARIC supports the development of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams bidding for major federally funded research initiatives. These initiatives can include large, multi-million-dollar research grants or even entire research centers.

2019 CARIC Awards:

David Rowe, Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development
Bed to Bench (BTB) Collaboration for Skeletal Research
Yu Lei, Castleman Distinguished Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Exposure, Health Effects, Sensing and Remediation of Emerging Contaminants Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center

The CARIC program will provide these projects with funding of up to $150,000 to support planning, outreach to strategic partners and proof-of-concept research for a year, with the possibility for renewal. This initial funding allows researchers to develop more competitive bids for prestigious national awards.

To learn more about CARIC, visit the website of the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Sincerely,

Dr. Radenka Maric
Vice President for Research
UConn/UConn Health