uconn health

New England University Collaboration on Renewable and Sustainable Energy (NEUCORSE)

Purpose

UConn’s NEUCORSE initiative is designed to catalyze collaboration among universities in New England to address our nation’s urgent need for renewable and sustainable energy.  Building on UConn’s existing strengths in clean energy engineering, this program seeks to support the development of cross-institutional teams with the expertise and capacity to successfully tackle the most challenging scientific and technical problems in this area.  NEUCORSE awards should be thought of as planning grants that will provide seed funding and support team development activities to prepare teams for larger-scale activities in the future.   We welcome proposals focusing on any topic that is relevant to the larger goal of developing renewable and sustainable energy solutions and that can be best addressed through sustained, interdisciplinary efforts within New England.  It is expected that proposed teams be diverse, including investigators from underrepresented groups and a mixture of early-career and more senior investigators.  It is also expected that the planning activities proposed include activities that prepare for future work that will have significant broader impacts, including workforce development.

 

Program Timeline

  • Program opens 9/27/21.
  • Submissions to be made through the UConn Quest Portal.  Follow the link to submit an NOI.  For each subsequent stage (LOI, full proposal), you can log in to Quest and "continue" your application to access new tasks.
  • Notification of Intent to Submit (NOI) due 11/8/21. The NOI will give the OVPR a sense of how many teams are interested.  If a sizable number of NOIs are received, the OVPR may request a brief pre-proposal as part of an initial screening process.
  • Pre-proposal deadline 11/15/21, if required. Responses will be given by 10/22/21.
  • Full proposal deadline 12/13/21, by invitation only. Invitations will be provided either after the NOI stage or the pre-proposal stage.
  • Program is not being offered in FY23, but it is expected to run again in Fall 2023  (FY24)

 

Program/Award Details:

  • 3-4 awards of $75K-$100K will be made.  One year award periods are expected (generally 1/1/22-12/31/22), though alternate timelines can be proposed.
  • Teams must, at minimum, consist of a UConn/UConn Health PI and an academic partner from a New England institution.  Other academic or industry partners are also welcome.
  • It is the expectation that this funding mechanism will help develop bridges between institutions that have active groups working in areas of interest and to build on existing collaborations.  Applications from teams that do not have some level of previous collaboration are encouraged to consider other OVPR Internal Funding Programs.
  • Funds can be used to support research activities at UConn/UConn Health and team development activities for the full team.  Salary for external partner faculty and funding for research activities at other institutions must be supported by those institutions.
  • Review of full proposals will be carried out by a team of experts in the area of renewable and sustainable energy.
  • NEUCORSE-funded teams should be preparing to submit to significant external funding targets.  Some of the funding opportunities of greatest interest are the NSF ERC, the DOE EFRC, and potential opportunities for regional collaboration that may come as part of the reconfiguration of the NSF.  Other large-scale funding targets in this area can also be considered.  Applicants are expected to address their external funding strategy as part of their applications.

Eligibility

The NEUCORSE Program is available to UConn / UConn Health faculty members, within the following parameters:

  • UConn Primary Appointment: PIs must be full-time faculty whose primary appointment is at UConn/UConn Health. Investigators with primary appointments to CCMC, Jackson Labs, TIP companies, or other institutions are not eligible to lead projects, but they may be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.  Proposals that include external Co-PIs should be careful to describe how responsibility for the project will be divided between institutions, and they must describe how costs related to the participation of external partners will be covered.
  • Effort and Salary: Although no minimum effort level is required for NEUCORSE projects, a UConn/UConn Health PI/Co-PI must have departmental research time available during the award period or address in the application how they will handle the time commitment required by the project. PIs/Co-PIs must each make significant and distinct intellectual contributions to the design and direction of the project. Generally speaking, awards are only available to UConn/UConn Health tenure-track and clinical faculty and in-Residence faculty at the Storrs/Regional campuses. UCH in-residence faculty and research faculty are not eligible to apply as PI but can be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.
  • Application Limits: Eligible faculty may submit multiple proposals, so long as each are scientifically distinct. Investigators may also serve as collaborator on multiple projects.

Proposal Guidelines

Proposals for NEUCORSE Awards should contain the following elements and follow the structure and guidelines indicated (adapted from NSF Planning Grant proposals for programs like the ERC).  All length guidelines assume 1” margins, 11-12pt fonts, single spacing and single side pages.

  • Cover Page: Title of Project, Principal investigator(s) with contact information, List of other team members (including institution, department, area of expertise), Specific funding mechanism targeted, Target submission date
  • Project Description: Proposals should address the following areas and should not exceed 5 pages in length:
    • Targeted future activities and rationale for collaboration: Describe the core research questions and approaches the team is being formed to explore, the significance of that work, and why sustained interdisciplinary efforts like those you are planning are necessary for having the impact you anticipate.
    • Team Rationale: Describe the approach you are taking to assemble a team prepared to be successful in the work you’ve described above.
    • NEUCORSE Grant Activities and significance: Describe the research and team development activities to be supported with NEUCORSE funds and how these activities build on and expand any existing collaborations.  Specifically highlight the new activities the NEUCORSE grant would enable.
    • Anticipated Impacts: How will the activities you propose advance the development process and prepare your team to successfully meet your scientific and broader impact goals and to be competitive for significant external funding in this area.
  • Budget describing and justifying use of NEUCORSE funds.  You can use this budget template.
  • Biosketches / CVs for all PIs and Co-PIs: Please include an updated biosketch consistent with NSF format.
  • NSF-style Letters of support from any facilities providing support during the NEUCORSE award period

Budget Guidelines

Below are general guidelines regarding allowable/unallowable costs that are consistent with other OVPR internal funding opportunities.  Given the unique nature of the NEUCORSE mechanism, we understand that these guidelines may not include all budget items that are necessary to enhance competitiveness for your work.  If you have a budget need that does not fit within these guidelines, you may include it, but we ask that you provide strong justification in support of the request.  You can use this budget template.

  • Allowable costs include: graduate research assistant salary, Postdoc or other Research Assistant salary, Undergraduate Researcher salary, Course buyouts (approval letter from Department Head required), Fringe costs, equipment purchases, travel to conduct research or meet with collaborators (travel approval may be required), materials and supplies, participant support costs, animal/animal care costs, contractual services
  • Unallowable costs include: subawards to partner institutions, faculty member salaries, clerical or administrative personnel salaries, including personnel whose primary purpose is to explore funding sources and/or prepare grant applications; service/maintenance contracts on equipment; laboratory renovations, or other infrastructure renovations; institutional memberships in professional organizations; travel to professional meetings to present the results of the research; travel to explore extramural funding opportunities; costs associated with the publication of results of the research, including page charges, purchase of reprints, or journal costs.

Review Criteria

  • Targeted Future Activities
    • Significance/Merit—Does the team being formed aim to address significant scientific questions / technical problems in the area of renewable and sustainable energy?  Is the proposed approach promising and methodologically sound?  Does this work require sustained, interdisciplinary efforts that draws on the resources of the New England region?
    • Innovation/Novelty – Does this project approach the problem in a new/innovative way?
    • Environment/Resources – Are available resources/facilities sufficient to successfully complete the work? Are external partners adequately supported by their institutions?
    • PI/Team qualifications – Who will be working on this project, and how are they uniquely suited to accomplish this work?  Does the team have the required expertise to be successful?  Does the team demonstrate interdisciplinary and diversity?
  • Proposed NEUCORSE Activities
    • Significance/Merit—are the proposed research and development activities well-designed/conceptualized?  Do they build on existing collaborations and extend them in ways that expand the capacity of the team?
    • Feasibility of Approach – are the proposed research and development plans feasible and likely to succeed?
    • Outcome – will the activities proposed adequately prepare the team to achieve their scientific and broader impact goals and to be competitive for significant external funding in this area?
    • Assessment – Does the project have a reasonable plan for measuring and determining success?
    • Budget – Are funds to be used efficiently and effectively to achieve project goals?

Post-Award Considerations

  • Reporting requirements: PIs will need to prepare a brief report summarizing project progress at the end of the award period.
  • Further reports on project outcomes may be requested in the future to track return on investment.

Program Contacts

  • Administrative contact: Matt Mroz, PhD, OVPR Internal Funding Coordinator. research@uconn.edu; 860.486.6378

 

  • Program Director: Mark Aindow, PhD, Executive Director for Innovation, External Engagement, and Industry Relations. m.aindow@uconn.edu; 860.486.1339

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Important Notice on Proposal Submission Policy

Posted on by

Revision Date: March 8, 2021 – revisions in italics

As an applicant organization, UConn/UConn Health has an institutional responsibility to verify the accuracy, validity, conformity, and eligibility of all applications submitted to a sponsor on behalf of the University. We have been exploring how to ensure the best delivery of services, meet sponsor and institutional policy requirements that were highlighted in the recent NSF audit, and to ensure that the University has sufficient time to review and certify proposals and increase the number of successful applications. To that end, we have conducted a survey of all faculty who submitted grant proposals within the last two years, listened to the research community’s comments at town halls, and solicited input from the President, Provost, deans, associate deans for research, the President’s Research Advisory Council, University Senate, and other faculty groups.

This listening process revealed that one of the main challenges for both investigators and staff is the bottleneck that occurs immediately prior to proposal submission. In recent years, nearly two-thirds of proposals submitted (with all components ready) are received by Sponsored Program Services (SPS) within one working day or less of the sponsor deadline.

Numerous proposals are being submitted just barely in time, meaning there is little time for a thorough review. Additionally, proposals that have been submitted to SPS far in advance also routinely lack a timely and thorough review because other proposals with an earlier deadline came in and “cut the line.”

To begin to remedy the proposal submission bottleneck, beginning May 5, 2021, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) will implement the current policy on internal deadlines for the review and submission of sponsored project proposals. The process change aims to reduce last day proposal submissions and will prioritize proposals as received. Once the policy is implemented, final administrative components of a proposal must be received by SPS Pre-Award at least five full business days in advance of the submission due date (along with a draft of the scientific components). The final submission ready proposal is due to SPS no later than noon the day before the sponsor deadline.

Exceptions include short turnaround RFPs, last minute sponsor requests, or a last minute opportunity to join a proposal under submission by another institution. Also, each UConn investigator will be given one pass to use in the event they are not able to meet the internal five-day deadline. As is the current practice, SPS Pre-Award will make every effort to submit these proposals when possible. Please visit the OVPR website for additional information and FAQs regarding the internal deadline policy.

To increase faculty support related to proposal preparation, the OVPR will be taking the following additional steps:

  • The OVPR is working to address situations where investigators do not have dedicated administrative support for the preparation of a proposal; we will continue to increase staff training opportunities, extend faculty service offerings, and work to simplify the submission process.
  • The OVPR will implement a dashboard to increase transparency and provide information on the status and order of review.
  • The OVPR will provide additional research development services, such as grant editing and proofreading, proposal review, large and complex grant support, and research funding consultation. Further information regarding these services and how to request them is available on the OVPR Research Development section of this website.
  • The OVPR will continue to work with and incorporate feedback from faculty working groups.  Upon recommendation of the University Senate, the President formed a sponsored projects working group to identify impediments to the expeditious review of sponsored project proposals in advance of deadlines.  The group’s report is available on the University Senate website.

 

Development, review, and submission timeline:

Full Business Days Before Submission Deadline

>6 days: PI provides application components to local grants administrator (or Faculty Services)

5 days: Complete application (plus draft scientific components) and IPR submitted to SPS

5-2 days: SPS reviews proposal and provides feedback

2 days: Corrections made and all approvals in place

Noon day before deadline: Final proposal and PI authorization to submit to sponsor provided to SPS

1-0 days before deadline: Proposal submitted

SPS is responsible for ensuring that applications are compliant and that institutional and sponsor guidelines are met including administrative, management, and scientific information. Please contact Paul Hudobenko (hudobenko@uchc.edu/UConn Health) or Mark Reeves (mark.reeves@uconn.edu/Storrs and Regionals) with questions as we move to a consistent and sustainable process.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in our collaborative efforts to advance UConn’s mission through innovative research, scholarship, and creative pursuits.

 

Proposal Development, Review, and Submission Timeline

Full Business Days Before Submission Deadline

>6 days: PI provides application components to local grants administrator (or Faculty Services)

5 days: Complete application (plus draft scientific components) and IPR submitted to SPS

5-2 days: SPS reviews proposal and provides feedback

2 days: Corrections made and all approvals in place

Noon day before deadline: Final proposal and PI authorization to submit to sponsor provided to SPS

1-0 days before deadline: Proposal submitted

 

RDS Contacts

Meet the Research Development Services Team!

Under the leadership and direction of Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Pamir Alpay, the Research Development Services team is excited to put their talents and experience to work partnering with UConn/UConn Health investigators to increase faculty grant-seeking success.

 

Bethany Drews Javidi, MA – Large/Complex Proposal Development Specialist

Bethany Drews Javidi has worked in proposal development at UConn since fall of 2013, primarily in the School of Engineering (SoE), where she supported numerous large-scale research and education proposals to a range of agencies, including NSF, NIH, the US Departments of Education, Energy, Defense, and Transportation, and others. She also cultivated junior faculty grantsmanship skills through NSF CAREER proposal development workshops and mentoring, which led to 20 NSF CAREER awards to SoE faculty since 2016.

Matthew Mroz, PhD – Manager, Research Development Services

Matt is responsible for the management of the OVPR’s portfolio of internal seed and commercialization funding opportunities, the selection processes for Limited Submission grant and award opportunities, Grantwriting Training, and the coordination of proposal development support services.  Matt earned his doctorate in English from UConn in 2015 (research interests: English Renaissance Literature and Rhetoric), and he has teaching and administrative experience in early modern literature and rhetoric and composition.

Caitlin O’Connell, PhD – Research Development Associate

Caitlin provides proposal development support to faculty, including consultation, editing, and document management. Prior to joining the OVPR, she worked as a postdoctoral research associate in Allied Health Sciences. She completed a PhD in Pathobiology at UConn, where her research focused on vaccine safety. She began her career with a B.S. in Biology from Stonehill College.

RDS Proposal Development Policies

  • Policies – Prerequisites
    • We consider investigators to be our partners in this process. Having access to thoughtful and complete responses to our requests for information enables us to provide the highest level of support possible.
    • Incomplete requests will be returned to the PI. Requests that are resubmitted may not retain their original position in the service queue. Any questions regarding prerequisite documents may be sent to ovpr-rds@uconn.edu.
  • Policies – Project Timelines
    • Our Service Descriptions give estimated timelines that are based on the minimum length of time required for completion of service after approval of your request. Some services may require additional meetings, background research or consultation efforts that can add to project timelines.
    • Maintaining scheduled timelines is a joint effort between RDS and the investigators. We will make every effort to accommodate your schedule into our workflow. As part of our project onboarding process, we will agree on a timeline with the PI. Please be aware that we may need to curtail support if mutually agreed upon deadlines aren’t met.
    • Requests submitted within 14 days of the proposal due date are unlikely to receive service.
  • Policies- Sharing of funder reviews and comments
    • Access to funder comments or reviews is helpful to our team to understand how we can enhance the competitiveness of submissions and improve our services. For this reason, researchers who submit proposals after receiving support from RDS are asked to provide follow-up information on the outcome of their proposal submission, including funder reviews or comments.
    • Any funder data, reviews, or comments will be used ONLY by the RDS staff to assess our services and monitor the funding landscape. These documents will remain confidential and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

Request Research Development Services

Request Process

All requests will be routed through the Proposal Development Request webform (NetID required for submissions). Requestors will receive a confirmation email after submitting the form. We will follow up with an email if more information is needed to evaluate the request. Please submit requests as early as possible.

Request RDS Service

Evaluation Process

Requests for support will be evaluated by the Research Development Services team on a regular basis.  Investigators should expect to receive a response from RDS within 3-5 days.  Due to limited resources, not all requests can be supported at this time. Factors such as RDS team capacity, other potential support resources, project scope and timeline, and strategic imperatives will be considered during evaluation.  Hanover Research and other external partners/consultants will be used to extend the capacity of the RDS team as needed.  RDS services are supported by the OVPR and are open to all UConn/UConn Health faculty free of charge.

Priority will be given to:

  • Proposals that align with institutional, school/college, and OVPR priorities
  • Large, complex, and multidisciplinary proposals

Questions?  Please contact the RDS team at OVPR-RDS@uconn.edu

Proposal Development Services Offered

Please click to expand the sections below in order to learn more about the Research Development Services (RDS) available.

RDS services are supported by the OVPR and are open to all UConn/UConn Health free of charge.

Consultation to determine fit with funding opportunity

What we provide: A phone call or video chat to discuss how your proposed research meets the described funding opportunity and the funder’s overall priorities, as well as margin comments on your document to enhance competitiveness. We may also suggest that you contact a funding agency program officer or other experts and can provide suggestions on what to say during this discussion.

What you provide: The funding opportunity you are interested in applying to (website link or PDF document) and a one-page concept paper or specific aims document describing your research and how you will respond to the funding opportunity.

Timeline: This consultation requires a minimum of one week. We recommend that this step is completed several months before the proposal due date.

Brief review of an early draft

What we provide: High-level comments on narrative structure and content. Changes will be tracked and notes made in the margin of your document. Comments may relate to alignment with funder objectives, the logical flow of the narrative, completeness, and general grantsmanship suggestions.

What you provide: A completed draft of the project narrative or description and the funding opportunity you are interested in applying to (website link or PDF document). For any resubmissions/revisions, please also provide the previous submission and any reviews or comments from the funder.

Timeline: This brief review requires a minimum of two weeks. We recommend that the review is completed one to two months before the proposal due date to allow time for modifications.

In-depth review of a completed draft

What we provide: High-level comments on narrative structure and content. Changes will be tracked and notes made in the margin of your document. Comments may relate to alignment with funder objectives, the logical flow of the narrative, completeness, and general grantsmanship suggestions. Review of written supporting documents if provided by the PI. Line edits for improved wording, grammatical structure, etc. are available upon request, scheduling permitting.

What you provide: A completed draft of the project narrative or description, the project abstract or summary, and other supporting documentation you would like to have reviewed. Please also provide the funding opportunity you are interested in applying to (website link or PDF document). For any resubmissions/revisions, please also provide the previous submission and any reviews or comments from the funder.

Timeline:  High-level comments on narrative structure and content should take place 1-2 months before the proposal is due. Follow-up review with line edits should take place within three weeks of proposal submission.

Mid-scale proposal development support ($1M-$5M)

What we can provide:

  1. Planning support – review of funding opportunity (proposal requirements), analysis of funding agency expectations, establishing proposal development timeline
  2. Writing and editing – document review, writing support as needed (generally non-scientific sections)
  3. Document management – coordinate with PI, research team, and budget and administrative support staff

What you provide: The funding opportunity you are interested in applying to (website link or PDF document), your anticipated team of PIs/personnel, and a one- to two-page concept paper describing your research and how you will respond to the funding opportunity.

Timeline: This service should be requested at least 3-6 months prior to the proposal due date.

Large and complex proposal development support ($5M+)

What we can provide:

  1. Planning support – review of funding opportunity (proposal requirements), analysis of funding agency expectations, establishing proposal development timeline
  2. Organizational – coordination among research team, external partners, administrative staff, etc.; tracking progress towards proposal completion; keeping process on track.
  3. Writing and editing – document review, writing support as needed (generally non-scientific sections)
  4. Document management – coordinate with PI, research team, and budget and administrative support staff

What you provide: The funding opportunity you are interested in applying to (website link or PDF document), your anticipated team of PIs/personnel, and a one- to two-page concept paper describing your research and how you will respond to the funding opportunity.

Timeline: This service should be requested at least 6 months prior to the proposal due date.

Now available! – Proposal Proofreading

What we provide:  A full read-through of the proposal by a member of our proofreading pool to identify and correct typos, formatting errors, or minor grammatical issues.  Track changes will be used to allow the investigator an opportunity to review all changes made prior to the proposal moving forward.

What you provide: A final version of all proposal documents the investigator would like reviewed.  Documents provided should be as close to a final polished form as possible; the proofreading service is intended to give proposal documents a final review, not more substantive revision and editing.

Timeline: Proposal proofreading requires a minimum of 3-5 business days. We recommend that this step is requested no later than 10 business days before the proposal due date to the sponsor (5 business days prior to the SPS Pre-award internal deadline).

 

Research Development Services (RDS): Proposal Development Services Overview

Overview

As a University, we’ve committed to work together to substantially grow UConn/UConn Health’s capacity for high-level research, scholarship, and creative endeavors.  As part of its Research Development (RD) efforts, the Office of the Vice President for Research now offers proposal development services to increase the competitiveness of proposals UConn/UConn Health investigators submit to funders.  The services offered include consultation, brief and in depth proposal reviews, and large and complex proposal support.  They are open to all UConn/UConn Health faculty free of charge.

Proposal development services build on the success of OVPR RD initiatives such as grantwriting training and seed funding programs by providing grantwriting support, including grantsmanship reviews, proposal editing, and project management support for large and complex proposals.  These services are designed to ensure that high-quality science and scholarship proposed by UConn investigators can be as competitive as possible.

To learn more about the role and mission of our Research Development Services team, the services we offer, and UConn’s priority areas for research growth, please explore our website.

RDS Proposal Development Mission

The mission of the Research Development Services (RDS) team is to support the research growth of the University by increasing the competitiveness of proposals submitted by UConn/UConn Health investigators seeking external funding.  We prioritize support for proposals that align with one or more of the University’s strategic priorities.  We aim to provide targeted support of the proposal development process, using our skills and experience to extend and refine the capacity of UConn/UConn Health faculty to develop and submit larger and more compelling proposals.  Our goal is to provide high-level support in our areas of expertise, including:

  • Technical writing and editing
  • Interpreting and applying the requirements and proposal conventions of major funders, funding programs, and funding opportunity announcements
  • Knowledge of grantsmanship strategies
  • Project Management
  • Familiarity with UConn/UConn Health research capacities, faculty, resources, and systems

The role of the RDS team in the proposal development process

Investigators are the driving force behind the writing and submission of grant proposals.  Without the scientific/scholarly expertise, ambition, and dedicated work of PIs, proposals don’t get done!  However, we also know that PIs rarely work alone as they seek external funding; proposal preparation and submission is usually a team effort.  Let’s take a look at the different players in the grantseeking process and see how research development fits in.

Scientific/Scholarly Team: The PI(s) and their team(s) of collaborators are the creative center of the grantwriting process.  Together, they set the direction of the work, draft technical sections of the proposal, and work to ensure that the research proposed is of high scientific/scholarly merit, consulting when necessary with other disciplinary experts.

Budget and Administrative Support: The staff in the investigators’ departments, school/college office, or in OVPR Faculty Services are essential members of the team who assist with the preparation of budgets, proposal assembly, and other administrative aspects of the proposal development process.

SPS Pre-award: The staff in Sponsored Program Services, while not involved in the creation of a proposal, are responsible for conducting a final compliance review and certification of the proposal, and in most cases are responsible for its final submission to the sponsor.

Research Development Services Support: The Research Development Services team provides an additional layer of proposal development support, filling gaps between what the PI team is responsible for and what the budget and administrative support team is responsible for.

  • While not necessarily scientific/scholarly experts in the PI(s) field(s), the RDS team are experts in writing, editing, and organization and in the requirements/expectations of funders. The RDS team can join with the PI team to help produce proposal narratives that are clearer, more compelling, and better aligned with funder expectations—i.e. proposals that are more fundable!
  • For larger and more complex proposals, the RDS team can provide a project management function for the proposal development process. RDS can help set and manage timelines, facilitate group interactions, assist with document management, and help coordinate connections among the differing areas of budget and administrative support that may be involved with a large/complex proposal.

UConn COVID-19 Rapid Start Funding (COVID-RSF) Program

Note: The guidelines below are for the first cycle of COVID-RSF funding, which is now closed.  Click here for updated and expanded COVID-RSF2 (COVID-19 Research Seed Fund) guidelines.

 

Purpose

COVID-RSF is an initiative of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) that supports the development of promising projects related to COVID-19.  Many funding agencies have responded to the pandemic by creating emergency/rapid funding mechanisms that address key scientific problems related to the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this disease.  A recent and notable example is the NIH RADx-rad program, which seeks to advance capabilities related to COVID-19 testing.

This internal funding mechanism seeks to identify and support novel technologies and approaches with strong potential to be competitive for emergency funding opportunities addressing COVID-19.  Proposals should be able to make a compelling case that the technology/approach is unique and can have a significant impact on COVID-19 related challenges in the near term.  Given the rapidly-changing nature of the COVID-19 funding landscape, projects with the potential for this kind of impact will be considered regardless of whether a specific external funding opportunity currently addresses it.

COVID-RSF seeks proposals for potentially high-impact projects that are ready to launch in a short period of time.  As such, early-stage seed projects or other developmental work will not be competitive.  Applications will be collected and rapidly reviewed in early September, with funding to be released by October 1.  It is expected that COVID-RSF funding will be used to support a short ramp-up period for these highly-competitive projects while they are being submitted and considered for rapid-response external funding.

To give a sense of the NIH’s current interests related to COVID-19, some of the topics addressed by the recent RADx-rad program include:

  1. Wastewater detection of SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19)
  2. Exosome-based Non-traditional Technologies Towards Multi-Parametric and Integrated Approaches for SARS-CoV-2
  3. Chemosensory Testing as a COVID-19 Screening Tool
  4. Predicting Viral-Associated Inflammatory Disease Severity in Children with Laboratory Diagnostics and Artificial Intelligence (PreVAIL kIds)
  5. Multimodal COVID-19 surveillance methods for High Risk Populations in densely populated facilities
  6. Novel Biosensing for Screening, Diagnosis and Monitoring of COVID-19 From Skin and The Oral Cavity
  7. Automatic detection and tracing of SARS-COV-2
  8. RADx-rad will also have a Data Coordination Center (DCC) which will provide management, direction, and overall coordination across RADx-rad awardees in areas such as data sharing, data management standards, terminologies, and common data elements.

Other topics from across all disciplines will also be considered, so long as they have potential to make an immediate impact on the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19.

 Timeline:

  • Proposals (brief whitepapers, plus budget and biosketches) due Friday, Sept 11 2020 by 12 noon. Program now closed.
  • Submissions should be made via the UConn Quest portal.
  • Award notices expected by Sept 18.  Award setup will begin immediate after notice, pending the completion of compliance review.

Program/Award Details:

  • Several awards of up to $50K will be made
  • As these are rapid-response grants, it is expected that projects would spin up quickly following award and the scope-of-work completed within a few months.  Projects with a scope longer than 6 months are strongly discouraged.

 

Eligibility

The COVID-RSF Program is available to UConn / UConn Health faculty members, within the following parameters:

  • UConn Primary Appointment: PIs must be full-time faculty whose primary appointment is at UConn/UConn Health. Investigators with primary appointments to CCMC, Jackson Labs, TIP companies, or other institutions are not eligible to lead projects, but they may be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.  Proposals that include external Co-PIs should be careful to describe how responsibility for the project will be divided between institutions, and ideally they will include cost-sharing commitments from external partners
  • Effort and Salary: Although no minimum effort level is required for COVID-RSF projects, a UConn/UConn Health PI/Co-PI must have departmental research time available during the award period or address in the application how they will handle the time commitment required by the project. PIs/Co-PIs must each make significant and distinct intellectual contributions to the design and direction of the project. Generally speaking, awards are only available to UConn/UConn Health tenure-track and clinical faculty and in-Residence faculty at the Storrs/Regional campuses. UCH in-residence faculty and research faculty are not eligible to apply as PI but can be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.
  • Application Limits: Eligible faculty may submit multiple proposals, so long as each are scientifically distinct. Investigators may serve as collaborator on multiple projects.

Proposal Guidelines

Proposals for COVID-RSF Awards should contain the following elements and follow the structure and guidelines indicated.  All length guidelines assume 1” margins, 11-12pt fonts, single spacing and single side pages.

  • Cover Page: Title of Project, Principal investigator(s) with contact information, List of other team members, Specific funding mechanism targeted, Target submission date
  • White Paper: Briefly describe the project, how it will be conducted, and anticipated outcomes. White papers should address the following areas and should not exceed 2-3 pages in length:
    • Core Research Questions to be addressed and their significance
    • Currently available resources and personnel and how they will support the project
    • Proposed activities under COVID-RSF Award and how they will advance the project towards the goal of impacting the fight against COVID-19.  If you have a specific funding mechanism in mind for follow-up funding, also address how the work under this award will improve competitiveness for that mechanism.
  • Budget describing and justifying use of COVID-RSF funds.  You can use this budget template.
  • Biosketches / CVs for all PIs and Co-PIs: Please include an updated biosketch consistent with NIH (max 5 pg)/NSF (max 2 pg) format.  If your field is not typically funded by NSF/NIH, please include a brief CV following your discipline’s conventions.
  • NSF/NIH-style Letters of support from any facilities providing support during the COVID-RSF award period

Budget Guidelines

Below are general guidelines regarding allowable/unallowable costs that are consistent with other OVPR internal funding opportunities.  Given the unique nature of the COVID-RSF mechanism, we understand that these guidelines may not include all budget items that are necessary to enhance competitiveness for your targeted external mechanism.  If you have a budget need that does not fit within these guidelines, you may include it, but we ask that you provide strong justification in support of the request.  You can use this budget template.

  • Allowable costs include: graduate research assistant salary, Postdoc or other Research Assistant salary, Undergraduate Researcher salary, Course buyouts (approval letter from Department Head required), Fringe costs, equipment purchases, travel to conduct research or meet with collaborators (Provost approval may be required), materials and supplies, participant support costs, animal/animal care costs, contractual services
  • Unallowable costs include: faculty member salaries, clerical or administrative personnel salaries, including personnel whose primary purpose is to explore funding sources and/or prepare grant applications; service/maintenance contracts on equipment; laboratory renovations, or other infrastructure renovations; institutional memberships in professional organizations; travel to professional meetings to present the results of the research; travel to explore extramural funding opportunities; costs associated with the publication of results of the research, including page charges, purchase of reprints, or journal costs.

Review Criteria

  • Timing – Is the project capable of spinning up immediately?
  • Significance/Importance – Does this project address a significant scientific question / technical problem?
  • Innovation/Novelty – Does this project approach the problem in a new/innovative way?
  • Feasibility of Approach – Does this project have a clear and methodologically sound approach?  Is the plan of work described likely to succeed?
  • Environment/Resources – Are available resources/facilities sufficient to successfully complete the work?
  • PI/Team qualifications – Who will be working on this project, and how are they uniquely suited to accomplish this work?  Does the team have a strong track record of external grant success?
  • Outcome – Does the project promise to produce significant value / high impact?
  • Assessment – Does the project have a reasonable plan for measuring and determining success?
  • Budget – Are funds to be used efficiently and effectively to achieve project goals?

Post-Award Considerations and Reporting

  • Reporting requirements: PIs will need to prepare a brief report summarizing project progress within six months.
  • Further reports on project outcomes may be requested in the future to track return on investment.

Program Contacts

    • Administrative contact: Matt Mroz, PhD, OVPR Internal Funding Coordinator. research@uconn.edu;
    • Program Director: Mark Aindow, PhD, Executive Director for Innovation, External Engagement, and Industry Relations. m.aindow@uconn.edu

UConn COVID-19 Research Seed Funding (COVID-RSF2) Program

Note: The guidelines below are for the second cycle of COVID-RSF funding.  Click here to for the first cycle guidelines.  The COVID-RSF program is now closed and no additional funding cycles are anticipated.

Purpose

COVID-RSF (Rapid Start Funding) and COVID-RSF2 (Research Seed Funding) are initiatives of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) that support the development of promising projects related to COVID-19.  Given the enthusiastic and high-quality response to the first COVID-RSF cycle (37 white papers were received, resulting in 5 awards of up to $50K each), Vice President Maric has allocated additional funds to support COVID-19 related research.  The OVPR anticipates offering an additional 10 awards of up to $10K each.

This new competition, COVID-RSF2, expands the scope of the previous call to include longer-term projects and additional topics.  In addition to seeking mature projects promising very near-term impact on the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19, we also welcome proposals for earlier-stage COVID-19 seed projects, small scale pilot projects, projects related to the social and medical impact of COVID-19, and other related topics.

Applications will be collected and rapidly reviewed in mid-to-late October, with the goal releasing funding by early November.

 

Timeline:

  • Proposals (brief whitepapers, plus budget and biosketches) due Friday, October 16, 2020 by 12 noon.
  • Submissions should be made via the UConn Quest portal.
  • Award notices expected by October 30.  Award setup will begin immediate after notice, pending the completion of compliance review.

 

Program/Award Details:

  • Up to 10 awards of up to $10K will be made
  • Standard award period will be November 2020 through December 31, 2021.

 

Eligibility

The COVID-RSF2 Program is available to UConn / UConn Health faculty members, within the following parameters:

  • UConn Primary Appointment: PIs must be full-time faculty whose primary appointment is at UConn/UConn Health. Investigators with primary appointments to CCMC, Jackson Labs, TIP companies, or other institutions are not eligible to lead projects, but they may be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.  Proposals that include external Co-PIs should be careful to describe how responsibility for the project will be divided between institutions, and ideally they will include cost-sharing commitments from external partners
  • Effort and Salary: Although no minimum effort level is required for COVID-RSF2 projects, a UConn/UConn Health PI/Co-PI must have institutionally-funded research time available during the award period or address in the application how they will handle the time commitment required by the project. PIs/Co-PIs must each make significant and distinct intellectual contributions to the design and direction of the project. Generally speaking, awards are only available to UConn/UConn Health tenure-track and clinical faculty and in-Residence faculty at the Storrs/Regional campuses. UCH in-residence faculty and research faculty are not eligible to apply as PI but can be named as Co-PIs, collaborators, or consultants on an eligible PI’s project.
  • Application Limits: Eligible faculty may submit multiple proposals, so long as each are scientifically distinct. Investigators may serve as collaborator on multiple projects.
  • COVID-RSF Resubmissions:  Faculty who submitted white papers for the previous COVID-RSF mechanism are eligible to resubmit if they wish, provided the white papers and budgets are appropriately reconfigured to be commensurate with a $10K award.

Proposal Guidelines

Proposals for COVID-RSF2 Awards should contain the following elements and follow the structure and guidelines indicated.  All length guidelines assume 1” margins, 11-12pt fonts, single spacing and single side pages.

  • Cover Page: Title of Project, Principal investigator(s) with contact information, List of other team members, Specific funding mechanism targeted, Target submission date
  • White Paper: Briefly describe the project, how it will be conducted, and anticipated outcomes. White papers should address the following areas and should not exceed 2-3 pages in length:
    • Core Research Questions to be addressed and their significance
    • Currently available resources and personnel and how they will support the project
    • Proposed activities under COVID-RSF2 Award and how they will advance the project towards the goal of impacting the fight against COVID-19.  If you have a specific funding mechanism in mind for follow-up funding, also address how the work under this award will improve competitiveness for that mechanism.
  • Budget describing and justifying use of COVID-RSF2 funds.  You can use this budget template.
  • Biosketches / CVs for all PIs and Co-PIs: Please include an updated biosketch consistent with NIH (max 5 pg)/NSF (max 2 pg) format.  If your field is not typically funded by NSF/NIH, please include a brief CV following your discipline’s conventions.
  • NSF/NIH-style Letters of support from any facilities providing support during the COVID-RSF award period

Budget Guidelines

Below are general guidelines regarding allowable/unallowable costs that are consistent with other OVPR internal funding opportunities.  If you have a budget need that does not fit within these guidelines, you may include it, but we ask that you provide strong justification in support of the request.  You can use this budget template.

  • Allowable costs include: graduate research assistant salary, Postdoc or other Research Assistant salary, Undergraduate Researcher salary, Course buyouts (approval letter from Department Head required), Fringe costs, equipment purchases, travel to conduct research or meet with collaborators (Provost approval may be required), materials and supplies, participant support costs, animal/animal care costs, contractual services
  • Unallowable costs include: faculty member / professional staff salaries, clerical or administrative personnel salaries, including personnel whose primary purpose is to explore funding sources and/or prepare grant applications; service/maintenance contracts on equipment; laboratory renovations, or other infrastructure renovations; institutional memberships in professional organizations; travel to professional meetings to present the results of the research; travel to explore extramural funding opportunities; costs associated with the publication of results of the research, including page charges, purchase of reprints, or journal costs.

Review Criteria

  • Significance/Importance – Does this project address a significant scientific question / technical problem?
  • Innovation/Novelty – Does this project approach the problem in a new/innovative way?
  • Feasibility of Approach – Does this project have a clear and methodologically sound approach?  Is the plan of work described likely to succeed?
  • Environment/Resources – Are available resources/facilities sufficient to successfully complete the work?
  • PI/Team qualifications – Who will be working on this project, and how are they uniquely suited to accomplish this work?  Does the team have a strong track record of external grant success?
  • Outcome – Does the project promise to produce significant value / high impact?
  • Assessment – Does the project have a reasonable plan for measuring and determining success?
  • Budget – Are funds to be used efficiently and effectively to achieve project goals?

Post-Award Considerations and Reporting

  • Reporting requirements: PIs will need to prepare a brief report summarizing project progress at the conclusion of the project.
  • Further reports on project outcomes may be requested in the future to track return on investment.

Program Contacts

    • Administrative contact: Matt Mroz, PhD, OVPR Internal Funding Coordinator. research@uconn.edu;
    • Program Director: Mark Aindow, PhD, Executive Director for Innovation, External Engagement, and Industry Relations. m.aindow@uconn.edu

Innovation Funding Opportunities

Below is a list of funding opportunities for research faculty and students in the areas of Agricultural Sciences, Animal Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Food Sciences, and opportunities for startups.  If you would like to have an opportunity added to the below list, please contact techcomm@uconn.edu.

Agricultural Sciences

Program

Deadline

Description
Bayer Partnering Opportunities Admission Dates Vary Bayer’s vision of #HealthForAll, #HungerForNone drives our need to strengthen innovation capabilities in all areas of agriculture. We know we can’t accomplish this alone, so we’re always interested to hear about novel, early-stage scientific innovations that can contribute to feeding the world without starving the planet. You have our commitment to take a look, match with our R&D priorities and provide you timely feedback.
BASF Admission Dates Vary Join us in our efforts to innovate for a sustainable future: we welcome you to bring in your expertise to help with our ongoing challenges. Beyond that, we regularly offer opportunities for external collaboration in temporary campaigns. Additionally, in our open collaborations, you may find a perfect match with your profile. Take initiative and get in touch with us.
Rolling Admissions Nitrogen is a key requirement for crop growth and building healthy soil supports sustainable crop production. The aim of this project is to identify and validate microbiome health technologies which reduce the reliance on synthetic agrochemicals applied to and/or improve soil health in potato, oat, citrus and corn crops, whilst maintaining yield and quality.
Natural Systems for Reduction in Pesticides, Fungicides, and Fertilizers on Key Crops Rolling Admissions Mondelēz International seeks natural, safe means for increasing growth of key crops such as wheat and cocoa and/or to fight common insect pests and diseases such as fusarium head blight in wheat and Vascular Streak Dieback black pod, pink disease and witches´ broom in cocoa.

Animal Sciences

Program Deadline Description

Education

Program

Deadline

Description

Life Science

 

Program

Deadline

Description
CSL Research Acceleration Initiative February 27, 2024

CSL is a leading global biotech company that develops and delivers innovative biotherapies to help people living with life-threatening medical conditions live full lives. CSL’s Research Acceleration Initiative aims to fast-track discovery of innovative biotherapies through partnerships between CSL and global research organizations. Successful applicants will receive funding of up to $400,000. USD over 2 years.

Interested researchers are invited to:

Attend information webinars to learn more about the initiative: Webinars will be held on:

  • Weds 17th January 4pm ET/ 3pm CT / 2pm MT / 1pm PT or
  • Mon 5th February 12pm ET/ 11am CT / 10am MT / 9am PT

Contact Ana Fidantsef (ana.fidantsef@uconn.edu) to obtain webinar links and online application submission instructions

Submit a non-confidential, 300 word abstract via the CSL online application portal by 27th February 2024 – coming up soon!
AstraZeneca Preclinical Molecules  Rolling Admissions
 Identifying disease targets for active molecules is integral to modern drug discovery. AstraZeneca’s aim is to make high-quality life science research tools available to the external research community to accelerate innovative scientific research. These include antibodies, PROTAC molecules and oligonucleotides that have been developed as part of its drug discovery programs. By combining AstraZeneca’s resources with your insights, we can generate high-quality preclinical data that enhances the understanding of disease pathways and supports the future generation of life-changing medicines.
Merck Investigator Studies Program Rolling Admissions Areas of interest at Merck include: Cardiovascular, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis, Neuroscience, Oncology, Patient Engagement, Diversity and Health Literacy, Respiratory, SARS CoV-2/COVID-19 TREATMENT, Surgery, and Vaccines.
Merck Business Development Rolling Admissions Open-ended way to connect with Merck’s Business Development team. Use this link to submit any non-confidential information for areas that do not fit neatly into the Merck Investigator Studies Program sections.
AstraZeneca open innovations Rolling Admissions Multiple opportunities.  Please refer to website for details.
Rare Treatment Accelerator (RTA) Rolling Admissions The Rare Treatment Accelerator program connects academic groups, patient groups and early-stage biotechs with Healx to unlock the power of repurposed drugs for rare diseases. Working together, we can quickly turn your research, insights and promising repurposing assets into treatments that will benefit rare disease patients.
Pfizer-Vaccines Areas of Interest Rolling Admissions Qualified researchers are invited to submit research proposals, according to the guidance and instructions found on www.pfizer.com/ISR. A proposal requesting Pfizer support (e.g., funding and/or drug supply) is not a guarantee of acceptance or approval of that proposal. Decisions on support for submissions are made by the applicable Pfizer Global Reviewers. 
Pfizer- Inflammation and Immunology Areas of Interest Rolling Admissions Qualified researchers are invited to submit research proposals, according to the guidance and instructions found on www.pfizer.com/ISR. A proposal requesting Pfizer support (e.g., funding and/or drug supply) is not a guarantee of acceptance or approval of that proposal. Decisions on support for submissions are made by the applicable Pfizer Global Reviewers. 
Pfizer- Rare Disease Areas of Interest Rolling Admissions Qualified researchers are invited to submit research proposals, according to the guidance and instructions found on www.pfizer.com/ISR. A proposal requesting Pfizer support (e.g., funding and/or drug supply) is not a guarantee of acceptance or approval of that proposal. Decisions on support for submissions are made by the applicable Pfizer Global Reviewers. 
Pfizer- Internal Medicine Areas of Interest Rolling Admissions Qualified researchers are invited to submit research proposals, according to the guidance and instructions found on www.pfizer.com/ISR. A proposal requesting Pfizer support (e.g., funding and/or drug supply) is not a guarantee of acceptance or approval of that proposal. Decisions on support for submissions are made by the applicable Pfizer Global Reviewers. 
Cyclica Academic Partnership Program

 

 Rolling Admissions Ligand Design Award
Generate novel compounds with desired ADMET properties that are specific to your target(s) of interest while avoiding anti-target(s)Ligand Express Award
Screen existing compounds for mechanisms of action, ADMET predictions, or repurposing opportunities. Cyclica is committed to award at least two labs at the University of Connecticut

 

Physical Sciences

Program Deadline Description
   
IN-PART Global Challenge Campaign Rolling Admissions The research or technology could be anything that provides a positive step forwards for sustainability within plastics, polymers and polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs), by using raw materials that are renewable or sustainable, processes that minimize environmental impacts, and alternatives to plastics that are biodegradable or recyclable. 
Halo Science-Expanded temperature ranges for adhesives Rolling Admissions The sponsor is seeking novel approaches to expand the temperature range of these commercial adhesives to temperatures below 4 C°. Potential solutions from adjacent industries are of significant interest, including novel materials, innovations in manufacturing processes and engineering solutions. Possible partnerships include contract research, providing grant monies, or other forms of investment.

Solutions of interest include:

Materials substitution, multifunctional materials, engineered products, or novel material structures
Curing agents or additives that lower the operational temperature window
Modifications to current manufacturing processes
Coatings, surface treatments, sealing agents, or other post-processing solutions would be considered but are of a lower priority than other methods
BASF Admission Dates Vary Join us in our efforts to innovate for a sustainable future: we welcome you to bring in your expertise to help with our ongoing challenges. Beyond that, we regularly offer opportunities for external collaboration in temporary campaigns. Additionally, in our open collaborations, you may find a perfect match with your profile. Take initiative and get in touch with us.
Shell N/A See website for more details.

Other Opportunities

Program Deadline Description
 

Undergraduate Participation in On-Campus Summer 2020 Lab/Field Research

Posted on by

  • The Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Vice President for Research have release guidance on undergraduate participation in on-campus lab/field research during the summer.

    Process to request Undergraduate Student participation in research:

    • The Undergraduate Student should complete and submit the Undergraduate Student Research Request Form. Once submitted, this will be emailed automatically to both the Office of Undergraduate Research and OVPR.
    • The faculty member wanting to add one or more undergraduate students to an approved safety plan should complete and submit the Request to Include Undergraduate Students Form.
    • Once BOTH forms are received, the OVPR will respond with an Approval to both the student and faculty member.
    • For questions or concerns contact the OVPR at ovpr@uconn.edu or Office of Undergraduate Research at our@uconn.edu.

    For more information on safely conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the OVPR’s COVID-19 Resource page.

Guidance on Undergraduate Student Participation in Research

Process to request summer Undergraduate Student participation in research. Undergrads will need to be trained on the approved safety plan and have their training documented. The OVPR and Provost’s office will communicate the needed steps for participation in research during the fall semester once the process has been finalized.

  • The Undergraduate Student should complete and submit the Undergraduate Student Research Request Form. Once submitted, this will be emailed automatically to both the Office of Undergraduate Research and OVPR.
  • The faculty member wanting to add one or more undergraduate students to an approved safety plan should complete and submit the Request to Include Undergraduate Students Form.
  • Once BOTH forms are received, the OVPR will respond with an Approval to both the student and faculty member.
  • For questions or concerns contact the OVPR at ovpr@uconn.edu or Office of Undergraduate Research at  our@uconn.edu.

For information about Undergraduate research during the Fall 2020 semester, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research’s website.

Guidance for Reopening Research Involving Human Subjects

This document details the minimum safety procedures that must be in place in order for UConn and UConn Health investigators to be approved by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) to reopen or initiate new human subjects research. Principal investigators (PIs) must tailor their safety plans to meet the needs of each individual research situation. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is available to answer safety related questions from PIs. If you have safety related questions, please email ehs@uconn.edu if your human subject research activities are conducted at the Storrs or regional campuses or call (860) 679-2723 if these activities are taking place at UConn Health.

Guiding principles:

  • Careful planning is required to reduce opportunities for exposure.
  • No individual project involving human subject research activities may be re-started without prior approval from the OVPR.
  • Plan for and operate under the assumption that everyone is an asymptomatic virus carrier.
  • Physical distancing is critical. The recommended minimum distance between individuals is six feet.
  • The smallest number of study personnel possible should conduct approved research until UConn returns to normal operations. This may require the development of cohorts and non-overlapping shifts when scheduling.
  • Research or components of studies that can be conducted without face-to-face interactions or interventions should continue to be conducted remotely.
  • Guidelines will be continually updated as more information about COVID-19 becomes available. Updated guidance will be posted on the OVPR website and communicated to UConn/UConn Health faculty and staff. PIs are responsible for staying informed about changes that will impact human subjects research.
  • If there is a second surge of infection, it may be necessary for research to be ramped down again. During safety planning, consider which studies can be easily halted or delayed. PIs should develop a continuity plan for another potential research ramp-down.
  • Special attention must be paid to risks posed to more vulnerable research subjects (e.g., immunocompromised subjects, older adults with multiple chronic diseases) when evaluating the risks/benefits of subject visits to UConn research facilities.
  • If the facility where the research is being conducted has specific requirements or policies related to COVID-19, then the more restrictive of those or the policies described in this guidance must be followed.

Specific recommendations:

Screening

All participants must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Ideally, participants will be screened prior to entering the research facility (e.g. phone, email, or web-based assessment on the day of the visit) or otherwise being engaged with study interactions or interventions.

Screening Questions

  1. Have you or someone you live with been tested for or diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last four weeks?
  2. Are you experiencing any of the following?
  • Fever (100.4 or higher)
  • Chills
  • New or worsening shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • New or worsening cough
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • New loss of smell or taste

If, such as is currently the case at UConn Health, all individuals entering the facility or building will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure, then additional screening would not be necessary. If a participant screens positive, then their appointment must be cancelled or rescheduled and the individual should be encouraged to contact their primary care physician and/or the UConn Health COVID Call Center at (860) 679-7560. Temperature screening is not required, but PIs may choose to adopt this measure if it is consistent with campus/building recommendations.

Facial Covering/PPE Requirements

  1. A cloth facial covering or procedure mask must be worn by study personnel and by participants during face-to-face interactions and interventions when:
    • The participant responds NO to COVID-19 Screening AND
    • The participant is located in or from an area or facility with no or only isolated cases AND
    • The interventions are not aerosol generation procedures AND
    • At least six feet of physical distancing will be maintained at all times

Participants and study personnel may wear their own facial coverings. If participants do not provide their own coverings or if their covering fails to cover their nose and mouth, participants must be provided with a procedural mask. Similarly, procedural masks must be available for study personnel. Furthermore, study personnel must keep facial coverings in place regardless of whether participants are present. The use of physical barriers, such as plexiglass, should be considered as additional measures.

  1. Study personnel must wear a procedure mask and face shield during face-to-face interactions and interventions with participants when:
    • The participant responds NO to COVID-19 Screening AND
    • The participant is located in or from an area or facility with no or only isolated cases AND
    • The interventions are not aerosol generation procedures AND
    • At least six feet of physical distancing will NOT be maintained at all times

Participants must continue to wear their own facial coverings or a procedure mask to the fullest extent possible. Participants should remove their mask only briefly (few minutes) if needed for study procedures. If participants do not provide their own covering or if their covering fails to cover their nose and mouth, participants must be provided with a procedural mask. Similarly, procedural masks must be available for study personnel. Furthermore, study personnel must keep facial coverings in place regardless of whether participants are present.

  1. Study personnel must wear an N95, procedure mask, face shield, and gown during face-to-face interactions and interventions with participants when:
    • The participant is known or suspected to have COVID-19 OR
    • The participant is located in or from an area or facility with known or a high likelihood of cases and/or transmission OR
    • Study procedures will not allow the participant to wear a mask or face covering for an extended period of time OR
    • The interventions are aerosol generation procedures

If N95 masks are required, study personnel are required to complete EHS training and certification in order to gain approval for N95 mask usage as outlined in EHS’ Respirator Program Policies, Programs, and Procedures. Medical clearance is also required for study personnel who will be wearing N95 masks. For student personnel, this clearance can be obtained through UConn’s Student Health and Wellness; for other research staff, clearance can be obtained through an Occupational Medicine provider (Storrs and Regional Campus researchers can contact CorpCare in South Windsor). Please contact EHS with any questions pertaining to N95 mask usage.

Relevant Resources

Cleaning/Disinfecting

  1. Research procedure areas, data collection areas, and equipment must be carefully cleaned and disinfected prior to and following use by participants or study personnel. This will include a regular wipe down of shared research equipment and spaces (e.g., desktops) after each participant visit plus a wipe down of shared research equipment and spaces at the end of the day. If participants wish to also wipe down apparatus, they must be provided with disinfectant wipes and encouraged to wear gloves when using them. Please note that any cleaning done by participants does not substitute for the required cleaning by study personnel. If participants are using keyboards, study personnel should put a smooth covering over them. Participants using a shared piece of equipment should also be offered hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol and gloves for optional use during the visit. Participants who choose to wear gloves should be provided with instructions on how to remove and dispose of gloves safely. Hand sanitizer should be available to participants throughout their study visit.

Relevant Resources

To allow for cleaning and ventilation, avoid scheduling immediate and consecutive participant visits to research spaces. If more than one clinic or procedural space is available, use a staggered schedule to alternate visits among rooms. Windows should be open when possible to aid in ventilation.

    Other Considerations

    If study personnel are visiting off-campus, non-UConn affiliated facilities (e.g., schools/camps, clinics, etc.), PIs must adhere to the rules for the site. In all cases, the more stringent of the UConn or site guidelines must be followed. Recommendations for study personnel and participants regarding the wearing of facial coverings/masks, maintaining physical distancing whenever possible, and frequent handwashing must always be followed. Research visits to study participants homes should only be conducted if they can be “contactless,” such as deliveries and pickups of samples. Research visits to long-term care facilities and nursing homes must be conducted in accord with state DPH guidelines.

    UConn Storrs/Regional Campus PIs should contact EHS at ehs@uconn.edu with specific questions about research spaces; UConn Health investigators should contact (860) 679-2723.

    References:

    CDC Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19)