Congratulations to the KSOM investigators who have received the top grants in FY10, and the top 10 new/renewal grants for FY10.  In FY2010 KSOM's total research volume increased to $218.5M, a 12% percent increase over last year and a 25% increase over the past 3 years.

Click here to view the FY10 KSOM Top 10 Awards
Click here to view the FY10 KSOM Top 10 New or Competitive Renewal Awards

The Los Angeles Basin Clinical & Translational Science Institute (LAB CTSI) was awarded a prestigious Clinical &  Translational Science Award (CTSA) of $56.8 million from the NIH on July 1 (see news item). This special section of the KRU has been created to help disseminate information to the Keck School research community on CTSI opportunities.

The LAB CTSI’s Center for Education, Training & Career Development is currently accepting applications for the LAB-CTSI 2010-Training Awards. These awards are for young investigators highly motivated in acquiring the scientific competencies necessary to perform clinical & translational research in diverse populations with a multi-disciplinary, team-based approach. For pre-doctoral students we are offering the TL1 Research Training Award and for individuals who are in the early stages of their academic career we are offering the KL2 Mentored Research Career Development Award. Four awards will be given in each category. Support, eligibility and application requirements are available in the application forms. The deadline for submission is September 15, 2010 and funding will start on October 1, 2010.

Please click here to download TL1
Please click here to download KL2
Please click here to download TL1 Application Form
Please click here to download KL2 Application Form

Starting January 25, 2011, NIH, AHRQ and NIOSH will be eliminating the correction window from the application process.  This means that any application submitted after 5pm local time of the applicant organization will be subject to late policies.  View NOT-OD-10-123.

The CIRM Basic Biology Awards III will fund research grants to investigate basic mechanisms underlying stem cell biology, cellular plasticity, and cellular differentiation. The RFA (10-04) is now available on the CIRM website. Pre-applications are due Oct 7, full applications on Jan 19, 2011.

The Progeria Research Foundation awards grants for research to find the cause, treatment, or cure for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a rare, fatal genetic condition characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children. Funding of up to $50,000 per year for up to two years may be requested. Principal investigators must hold postdoctoral positions or beyond. Proposals are due October 20th.  For application and guidelines, click here.

The A. P. Giannini Foundation invites promising young postdoctoral investigators in the early stages of their careers to apply to their Medical Research Fellowship Program. This prestigious and highly competitive program supports innovative medical research in the basic sciences and applied fields, with an emphasis on translation. The fellowship comes with a substantial stipend for up to three years to support work with mentors based at California medical schools.  Postdocs (MD or PhD) with no more than 3 years of postdoctoral experience are eligible to apply. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.  The deadline is Nov 15.  Click here for additional information.

The FY 2011 NSF STTR solicitation seeks to support university-small business partnerships in the area of "Digital Gaming in Education."  STTR awards fund university-small business partnerships, with the university receiving 30 to 60 percent of the funding.  The principal investigator must be employed by the small business.  NSF expects to make approximately 35 awards, each for $150,000 over one year.  Proposals are due Nov 17.  Click here for more information.

The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) is inviting scientists from a wide range of disciplines to compete for a $35,000 prize for an unpublished paper that is represents a major step forward in the successful development of innovative bioinformatics strategies for integrating neurobiological data in the service of modeling psychiatric illness.

Papers may be submitted for consideration by email to acnp@acnp.org no later than October 15, 2010. Click here to visit the website.

Postdoctoral scholars around the world have been and continue to be at the fore­front of basic, applied, and translational research around the globe. They are the driving force behind investigative science and are involved in finding innovative ways to address questions posed by aca­demia, government, and industry. National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) is an opportunity for individuals and institutions to recognize, honor, and show their appreciation for these skilled researchers. For more information, contact the Keck PDA or visit the NPA website.

The USC Stem Cell Translational and Clinical Sciences Research Symposium will be held on September 22nd, in Aresty Auditorium. The goal of the symposium is to explore new information and foster collaboration in translating basic stem cell biology into possible therapies for a number of currently intractable diseases. The one-day program will feature lectures, poster sessions and group discussions. Full program to follow. If you are planning to attend, please register here. For questions regarding registration, contact Clare Kodama or call (323) 442-2547.

Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the next Dean’s Translational Medicine Seminar on Thursday September 23 at 12:00 noon in Aresty Aud., NRT-LG.  Dr Irving Weissman, Director, Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, will present “Normal and Neoplastic Stem Cells".  Refreshments will be served before the seminar. Reserve your space online here (code: Weissman).

USC’s Body Computing Conference 2010 agenda is now on the website. Please register through the website; seating is limited.  Registration is $100 until August 31st.  Fees for sponsoring companies and USC personnel are waived. Presentations are still being selected for the Body Computing Slam event on September 23rd. Submit proposals to Alexandra Smith.  For additional questions, call (323) 442 6134.

The Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute will be hosting a 2-day national symposium entitled "Immunity, Inflammation & Cancer" on September 23-24, 2010 at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. There is no fee to register, but registration is limited. Visit the website.

A newly formed Neurodevelopmental Psychology Interest Group will have its inaugural meeting Sept 29 at 3:30 pm in SGM 901 on UPC. This interdisciplinary group will bring together researchers and clinicians across USC. The meetings are open to USC faculty, trainees, and staff interested in neurodevelopmental psychology research. If you are interested in being included in mailings about this group, or if you’d like more information, please contact Dr Barbara Thompson. Click here to view the first paper this group will discuss.

Click here for all the future events.

List of events:

Health Care of the Chinese in North America Conference, Oct 8-10
2010 USC Stem Cell and Developmental Biology Retreat, Oct 24-25

• 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 Sep 13
12:00-1:00 pm –  KSOM Research Seminar – Dr. Richard Watanabe, Associate Professor, Preventive Medicine (Division of Biostatistics) and Physiology & Biophysics, KSOM, USC,  will present "The Physiology of Diabetes Genetics: The Road to Clinical Translation".  Hosted by Keck Research Advancement.  Aresty Auditorium, NRT-LG, HSC.  Pizza at 11:40 am.  Info:  (323) 442-1144 or ResAdv@keck.usc.edu

Tue Sep 14
12:00-1:00 pm –  The Saban Research Institute – Dr. Thomas M. Vondriska, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Medicine, & Physiology, UCLA,  will present "How the Proteome Impacts the Genome, Causing the Heart to Fail".  Saban Building, Auditorium.  Info:  Info:  (323) 361-2186

Wed Sep 15
12:00-1:00 pm – Regulatory Affairs Grand Rounds– Dr. Frances Richmond, Director, Regulatory Science Program, CTSI, School of Pharmacy, USC, will present “Surviving an FDA Inspection of Your Clinical Trial Site".  CHP 106, HSC.  Coffee and light refreshments served.  Info: (323) 442-3321

Thur Sep 16
12:00-1:00 pm – Research Seminar Series– Dr. David Polk, Professor and Chief of Pediatrics & Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, KSOM, USC & CHLA, will present “Pre-malignant Consequences of EGFR-Mediated Tissue Repair”.  Hosted by USC Research Center for Liver Diseases.  Hastings’ Auditorium-HMR Building, HSC.  Pizza will be served.  Info:  (323) 442-1283

Fri Sep 17
11:45-1:00 pm – Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center – Dr. Yifang Zhu, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UCLA, will present “Vehicular Emitted Ultrafine Particles- Exposure Assessment and Mechanism Understanding".  Norris Topping Tower (NTT), Room 4444.  Lunch will be provided.  Info:  (323) 442-1096

12:00-1:00 pm – USC Physical Sciences in Oncology Center – Dr. Jonathan Widom, Dept. of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Dept. of Chemistry, Northwestern University, will present ”Nucleosome Positioning and Chromosome Structure from Archaebacteria to Man".  Aresty Auditorium, NRT-LG, HSC.  Pizza at 11:45 am.  Info:  yvonne.suarez@usc.edu

Mon Sep 20
12:00-1:00 pm – KSOM Research Seminar – Dr. Qi-Long Ying, Assistant Professor, Cell & Neurobiology, Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, KSOM, USC will present “Gene Knockout Rats”.  Hosted by Keck Research Advancement.  Aresty Auditorium, NRT-LG, HSC.  Pizza at 11:40 am.  Info:  (323) 442-1144 or ResAdv@keck.usc.edu

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 Vice Provost, Research
• 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