Judd Rice, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, presented a seminar as part of the KSOM Research Seminar Series entitled, “New Roles for Histone Methylation in the Cell Cycle and DNA Repair”. Novel and unpublished findings, indicating that PR-Set7 and H4K20me1 play essential roles in both the mammalian cell cycle and repair of DNA damage are presented and discussed in this Seminar. Dr. Rice has been the recipient of the General Motors Cancer Research Scholar Award and named a Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences. This presentation was given on Monday, April 11th in the Aresty Auditorium. Click Here to view the Webcast, for user name and password contact Andrea J. Robles.

CAFÉ – short for Common Application Framework Extensible – is a home grown information technology framework that can be used to create any custom application for Healthcare Research. The Inquiry Database was established and developed in 2010 by the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Research Informatics and the Cancer Surveillance Program (CSP) to document and track public and research requests for information and data. We recently received notice that CAFÉ has been adopted for use by the California Cancer Registry for the purpose of documenting all public inquiries about cancer across California. The CSP collects demographic and treatment data on all new cancers diagnosed in Los Angeles County. Congratulations go to Dr. John Casagrande and his team for this innovative work. For more information on CAFE, please visit café.usc.edu.

Effective March 28th, 2011 the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is outsourcing the following services: DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis.  Outsourcing of these services will result in 40-65% savings to USC investigators.  For more information, view the core’s website or call Verlinda Gray at 323-442-7813.

NASA has announced its Informal Education Program: Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Other Informal Education Institutions.   This competition is institutionally limited; USC has one slot.  KSOM can provide one team.  If you are interested in applying, please send 1-page summary plus CVs to Gigi Petrovich at gpetrov@usc.edu no later than April 18.  "The NASA Office of Education solicits proposals to support NASA-inspired space, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (S-STEM) informal education projects, including exhibits and partnerships with K-12 schools to support inquiry-based education. Individual total award sizes will range approximately between $100,000 and $1,250,000, with a period of performance not to exceed five years." Click here for further details. NASA application deadline is June 29.

Awards of up to $50,000 per year, for up to two years are available from PRF to support investigators for basic science research aimed at developing effective treatments and/or cure for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.  Visit the PRF Website for complete program information.

The Center for Education, Training and Career Development (CETCD) who houses the educational activities of the LAB-CTSI is now accepting applications for Pre-doctoral Clinical & Translational and Post-doctoral KL2 Research Career Development and training research grants. These NIH grants are for young investigators highly motivated in acquiring the scientific competencies necessary to perform clinical and translational research in diverse populations with a multi-disciplinary, team-based approach. Four candidates will be awarded in each category. Letters of Intent due: April 15, 2011.  For question contact Jeanne Dzekov at 323 442 4043  Dzekov@usc.edu or Amy Zhu at 323 442 4039 or amy.zhu@med.usc.edu  Click here for complete application guidelines.

Center for Education, Training and Career Development, CTSI will be holding 3 information sessions to provide guidance regarding eligibility, requirements, and funding for the CETCD Pre-doctoral Clinical and Translational (PCT) Training Award and the KL2 Program. Click here for further details and session dates.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations Program in Global Health supports hundreds of early-stage research projects – including many ideas that have never before been tested -- and scientists from any disciplines and regions. The initiative funds innovative ideas that could lead to new vaccines, diagnostics, drugs, and other technologies targeting diseases that claim millions of lives every year. The program is currently soliciting applications for Round Seven, focusing on six topics:

1. The Poliovirus Endgame: Create Ways to Accelerate, Sustain and Monitor Eradication
2. Create the Next Generation of Sanitation Technologies
3. Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Solutions for Improved Uptake and Coverage of Childhood Vaccinations
4. Design New Approaches to Cure HIV Infection
5. Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children
6. Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges

For complete application details click here. All submissions are made online and are due May 19th.  

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality issued two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) for new opportunities under its Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs). 

Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics Scientific Forum seeks applications for the establishment of a Scientific Forum (CS Forum) with the primary goal of ensuring research synergy and collaboration among the CERTs Research Centers with each other and with stakeholders and partners in the larger therapeutics research and education community.

Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics Research Centers seeks U19 Research Program Cooperative Agreement applications for CERTs Research Centers (RCs) that propose a body of work addressing a minimum of three of the five programmatic interest areas: (1)   comparative effectiveness, (2)   patient safety, (3)   tool development, enhancement, and/or validation, (4)   health care system interventions, and (5)   translation of research findings into practice or policy.

Letters of intent for these FOAs are due on April 20, 2011.  Applications are due on May 18, 2011.

The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) – founded to support highly promising, idea-driven, novel approaches to discover the cause, improve treatment, and cure lupus – invites applications for financial support for Novel Research Projects relevant to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Applications will be judged principally on novelty of the hypotheses, scientific quality, strength of approach, relevance to lupus, and likelihood of success.  Annual funding of up to $100,000 per year, for a term of up to three years, will be awarded for approved projects. Applications due by May 27, 2011.  For complete grant and application details click here.

Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unveiled a strategic plan for its increasing portfolio of obesity research. The plan identifies research opportunities focused on: biological processes that regulate body weight and influence behavior; factors contributing to obesity and its consequences; successful interventions for achieving healthy weight and preventing obesity, particularly in diverse populations; and technologies for advancing obesity research and improving healthcare delivery. Learn more.

The CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) launched its new website on Monday, March 21. The site, http://innovations.cms.gov, will serve as a main conduit for information and updates from the CMMI, as well as a forum for the submission of proposed projects and ideas. A key component of the site is the explanation of the Innovation Center’s process for selecting potential models. Faculty engaged in improvement of quality, efficiency or effectiveness of health care should follow this program.  

The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California is pleased to welcome Keith Rosema, Director of Research for Intellectual Ventures Laboratories (IVL). Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend his presentation of “Inventive Approaches to Global Health.” IVL strives to find efficient invention mechanisms. The Fund for Global Good aims to rapidly convert new health discoveries into real solutions for the developing world by iterating between the laboratory and the field. This seminar will be hosted by Dr. George Tolomiczenko and the HTE@USC program. The Dean’s Translational Medicine Seminar will be held in the Aresty Auditorium of the Norris Research Tower from 12:00pm until 1:00pm. A light lunch will be served prior to the seminar at 11:40am. Click Here to RSVP, Code: Rosema. This event will be webcasted live and archived. For more information, please contact Keck Office of Research Advancement.

USC-Caltech Center for the Study of Law and Politics (CSLP) will host The Behavioral Foundation of Game Theory, APRIL 22, 2011, 8:30AM-5:30PM, DAVIDSON CONFERENCE CENTER.  Program and papers can be found on the CSLP website.  To RSVP, please email: facserv@law.usc.edu.  For questions, contact Christopher Schnieders at (213) 740-5714. Click here for further information.

The Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics and the USC Gould School of Law will present a symposium on Mechanical Restraints Law, Ethics and Policy; April 22, 2011 9am -5pm and April 23, 2011 9am – 1pm; USC Gould School of Law, Room 3. Click here for further information and to rsvp.

The March issue of Academic Medicine is now available on-line. The issue contains a study on the tightening of NIH's intramural conflict-of-interest policies and a related commentary. Other articles focus on team-based training and learning, factors that create a humanistic doctor, performance on OSCEs, and the economic impact of primary care career decisions. Several articles from each issue are available free to non-subscribers. Read the Current Issue here.

• Extramural Nexus (NIH Office of Extramural Research)
• National Postdoctoral Association POSTDOCket
• Academic Medicine Online
• Science Translational Medicine
• Science Magazine
  
  

• Weekly NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
• Weekly Foundation RFP Bulletin
  

To download an event to your Outlook calendar, please click the relevant hyperlink and at the bottom of the new page choose 'export entry to V-calendar'.

For a comprehensive calendar displaying all research activities currently scheduled, please visit the online Calendar of Events.

Mon Apr 18
7:30 am - Research Interests at the House Ear Institute – Clinical Fellows Journal Club will be held in the 5th floor Lunchroom of The House Ear Institute,  2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90057. Papers will be available at the time of discussion. For More information call (213) 483-4431 or visit www.hei.org. 

12:00 Noon – Special Note – the Keck School Research Town Hall – originally scheduled for the Monday at noon KSOM seminar series time slot – has been cancelled in favor of the CCMB/ Keck Symposium

9:30 am - 5:00 pm - 2011 CCMB/ KECK Symposium – Translational Medicine, a collaboration between the University of California’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology and Keck School of Medicine of USC's Institute for Genetic Medicine. Presentations will be given by; Thomas Buchanan, M.D., Keck School of Medicine of USC; Jay H. Chung, M.D., Ph.D., National Institutes of Health; Mark Humayun, M.D., Ph.D. Doheny Eye Institute of USC;  Paul Kosteniuk, Ph.D., Amgen Corporation; and Richard Mass, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School. This symposium will be held in the IGM Harkness Assembly: 2250 Alcazar Street, CSC 250 Los Angeles, Ca 90033. For more information call (323) 442-3170 Click Here to register on-line.

Thurs Apr 21
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Research Center for Liver Diseases Seminar – Jack A. Hinson, Ph.D., Professor for the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will present, “Reactive Nitrogen Species in Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity.”
This Seminar will be held in the Hastings Auditorium of the Hoffman Medical Research Building, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, Ca 90033. A pizza lunch will be served. For more information, contact (323)442-1283.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Dean’s Translational Medicine Seminar Series – Keith Rosema, Director of Research, Intellectual Ventures Laboratory, will present, “Inventive Approaches to Global Health.” This seminar is co-hosted by the HTE@USC; Health, Technology, and Engineering Program at the University of Southern California and will be held in the Aresty Auditorium of the Norris Research Tower, LG. A light lunch will be served in the Atrium of the Auditorium at 11:40am. Dr. George Tolomiczenko will be presenting an introduction and hosting Mr. Rosema.  Click Here to reserve your space online Code: Rosema. Click Here  to watch the Live Webcast. For more information contact Keck Office of Research Advancement ResAdv@keck.usc.edu or call (323) 442-7732.

Fri Apr 22
7:00 am - Research Interests at the House Ear Institute – Friday Lectures, focusing on “Neuroradiology Conference,” will be held in St. Vincent Conf. Room A of The House Ear Institute,  2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90057. For More information call (213) 483-4431 or visit www.hei.org.

Mon Apr 25
7:30 am - Research Interests at the House Ear Institute – Clinical Fellows Journal Club will be held in the 5th floor Lunchroom of The House Ear Institute,  2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90057. Papers will be available at the time of discussion. For More information call (213) 483-4431 or visit www.hei.org.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - House Ear Institute Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series – Barbara Shinn-Cunningham, PhD, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Biomedical Engineering and Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University, will present, “Peripheral and Central Influences on the Ability to Direct Auditory Attention”. This Seminar will take place in the Auditorium of The House Ear Institute,  2100 West Third Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90057. For More information call (213) 483-4431 or visit www.hei.org.

To keep up-to-date on available research funding opportunities, visit these institutions and organizations:

• The National Institutes of Health
• The National Science Foundation
• The Foundation Center
• California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
• Office of Research, University of Southern California
• Keck Office of Research Advancement
• Los Angeles Basin Clinical & Translational Science Institute
• Programs in Biomedical & Biological Sciences (PIBBS)
• Links to Professional Societies Promoting Biomedical Research