The role of the UConn/UConn Health Stem Cell Research Oversight (SCRO) Committee is to ensure that human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) researchis well-justified and that inappropriate and/or unethical research is not conducted. Its mandate is to provide oversight of ethical issues related to the derivation and research use of human pluripotent stem cell lines at all schools, colleges, campuses, and research arms of the University of Connecticut/UConn Health per University policy, regardless of the source of funding. From a legal perspective, the review and approval of human embryonic stem cell research by a SCRO committee or its equivalent is required by the State of Connecticut. At a deeper level, SCRO committees exist to protect both the public interest and the progress of biomedical stem cell research. The ethical mandate of the SCRO Committee is to ensure that appropriate respect is given to the value of human life.
SCRO approval is required prior to any of the following:
In vitrohuman induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)research involving the generation of gametes, embryos, or other totipotent cells (SCRO approval is required byUniversity policy.)
In vivoresearch involving introduction ofhuman induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)directly into prenatal animals or into the central nervous system of post-natal animals or elsewhere in the animal where cells could potentially enter the central nervous system (SCRO approval is required byUniversity policy.)
Stem cell research projectfunded by the State of Connecticut through the Connecticut Bioscience Innovation Fund, including those that do not use human embryonic stem cells (SCRO approval is required bythe State of Connecticut.docx.)
The mission of TCS is to expedite and facilitate the transformation of UConn discoveries into products and services that benefit patients, industry and society.
TCS and its network collaborate to support technology transfer and venture development based on student and faculty innovation. We provide services for entrepreneurial training, intellectual property protection, technology licensing, mentorship, business startup, and connections to the investment community. UConn’s Technology Incubation Program, the University’s business incubator, is part of TCS.
Working throughout UConn’s 14 schools and colleges, and participating in the state’s ecosystem, TCS is a focal point for the University’s innovation-based activities, particularly for faculty and external entrepreneurs and companies seeking technology partnerships at UConn. TCS can provide access to university-wide programs supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
Invention Ownership flowchart (click image to view)
Ownership of Inventions and Creative Works Developed or Authored by University of Connecticut Employees*
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is UConn’s designated receiving office for invention disclosures from faculty members, staff members, students and others working at the university. These disclosures can describe inventions, discoveries or other types of intellectual property, and they can cover patentable, non-patentable, copyrightable and non-copyrightable technologies and creative works. (Please note that software may be patentable as well as copyrightable.)
The flow chart below consists of questions designed to provide general information to help inventors, authors and other creators of intellectual property understand who owns their inventions and creative works.
Please note that not every circumstance can be included in a simple flow chart such as this. Nonetheless, this flow chart can serve as a general guide to understanding the ownership of intellectual property developed by university personnel during research and other programs at UConn, whether supported by university funds, federal agencies, non-profit foundations, industrial sponsors or other sources.
Furthermore, the final determination of who meets the legal requirements to be named an inventor on a patent or to be named an author of a copyrightable creative work depends on the details of the intellectual contributions made during the inventive/creative process that led to a specific invention, discovery or creative work. [Individuals who have questions regarding ownership of inventions and creative works are encouraged to contact the OVPR directly at 860-486-3622.]
*A university employee is any member of the faculty or staff, including visiting professors, postdoctoral trainees and students paid by the university.
An invention is “the discovery or creation of a new material (either a new manufactured product or a new composition of matter), a new process, a new use for an existing material or any improvements of any of these.” Computer software may also be classified as an “invention.”
All researchers are required to disclose to UConn all intellectual property that could constitute inventions or copyrighted works. This is especially important where any portion of the funding comes from the federal government, private foundation or commercial sponsor. Federal law requires prompt disclosure for federally funded inventions. If not, UConn, inventors and involved companies could lose very significant rights if disclosures are not promptly made.
You have an invention. Now what?
Contact TCS when you believe you have a scientific or technical observation with potential commercial or research value.
Complete and submit the UConn Invention Disclosure Form or the UConn Software/App Invention Disclosure Form to TCS in sufficient time to file a patent application before publicly disclosing your technology or publishing a manuscript – preferably before submitting the manuscript for publication. Public disclosure includes journal publications, website publications, and presentations at conferences, posters, dissertations, master theses or abstract publications. More generally, it is when the intellectual property is made publicly available and accessible to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
To avoid risking your patent rights and possibly hindering the opportunity to market your invention, contact TCS before holding any discussions with people outside the UConn community. If a patent application has not yet been filed, TCS will give you a Non-Disclosure Agreement for the parties to sign before you describe your invention to them.
On the UConn Invention Disclosure Form, include companies and contacts you believe might be interested in your intellectual property (IP) or who may have already contacted you about your invention. Studies have shown that over 70% of all licenses are executed with commercial entities known by the inventor, so your contacts can be extremely useful.
Respond to TCS and outside patent counsel requests. While some aspects of the patent and licensing process will require significant participation on your part, we will strive to make efficient use of your valuable time.
Keep TCS informed of upcoming publications or interactions with companies related to your intellectual property.
The Invention Disclosure Form must be completed as described in the following steps:
Responsible for overseeing the $375 million annual research enterprise across all UConn campuses, including UConn Health, the OVPR manages all aspects of research and scholarship activities for UConn’s world-class faculty.
The OVPR supports both short- and long-term initiatives to grow UConn’s research enterprise and robust innovation pipeline. Through a dynamic, multifaceted approach, the OVPR promotes single faculty investigator projects, large-scale interdisciplinary collaborations, partnerships with leading industries, and high-potential, university-driven startups.
The OVPR is responsible for:
Research Support & Development
Core Research Facilities
Grant Proposal Support
Award Management
Research Compliance
Technology Commercialization
UConn’s Technology Incubation Program
To learn more about UConn research capabilities, expertise, and partnerships, visit research.uconn.edu.
Increasingly, funding programs sponsored by federal agencies and private foundations place restrictions on the number of applicants from a single institution who are allowed to submit proposals/applications. These limited submission grants or awards require selection/nomination by the applicant’s host institution before proposals/applications can be submitted. At UConn/UConn Health, the selection process for limited submission awards is facilitated by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), and it is governed by the following guidelines. In order to ensure a fair and competitive selection process, the OVPR requires all investigators interested in limited submission funding to follow this process.
Program advertisement: When the OVPR becomes aware of an upcoming limited submission funding opportunity, a request for proposals (RFP) will be released to notify the University community. The RFP will be posted on the OVPR website, sent out via the Storrs Daily Digest and UConn Health Lifeline email digest, and distributed to key grant administrators via listserv. If you become aware of a limited submission opportunity, please check the OVPR website to find out program-specific details and important internal deadline dates. If the opportunity is not yet listed on the website, please send an email to research@uconn.edu describing the program, including a link to the program announcement if possible. The OVPR will announce the program to the wider community, if appropriate, or will give you other instructions regarding how to proceed.
General application guidelines: For most limited submissions, a two stage internal competition is held.
Stage 1 is the Notification of Intent to Submit (NOI). NOIs are used to determine the level of interest within the UConn/UConn Health community for a given opportunity. If there are more potential applicants than allowed under the program guidelines, the internal competition will proceed to Stage 2. A Notification of Intent to Submit is required for all limited submission RFPs, unless specified in the OVPR announcement. The NOI form is brief, and the information provided is not used in the selection process other than to gauge interest and to help select internal reviewers. NOIs are submitted through the UConn Quest Portal as of January 2019
Stage 2 is the internal review of pre-proposals. If Stage 1 reveals that an internal competition is necessary, all NOI participants will be required to submit a pre-proposal (using the Quest Portal). We provide general guidelines for pre-proposals (see pre-proposal guideline section below), though the specific requirements can vary from program to program. Please contact the OVPR at research@uconn.edu or 860.486.6378 if you have questions about what is required for a given opportunity. Pre-proposals are reviewed and rated by an ad-hoc faculty committee organized by the OVPR consisting of faculty members experienced in grant submission and familiar with the area of research addressed for a given opportunity. When necessary, external reviewers will be utilized as well. Final selections are made by the Vice President for Research based on the results of the faculty review.
All participants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review. Selected investigators will be given the go-ahead to complete full-length proposals according to sponsor guidelines. Final proposals must be submitted to Sponsored Program Services (SPS) at Storrs or UConn Health for final internal review at least 5 business days before the sponsor’s deadline. SPS will conduct a final review and provide instructions for submitting the proposal to the sponsor.
Contact: For questions about limited submission opportunities or internal reviews, please contact Dr. Matt Mroz, Internal Funding Coordinator, at research@uconn.edu or 860.486.6378.
Limited Submission Resubmission Policy
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is aware that for many funding mechanisms, one attempt at submission is not enough. In order to be successful, PIs must have the opportunity to learn from and respond thoughtfully to reviewer feedback. Because of this, we recognize the need for the limited submission selection process to strike a balance between allowing previously selected PIs to resubmit and allowing PIs with new projects an opportunity to submit.
Therefore, the OVPR is establishing the following policies to guide review teams and to set expectations for PIs who submit for limited submission opportunities. While we expect that most competitions will follow these guidelines, please note that the VPR reserves the right to select the applicants that best meet the needs of the University.
Limited Submission Resubmission Guidelines:
For mechanisms that allow more than one UConn applicant, each PI that submits to the sponsor will be allowed to resubmit the same project at least one additional time within two years of the original submission without being required to re-compete for a submission slot.
If reviews are provided by the sponsor, resubmission is contingent upon receiving promising feedback.
Applications that are rejected because of missing elements or eligibility questions cannot be resubmitted automatically.
PIs must communicate their desire to resubmit to the OVPR Internal Funding Coordinator in a timely manner.
For mechanisms that allow only one UConn applicant, resubmitting applicants must re-compete for a submission slot unless a previously submitting PI receives very strong feedback and contacts the OVPR regarding resubmission before a new internal competition is opened.
Limited Submission Awards (those mechanisms that are judged on the PIs record of accomplishment rather than the quality of proposed research), resubmitting applicants must re-compete for a submission slot.
Limited Submission applicants that are not chosen through an open competition (i.e. applicants who are nominated by deans, department heads, or other senior administrators) are not guaranteed resubmission.
If a Limited Submission program cycle includes resubmitting applicants, the OVPR may allow other strong applicants from that cycle’s internal competition who are not selected the option to submit to the next cycle without competing again.
Note: Internal competition notification emails will include language regarding whether resubmission is allowed or not in particular circumstances
Limited Submission Pre-proposal Guidelines
If an internal competition is necessary to select applicants for a limited submission opportunity, pre-proposals will be submitted via the UConn Quest Portal. Unless other instructions are given in the UConn limited submission announcement, pre-proposals should include:
1. Cover page, to include:
Complete contact information for the applicant
Sponsor
Name of program
Title of project
2. Maximum two-page summary describing the project and demonstrating how it will:
Fulfill the program/solicitation criteria
Contribute to meeting the research and/or educational goals of the institution.
3. Maximum two-page budget (if applicable) and budget justification, or summary of costs, including cost sharing commitment required in the solicitation. If a cost sharing commitment is required by the Sponsor, a letter of support is required from the Dean/Department Head as to how this commitment will potentially be achieved.
4. Maximum two-page list of investigators, summarizing credentials and role in the project. Brief CVs are also acceptable.
5. Optional maximum two-page attachment containing any additional relevant information. For example, if a proposal is a resubmission, a summary of available comments/reviews can be attached
Please adhere to these guidelines, unless otherwise directed by the OVPR. Pre-proposals will be reviewed by an internal screening committee with respect to program eligibility and criteria. Reviewers may, or may not, return comments. Principal Investigators will be notified of approval to submit.
Final proposals are due to the Sponsored Program Services, Storrs or the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, UConn Health, a minimum of 5 working days prior to the sponsor’s deadline for final review prior to submission.
Research IT Services in the Office of the Vice President for Research supports a wide array of services and is a key player in shaping the future of research at the University of Connecticut including UConn Health.
We have embarked on a bold initiative to modernize and boost our portfolio of software solutions in an effort to reduce the administrative burdens on our researchers and make it easier for them to access and monitor their research activity and information.
A full suite of enterprise applications will provide a template for grant proposal development, automate routing and allow for electronic submission to certain sponsors. In addition, it will provide functionality for awards management; human and animal subjects protocol development and review; financial conflict of interest disclosures; effort reporting and commitment management; and core facility management (research store).
eRA Help Desk
We have coined our initiative to modernize our Enterprise Research IT systems and automate research administration functions the Electronic Research Administration, or eRA. We have created the eRA Help Desk to assist you with your questions and technical problems. The Help Desk contact info is listed below.
