uconn

SCRO Contacts

Name Title Phone Email
Audrey R. Chapman, PhD Chair, SCRO Committee 860.679.1590 achapman@uchc.edu
Ellen Ciesielski SCRO Coordinator 860.679.6004 eciesielski@uchc.edu

 

SCRO Committee Members

Audrey R. Chapman, PhD, Committee Chair, Professor, School of Medicine, Public Health Sciences

Peter Barwick, MD, Physician (retired), Community Member

Eric Bernstein, JD, EdD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Dental Medicine

Stephen Clark, PhD, Associate Professor Emeritus, School of Dental Medicine, Genetics and Genome Sciences

Caroline Dealy, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Dental Medicine, Craniofacial Sciences

Jaime Imitola, MD, Vice Chair of Research in Neurology, School of Medicine

James Mulrooney, PhD, Dean, Professor,  Central Connecticut State University, Biomolecular Science

Leonard Paplauskas, UConn Health, Associate Vice President, Research Administration (retired)

Ted Rasmussen, PhD, Associate Professor, UConn, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Ernst Reichenberger, PhD, Professor, School of Dental Medicine, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development

Richard Tombaugh, PhD, Theologian, Community Member

Isolde Bates, ex officio member, Business Services Manager, Genetics and Genome Sciences

Maureen Sansone, ex officio member, IRB Administrator, The Jackson Laboratory

Ellen Ciesielski, SCRO Coordinator, UConn Health, Research Integrity & Compliance

InfoEd FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions that our staff receives about the InfoEd eRA system. Click on a question hyperlink to see the corresponding answer.

InfoEd System Portal

How do I access InfoEd?

UConn employees and students access InfoEd securely online at https://www.infoed.uconn.edu by logging in using their existing NetID username and password. Undergraduate students are not automatically added and can click here to obtain access to InfoEd. UConn Health staff and OVPR staff based at UConn Health in Farmington access the UConn Health InfoEd site at https://uchealth.infoed.uconn.edu. Eventually, these two systems will be merged into one.

Is InfoEd available from off-campus?

Yes, InfoEd is available from both on- and off-campus locations at the website address https://www.infoed.uconn.edu for UConn Storrs/Regional campuses and https://uchealth.infoed.uconn.edu/ for UConn Health. You may use any modern, up to date, web browser (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari) to access the system.

Who is provided access to InfoEd?

UConn faculty and staff including UConn Health faculty and staff are automatically set up with an InfoEd account. Graduate students are also automatically set up in InfoEd. Undergraduate Students can request access if they are personnel on a grant or need to submit an IRB protocol for student initiated research. External users (e.g. UConn affiliates) with a business need for InfoEd access should request access after obtaining a UConn NetID through University Information Technology Services (UITS). Access or changes to existing access permissions can be requested on the Request InfoEd Access page.

Human Subjects Module

When is Department Head/Dean approval required for internal review of IRB protocols?

For initial submission of NEW human subject protocols, Department Head/Dean approval is required for all research studies that are not funded by an internal or external funding source. Department Head/Dean approval is not required when responding to a determination that the protocol requires modifications to secure approval EXCEPT when specifically required by the IRB as a condition of approval.Please note: Department Head/Dean approval is NOT required for submission of requests for continuation (expedited and full board), amendments (expedited and full board), protocol deviations or adverse events unless specifically required by the IRB.

In all cases, if the Department/School requires that all submissions be reviewed by the Department Head/Dean, Dean of Research, Graduate Coordinator, etc., then you must comply with the department policy.

What is the policy with regard to students serving as principal investigators for human subject protocols?

For the purposes of submitting protocols through InfoEd, students are now permitted to submit the protocol under their own name. However, the protocol must be routed to the faculty advisor for internal review and approval. Also, when completing the personnel section of the protocol application, the student researcher must change the role automatically assigned by InfoEd when the submission is created. The student must change the role from principal investigator (PI) to student researcher. When adding the faculty advisor to the list of key personnel, that faculty member must be given the PI role. Finally, it is important that the student researcher add the faculty member PI as a delegate to the student’s InfoEd user profile so that the faculty member can, at any time, access the protocol record. Please note: The designation of the student researcher as PI in InfoEd is solely to facilitate the online application process. In accord with UConn policies, the official PI may not be the student researcher (refer to the Eligibility for Principal Investigator Status Policy at http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=975).

For student initiated research, who must internally review and approve the protocol submission?

Principal investigators (PIs), the student's advisor, must approve ALL submissions for student initiated research protocols (e.g. initial submission, re-approval, amendments, etc.). Initial submissions of new, student initiated protocols must be approved by both the PI and the Department Head, as noted in the Department Head question above. Important: Within the submission routing process, select the faculty advisor PI as the first level of approval followed by the Department Head. See the human subjects how-to guide for entitled how to submit a human subjects IRB protocol for internal review and approval, for further instructions.

How do I submit redacted copies of consent forms that are required at the time of re-approval?

There are two ways to submit redacted copies of consent forms that are required at the time of re-approval. First, you can scan the redacted consent forms (with the last name only blacked out) and upload them in PDF format as a supporting document. if you do not have a way to scan the documents, you may hand carry or submit them to the IRB by mail – just be sure to attach a copy of the IRB Face Page from from the IRB website and indicate in the re-approval section that you are submitting copies of five consent forms.

Training and Support

Why can’t I access some how-to guides, video tutorials and/or written instructional manuals from off-campus (e.g. home, hotel while traveling, etc.)?

The how-to guides, video tutorial and instructional manual contains proprietary information about the InfoEd product such as screen shots. As such, there are restrictions on who may view the information presented in the training material. Currently, the video and how-to guides are only accessible on our website after a user logs in with their UConn NetID. You can access these materials remotely, but you must enter your netid to access the page on which these materials are stored. Don't know your UConn NetID or password, visit https://netid.uconn.edu.

How can I receive training on using the InfoEd system?

We offer regular training sessions on various InfoEd eRA modules. Please consult the upcoming events listed on the home page of this site, the Office of the Vice President for Research calendar, or the UConn Events calendar for upcoming dates/times. Many upcoming training sessions are also communicated through the Daily Digest. In addition, self-directed how-to guides and instructions are available on this website. Finally, if you find you need more individualized assistance after attending a scheduled training session or wish to invite us to offer a group training session for your school or college, department, unit or research lab, please complete the training request form with the your training needs and we will get contact you to discuss your request.

How do I get help or support?

Please email eRA-support@uconn.edu or call 860.486.7944 to be connected to a member of our eRA Helpdesk support team. The help desk line is staffed Monday-Friday (except holidays) from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. How to guides and tutorials are also available on this website.

Limited Submission Competitions

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce these limited submission funding opportunities/awards.  Limited submission programs allow only a select number of applicants from each institution.  In order to determine which PIs will be selected as the official applicants from UConn/UConn Health, an OVPR internal competition may be necessary (full process is described at our website).

PIs who wish to be considered for these opportunities must submit a notification of intent to submit form through the UConn Quest Portal by the due date listed in the competition advertisement.  PIs must be selected and approved by the OVPR to be eligible to submit.

Please send any questions you may have to research@uconn.edu.

Please allow a few moments for the data tables to load.

New Limited Submission Opportunities (updated each Wednesday)

This table details newly posted limited submissions. These limited submissions are updated weekly. Check back every Wednesday for new limited submission opportunities!

Note: Is an opportunity you found here last week no longer in this table? Please check the "All Active Opportunities" table at the bottom of this page. Limited submissions that are no longer new for the week are transferred into this table.

Available Without Competition

This table details limited submission opportunities that have past the internal NOI deadline, but received no submissions. These are available until either an NOI is submitted by a researcher, or the first sponsor deadline passes. Once one of these situations occur, the opportunity is no longer available for new submissions and will be removed from the table.

In rare occasions, some opportunities may have fast approaching deadlines, and as a result, an internal competition cannot be held within a reasonable time.  These opportunities can also be found within this table.

All Available Opportunities

This table details all available limited submission opportunities. These limited submissions are updated weekly. Check back every Wednesday for new limited submission opportunities!

Competitions Currently Under Review

This table details current opportunities for which an internal selection process is being held.  NOIs are no longer being accepted.  Information provided here for the reference of teams that have submitted NOIs

 

InfoEd Proposal Tracking

InfoEd offers investigators and administrators easy access to a host of information regarding their sponsored projects. Key features include the ability to track project funding status, research compliance approval status and requested/awarded revenue. For more information about use of InfoEd at UConn and access to How To guides, visit the InfoEd page. To login to the system, visit https://www.infoed.uconn.edu using your UConn NetID username and password.

NIH eRA Commons

The eRA Commons system is an online interface where grant applicants, grantees, and grantor agencies can access and share administrative information relating to research grants as they are received by NIH via ASSIST or Grants.gov. The eRA system allows Principal Investigators to track their applications; view summary statements and score letters; view notice of awards; submit just in time information; access eSNAP Progress Reports, Financial Status Reports and final closeout reports; and no-cost extensions.

eRA Commons registration is required prior to initiating an NIH proposal. To register for an eCommons account, complete the NIH eCommons Account Registration Form below. If you already have an ID and password, click on the second link below to login to eRA Commons.

NIH & Grants.gov

The University of Connecticut is already registered with Grants.gov. Investigators and departmental personnel need not register. NIH provides guidance on submitting applications through Grants.gov at the following sites:

 

Instructions for Routing NIH Proposals via Grants.gov. Internal paperwork must be routed through SPS before it is submitted electronically through Grants.gov.

  1. The routing process should be initiated 5 business days before the deadline date. This allows SPS to review and approve the proposal prior to submission.
  2. The proposal will not be submitted electronically to NIH until SPS receives the complete proposal package, and it has been reviewed and approved. The “complete proposal package” consists of:
    • Internal Proposal Review Form with signatures
    • Budget and Budget Justification
    • Grants.gov application

The PI does not submit the proposal to NIH. Only SPS has the authority to submit the proposal to NIH after receiving full access permission from the PI.

  1. The PI will complete the electronic application and email to preaward@uconn.edu.
  2. SPS will print the application, review for compliance with application instructions and request additional information and/or corrections as necessary.
  3. The PI will be notified when the application has been reviewed and approved.
  4. The final version must be reviewed prior to submission.

 

The Principal Investigator may submit a draft application to SPS for review and approval. The PI may submit draft attachments in the application for review and continue to update their science during the review process.The final application should be submitted to SPS 2 business days before the deadline date.

Do not wait until the last minute to deliver the final proposal package.

The grants.gov server has been known to “bog down,” particularly on deadline dates. This may result in missing the deadline.

Remember: Submission to Grants.gov and the NIH is a multi-step process. Grants.gov processes a series of validations prior to sending the application to the NIH. NIH, in turn, processes a series of business process validations prior to accepting the application.

A series of email messages will be sent to the PI and SPS when the proposal is submitted via Grants.gov.

The PI must have an eRA Commons account in order for the application to be validated by NIH. Once an application completes validation by Grants.gov, it is sent to the NIH. In order for the application to be validated by the NIH, each PI must have an eCommons account (Credential Log-In) in the NIH eRA Commons system.

If the application meets NIH validation requirements, the application is posted in the PI’s eRA eCommons account. The PI and SPS need to check the assembled application in eCommons to ensure the application is complete and has no system conversion issues. If the application did not meet NIH validation requirements and errors were generated, a corrected application must be submitted prior to the submission deadline. If warnings were generated upon validation and the PI would like to address, the previous application must be rejected and a corrected application must be submitted prior to the submission deadline.

 

Additional information for NIH submission:

Fastlane

NSF FastLane

FastLane, NSF’s interactive real-time grant management system, is used to conduct NSF business over the internet. Research.gov registration is required prior to initiating an NSF proposal.   To register for an account, complete the  Account Registration Form below. Once completed, SPS will receive an email notification for Research.gov and approve the registration.  Step-by-step instructions can be found in the Account Registration Guide.   If you already have an ID and password, click on the second link below to login to Fastlane.

Instructions for Routing NSF Proposals via FastLane

Internal paperwork must be routed through SPS before the proposal is submitted electronically through NSF Fastlane.

  1. The routing process should be initiated 5 business days before the deadline date. This allows SPS to review and approve the proposal prior to electronic submission through NSF FastLane.
  2. The proposal will not be submitted electronically to NSF until SPS receives, reviews, and approves the “complete proposal package.”  The “complete proposal package” consists of:
    • Internal Proposal Review Form with signatures
    • Budget and Budget Justification
    • Access to Fastlane application

The PI does not submit the proposal to NSF. Only SPS has the authority to submit the proposal to NSF after receiving full access permission from the PI. The PI may only “Allow SRO [Sponsored Research Office, i.e. SPS] Access.”

  • The PI will complete the electronic proposal in Fastlane and “Allow SRO Access”. SPS will print the proposal, review for compliance with proposal guidelines, and request additional information and/or corrections as necessary.
  • The PI will be notified when the application has been reviewed and approved.
  • The PI will notify SPS when the proposal is finalized and is ready for submission.
  • The final version must be reviewed by SPS prior to submission.

Understand the different levels of allowing SRO Access.

Pressing the “Allow SRO Access” button within FastLane directs the PI to a screen entitled “SRO Access Control,” where the PI should choose one of three options:

  1. Allow SRO to only view proposal but not submit.
  2. Allow SRO to view and edit but not submit proposal.
  3. Allow SRO to view, edit and submit proposal.

The third option can be activated by the PI at any stage of the proposal. Selecting the third option will not be interpreted by SPS as a signal to submit the proposal to NSF unless the PI previously indicated otherwise. The PI should contact SPS when the proposal has been finalized and is ready for submission.

The Principal Investigator may continue to edit a proposal after granting SRO Access. Remember: two events need to occur before SPS will submit a proposal to NSF:

  1. SPS must receive and approve the complete proposal package, as described above.
  2. From within the “SRO Access Control” interface, the PI must select the third option, “Allow SRO to view, edit and submit proposal.”

Do not wait until the last minute to deliver the proposal package or “Allow SRO Access.”

The FastLane server has been known to “bog down,” particularly on deadline dates.  This may result in missing the deadline, in which case the PI would need to seek an extension from the Program Officer. An email message will be sent to the PI when the proposal has been submitted via FastLane.

Instructions for Submitting Subawards to NSF

All UConn personnel who plan to submit subaward budgets via FastLane must first be registered FastLane users. If you are not a registered user, please complete SPS’ online registration form (see link above). Participation as a subawardee entails two distinct administrative responsibilities.

1. FastLane Portion

  • The PI from the Lead Institution assigns a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to the proposal and then shares that PIN and Proposal ID with the UConn subaward applicant.
  • The UConn subaward applicant then logs in with last name, NSF ID, FastLane password, and the PIN and Proposal ID#. This provides access to the Llead Institution’s proposal and enables full functionality including the uploading of budgets, letters of support, biographical sketches, and etcetera.

2. UConn Portion. In addition to FastLane requirements, there are several documents that the UConn subaward applicant is required to submit to SPS for review and approval:

  • Internal Proposal Review Form with signatures
  • Signed Significant Financial Interest Disclosure Forms for all key personnel
  • Completed Cooperating Institution Consortium Statement
  • Budget and Budget Justification
  • Scope of Work – a narrative description of the subawardee’s role in the lead institution’s project.

NSF Data Management Plan Requirements

Effective for all new NSF applications received by NSF on and after January 18th, 2011. All applications that lack a data management plan will be returned without review.

Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results

NSF Data Sharing Policy

Investigators are expected to share with other researchers, at no more than incremental cost and within a reasonable time, the primary data, samples, physical collections and other supporting materials created or gathered in the course of work under NSF grants. Grantees are expected to encourage and facilitate such sharing.

NSF Data Management Plan Requirements

Proposals submitted or due on or after January 18, 2011, must include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled “Data Management Plan”. This supplementary document should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results.

Requirements by Directorate, Office, Division, Program, or other NSF Unit

For the specific information related to NSF data management plans and Directorate requirements, visit: Data Management Plans

  • Data Management Plans for Collaborative Proposals

    Simultaneously submitted collaborative proposals and proposals that include subawards are a single unified project and should include only one supplemental combined Data Management Plan, regardless of the number of non-lead collaborative proposals or subawards included. Fastlane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Data Management Plan. Proposals for supplementary support to an existing award are not required to include a Data Management Plan.

    Data Management & Sharing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (updated November 30, 2010)

National Science Foundation (NSF) Cost Sharing Policy Guidance

NSF policy states that the inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited in all proposals except when required in the NSF solicitation.  SPS has guidance available to assist you during proposal preparation and to help to ensure that applications are compliant with NSF and University policy including situations where senior personnel do not request salary for their effort on the project.

Additional information regarding NSF submissions

 

Grants.gov Proposal Overview

The federal government established Grants.gov as a central web-based portal for inviting and receiving applications to its 26 federal grant-making agencies.  Grants.gov lists all federal grant opportunities and provides a mechanism for applying for those opportunities.

Available search and notification features include:

  • Receive Grant Opportunity Notifications.Use the Email Subscription feature within Grants.gov to register to receive email notifications of new grant postings. Select the appropriate email subscription option. Enter your email address and other required information if applicable. Click the “Subscribe to Mailing List” button.
  • Find Grant Opportunities.Use the Search Grants feature within Grants.gov to locate possible funding opportunities. Once you have located the opportunity you want to apply to, select and open. Make note of the CFDA and/or solicitation number (also known as Funding Opportunity Number).
  • Receive Notifications of Changes to Grant Opportunity.To receive notification of any changes to the opportunity, enter your e-mail address and submit prior to downloading the application and instructions. You will be e-mailed if the opportunity is changed and republished on Grants.gov before its closing date.

 

Useful links:

Grants.gov Website

Login to Grants.gov

Grants.gov Support (available 24 hours day, 7 days a week)

Electronic Proposal Systems

Over the past decade, the research community has experienced a vast movement toward an increasingly paperless environment.  This paradigm shift in which the administrative aspects of sponsored projects are conducted electronically is referred to as Electronic Research Administration, or eRA.  Research administration professionals who engage in eRA interact with a number of both external systems (e.g. sponsor agency systems, government systems, etc.) and internal systems.  While specific systems vary in complexity, scope and business function, the eRA concept applies to the entire sponsored project lifecycle.

 

 

Research Development

The fundamental goals of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) Research Development programs are to 

  1. enhance the research climate at the University of Connecticut by promoting faculty research
  2. help faculty in all disciplines move into a better position to generate external funding for their scholarly and creative activities

The OVPR provides Research Development Services

  1. grant writing seminars and workshops
  2. proposal development services
  3. technical assistance

Partnering with Industry

The OVPR is your home for all industry-sponsored research activities.

We would like to work with you and your industry partners to ensure that our collaborative research discussions are productive, that negotiations are successful, and that both parties’ needs are met.  We also ensure that agreements are in accordance with University policies and procedures as well as federal regulations and requirements.

We’ve prepared a document that outlines our philosophy and that may be useful to share with your industrial partners.

Contact us.  Bring us in early. We are here to help!

Export Control Agreements

Export control laws are federal regulations that govern how certain information, technologies, and commodities can be transmitted overseas or to a foreign national on U.S. soil. The scope of the regulations is broad: they cover exports in virtually all fields of science, engineering, and technology and apply to research activities regardless of the source of funding. Failure to comply with these laws can have serious consequences, both for the institution and for the individual researcher. Potential penalties include fines and possibly imprisonment. It is thus critical for UConn researchers to understand their obligations under these regulations and to work with Research Compliance Services to ensure that the University is in compliance.

Please visit this section in the Research Integrity & Regulatory Affairs area of the website for more information.

Required Training in Human Research Protections

Who needs to take CITI Program Training?

Investigators and research staff who interact or intervene with subjects, or who access/use subject’s identifiable information or biospecimens for the purposes of research, must complete UConn Storrs CITI Courses relevant to the type of research being conducted and the investigator or staff member’s responsibilities. The acceptable courses include the:

  • Social/Behavioral Research Course
  • Biomedical Research Course

The CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) courses do not substitute for either the Social/Behavioral or Biomedical Research Courses. For more information about RCR, please visit the OVPR’s RCR webpages. 

Human Subjects CITI training remains valid for 3 years, at which point a refresher course must be completed.

How do I complete CITI Training?

To create an account in CITI, on the citiprogram.org home page, click on the Register button in the upper right. Click on “Log in through my Organization” at the top of the page. Enter “UConn – Storrs and Regional Campuses” in the search box. Then click “Continue to SSO Login/instructions.” The CITI Single Sign-on (SSO) will use your UConn NetID and password for your account. (The system will ask you if there is another CITI account you would like to associate with your NetID account, and this option can be used to merge an old account with your new SSO account.) Follow the prompts to create an account.

Once you are logged in and under the UConn affiliation, select “add a course” and then “I would like to review the Human Subjects Research (HSR) courses” on the course enrollment page. Choose the appropriate course for your research: Group 1 Biomedical or Group 2 Social/Behavioral.

A copy of your Completion Report will automatically be sent to the IRB and will also be accessible to you and the IRB at any time from the CITI Program. Therefore, in most cases, investigators will not have to submit this report with an application to the IRB. If you need to upload a CITI completion report as part of your IRB submission, please see our uploading instructions.

What if I have already completed CITI Training for another organization?

When you log in to your CITI Program account, you should be able to add your affiliation with UConn to your profile by following these instructions. When you affiliate with UConn there is a good chance that the modules you have already completed will transfer to UConn thus eliminating or reducing the number of modules that you have to complete. Please be aware that UConn Storrs and UConn Health have different training requirements so please be sure that you affiliate with UConn – Storrs and Regional Campuses in CITI. Alternatively, a copy of your CITI Completion Report (not CITI Training Certificate) could be uploaded with your IRB submission. The IRB Office will review the report to determine whether the training meets UConn’s requirements or is substantially equivalent (completed within 3 years with at least 70% of the modules aligning with those required by UConn). To upload a CITI completion report as part of your IRB submission, please see our uploading instructions.

How do I complete the CITI refresher course?

The CITI Basic Course certification expires after three (3) years at which time the CITI Refresher Course must be taken to maintain certification. Approximately sixty (60) days before your training expires, you will receive an automatically generated reminder notice via e-mail directly from CITI. The notice includes instructions about how to complete the refresher course.

Who do I contact for help?

Questions regarding UConn’s requirements for human subjects training should be directed to the IRB Office @ irb@uconn.edu.

Technical issues with the CITI Program may be able to be resolved by visiting CITI’s Support Page. Questions can also be directed to support@citiprogram.org or by calling 888.529.5929.