Penn Faculty, Staff, and Students

Latest Announcements

November 3, 3009

$8 Million from NIH for Regenerative Medicine Research

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers, along with colleagues at the University of Washington and the University of Toronto, have received $8 million for stem-cell research. The Penn group is one of nine research hubs awarded $170 million over the next seven years by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to develop the high-potential field of stem- and progenitor-cell tools and therapies.

The awards create the NHLBI Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium, which will bring together researchers from the heart, lung, blood, and technology research fields. The consortium assembles multidisciplinary teams of principal investigators and an administrative coordinating center to focus on progenitor cell biology.

While a stem cell can renew itself indefinitely or differentiate, a progenitor cell can only divide a limited number of times and is often more limited than a stem cell in the kinds of cells it can become. Given the potential of these cells for clinical applications, the goals of the consortium are to identify and characterize progenitor cell lines, direct the differentiation of stem and progenitor cells to desired cell fates, and develop new clinical strategies to address the unique challenges presented by the transplantation of these cells.

The grant’s principal investigator, Dr. Edward Morrisey, professor of medicine and cell and developmental biology and scientific director of the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and colleagues will determine how certain signaling pathways—ordered sequences of biochemical reactions inside cells—affect cardiac and blood-forming cell development and cardiac regeneration and repair. The team will also study whether these pathways, namely Wnt and Notch, may be harnessed for therapeutic applications.

For information on the NHLBI awards go to: www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2009/nhlbi-07.htm

 

October 6, 2009

Sarah Tishkoff: 2009 National Institutes of Health Pioneer Award

University of Pennsylvania geneticist Sarah A. Tishkoff is among 18 recipients of the 2009 National Institutes of Health’s Pioneer Award. She and her fellow honorees were honored at NIH headquarters in Bethesda, MD late last month.

Dr. Tishkoff, the David and Lyn Silfen University Associate Professor and a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, is a leading global expert in human genetics with joint appointments in the department of genetics in the School of Medicine and the department of biology in the School of Arts and Sciences.

The Pioneer Award provides $500,000 in funding each year for five years, totaling $2.5 million in support of a small number of investigators of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research. The program emphasizes the potential to make seminal contributions toward solving important biomedical or behavioral research problems, the innovativeness of the projects, the significance of the problems and the likelihood that, if successful, the projects will have a significant impact.

 

September 29, 2009

Call for Proposals in Population Health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at Penn has set aside a Competitive Research and Education Fund to promote interdisciplinary research and education in population health at Penn. We expect that most of these funds will be used by Penn faculty to develop pilot projects which will attract external support for larger-scale studies, to fund small scale projects, or to develop enduring educational materials that will advance teaching and training in population health concepts or methods within the University. We expect that most grants will be in the range of $2,000 to $20,000. 

This call for proposals is open to faculty throughout the Penn community and is intended to: stimulate research and training ideas among the Penn community, help Penn researchers attract support from external sources for large-scale studies, encourage the development of new collaborations between investigators of different backgrounds and disciplines, and encourage the entry of new investigators to the field of population health.

Deadline is November 13, 2009. See www.upenn.edu/rwjhssp for more information.

August 3, 2009

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation 2009 Clinical Scientist Development Award

Congratulations to Benjamin Abella, MD, MPhil, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, on being selected to receive a 2009 Clinical Scientist Development Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The Clinical Scientist Development Award (CSDA) is one of the foundation’s three “pipeline”programs supporting the career paths of physician-scientists. The CSDA provides start-up funding for physician-scientists establishing their own research teams and enables them to protect 75% of their professional time for clinical research. This year’s awardees are studying areas as diverse as cancer, AIDS and autism. A standing panel of 24 experts, including 15 Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientists, reviewed 153 nominee proposals and recommended the strongest candidates for funding.

June 22, 2009

Rita Allen Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee Announces 2009 Scholars in Cancer, Immunology and Neuroscience

Congratulations to Ben E. Black, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, on being named a Rita Allen Foundation Scientific Scholar in Cancer, Immunology and Neuroscience for his project “Exploring and Exploiting Epigenetic Centromere Mechanisms for Establishing Chromosome Stability.”

February 25, 2009

Stimulus Funding Update

To: School of Medicine Faculty

From: Glen N. Gaulton, Ph.D., Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer

Subject: Stimulus Funding Update

I am writing with an update on the NIH stimulus package, and to alert you to several items that you should immediately consider and be prepared to take action on.

For each category described below, please note that you should frame all requests for funding to NIH in the following context:

1) the capacity to achieve a significant scientific goal of strategis research importance to NIH within a two year period and

2) the immediate benefit to the economy (especially through maintaining or hiring personnel).

Here is a summary of the detail that is emerging. Of the $10.4 billion to be distributed through the NIH, $8.2 billion will be distributed through the following categories:

Increased Pay Lines

Supplements (Administrative and Competitive)

Challenge Grants

Equipment/Instrument Grants

Construction/Renovation Grants

Comparative Effectiveness Research

Please note that this stimulus funding will entail increased (even quarterly) reporting expectations, with a focus on fund expenditure in the local community and the creation/maintenance of jobs, posted on a public website.

We will keep you informed as the RFAs emerge. Please visit http://www.med.upenn.edu/stimulus/ for current announcements, including the most recent announcement (Februrary 20, 2009) by Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D., Acting Director National Institutes of Health.

Lastly, a Town Hall Meeting is scheduled this Thursday, February 26, from 12 pm - 1 pm in Dunlop Auditorium in Stemmler Hall. At this time, I will discuss the federal stimulus plan and its implications for biomedical research. The focus of this discussion will be how SOM faculty can take maximal advantage of the opportunity for new research funding presented by federal stimulus funds administered through the National Institutes of Health.

As always, please let me know if you need any special institutional assistance with developing a response to any funding opportunity.

November 4, 2008

PGFI Visiting Scholars Program: Call for Nominations

The Penn Genome Frontiers Institute (PGFI) seeks nominations for its 2009-2010 Visiting Scholars Program. Any Penn faculty member is encouraged to nominate a scholar for residency at PGFI.  Proposals for scholars in any area of the genome sciences are welcomed.  Proposals showing the potential to appeal to a broad sector of the PGFI research community will be prioritized.

To encourage the integration into the PGFI community that is vital for the success of the residency experience, scholars will be asked to lead an educational/outreach seminar or workshop series on a topic of their choice. Scholars will also have the opportunity to give a research seminar in the PGFI seminar series and to participate in other ongoing academic and social events.  

Residency durations are for up to three months. PGFI will provide an office, standard computer equipment and staff support.  Scholars will also receive a $10,000 honorarium for their visit.  Housing is not provided, but PGFI will provide guidance in finding options.

To submit a nomination, please send the following materials to Vscholar@genomics.upenn.edu.
 
Proposal materials:

1) Letter of nomination from a Penn faculty member

2) Letter from the nominee, stating the rationale for the visit  and the proposed duration

3) Proposal of research that would be done at PGFI and of  the educational/outreach seminar or workshop series that  the nominee would be willing to lead

4) Nominee’s CV

Proposals are reviewed on a continuous basis.

Questions about the Visiting Scholars Program can be directed to Kristin Field at kfield@sas.upenn.edu.

Nominations of and proposals from women and other members of under-represented groups are strongly encouraged by PGFI.

 

October 16, 2008

The Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology and the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Call for Abstracts

The CSRN/IDOM invites all investigators, including trainees, in multiple disciplines including cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, neuroscience, nursing, rheumatology, sleep medicine, psychiatry, pulmonology and veterinary medicine to submit an abstract for poster presentation.  Abstracts in basic science, translational and clinical research in the fields of sleep, circadian rhythms, obesity, diabetes and metabolism should be submitted by October 24, 2008.

Submit abstracts for poster presentation to msh2@mail.med.upenn.edu

For agenda and more information: http://www.med.upenn.edu/idom/joint_retreat/index
To register: http://www.med.upenn.edu/idom/joint_retreat/index

October 1, 2008

University Research Foundation: Call for Proposals: November 7

Below are the newly revised University Research Foundation Award Guidelines. Additional information and the application may be found online at www.upenn.edu/research/FoundationGuidelines.htm. The deadline for the fall Research Foundation proposals is November 7, 2008.

The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applications for the November 7 deadline. The URF is an intramural funding program that provides up to $50,000 support for research projects and up to $3,000 for conference support.

The objectives of the URF research program are to: (1) Help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in establishing their careers as independent investigators; (2) Help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to determine project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural grant applications; (3) Provide support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal funding; and (4) Provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as part of a successful external peer-reviewed application. URF Review Panels comprise established Penn faculty members and are charged with giving preference to projects that meet one of the aforementioned criteria.

Faculty members are invited to submit their research applications to one of four disciplinary areas: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Social Science and Management. In addition, URF offers a Conference Support program to provide funding for meetings designed to enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. Conferences that promote interdisciplinary and multi-school participation are given priority.

Complete details about the URF and links to the forms can be found on the Office of the Vice Provost for Research website at: www.upenn.edu/research/FoundationGuidelines.htm.

 

September 9, 2008

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Call for Proposals: November 14

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania (RWJF H&SSP at Penn) has set aside a Competitive Research and Education Fund to promote interdisciplinary research and education in population health at Penn. We expect that most of these funds will be used by Penn faculty to develop pilot projects which will attract external support for larger-scale studies, to fund small-scale projects, or to develop enduring educational materials that will advance teaching and training in population health concepts or methods within the University. The deadline for applications is November 14, 2008. Please visit www.upenn.edu/rwjhssp for more information and further details.

July 15, 2008

The Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has received $500,000 from Arthur and Dahlia Bilger to identify new approaches and unique drug targets for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and, through its Drug Discovery Center, translate these research findings into new therapeutic drugs.

“Through the generosity of the Bilger family we are able to pursue two novel lead compounds for Alzheimer drug discovery that look promising in preliminary studies, but need substantial investment to evaluate as potential Alzheimer therapies,” said Dr. John Q. Trojanowski, director, Institute on Aging. “Because there will be no magic bullets for Alzheimer’s, this gift is highly significant in that it will support research that, if successful, could put more drugs in the pipeline aimed at helping Alzheimer patients by blocking or abrogating the disease process.”

“The Bilger family gift will enable us to determine if an off-label drug used to treat organ rejection in transplant patients can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease,” explained Dr. Virginia M.Y. Lee, CNDR director. “Additionally, we will test compounds that belong to a class of drugs that block oxidative damage, but this program is at an earlier stage of development and will require more work before we can test it in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. These studies will test important new avenues of therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease.”

The Bilger Foundation—headed by Arthur H. Bilger, W ’75, and his wife, Dahlia Bilger—has made this gift to establish The Nathan Bilger Alzheimer Drug Discovery Initiative in memory and honor of Mr. Bilger’s father, Nathan.

 

June 10, 2008

 

$50 Million Gift From Anne and Jerome Fisher for New Translational Medicine Research Center

A $50 million gift from philanthropists Jerome and Anne Fisher will support a new eight-story biomedical-research center at the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to the growing field of translational medicine, which emphasizes an accelerated pace for converting laboratory discoveries into medical therapies.

Slated to open in 2010, the Anne and Jerome Fisher Translational Research Center will be adjacent to Penn’s two new state-of-the-art outpatient-care facilities that will begin operations this year and in 2009. Together, the three facilities will reconfigure the Penn medical campus to tightly align medical research and care and to enable Penn to offer the most advanced treatments for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions.

“All of us at the University of Pennsylvania are enormously grateful to Anne and Jerome for this incredibly generous and transformational gift which will further position Penn at the forefront of bench-to-bedside medicine,” President Amy Gutmann said.

 

May 21, 2008

Clinical Research Methods

Summer Short Courses, July, 2008

For Faculty, Residents, Fellows, and Research Staff Interested in Careers as Collaborative Researchers

2008 Summer Short Courses: Summer Session I

July 7 through July 18

Fundamentals of Biostatistics (EP 812)

Time: Daily, 8:00 to 10:00 am (.5 course units), Course Director: Seema Sonnad, PhD

This course is designed for collaborative researchers and will provide an overview of the fundamental concepts of biostatistics. Topics covered include descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, and parametric and nonparametric hypothesis testing. Emphasis in this course is placed on the proper selection and application of statistical methods appropriate to clinical data.

Clinical Trials and Translational Research (EP 815)

Time: Daily, 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 pm (.5 course units), Course Director: Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE

This course covers methods in the design, conduct, and reporting of clinical trials. Topics include: study design and biostatistical considerations specific to drug development (with particular emphasis on cancer research); research ethics; regulatory and monitoring issues; data management; and methods for the incorporation of biological endpoints into clinical trial design/implementation. A primer on publishing results is also provided.

Economic Evaluation of Medical Therapies (EP 816)

Time: Daily, 1:00 to 3:00 pm (.5 course units), Course Director: Henry Glick, PhD

This course introduces students to cost-effectiveness analysis by use of decision trees and Markov models. Skills development will focus on the ability to: 1) construct a basic decision tree and Markov model; 2) populate these models with probabilities, costs, and QALYs; and 3) analyze these models. Students should expect 1-2 hours of readings/homework per day.

Fundamentals of Pharmacoepidemiology (EP 817)

Time: Daily, 3:30 to 5:30 pm (.5 course units), Course Directors: Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH and Sean Hennessy, PharmD, PhD

This course is a series of lectures and workshops, designed to teach basic principles of pharmacoepidemiologic research design. Lectures include the following topics: definitions of pharmacoepidemiology; drug exposure; adverse drug events; case reports; sources of pharmacoepidemiology data; and sources of bias and confounding in pharmacoepidemiology.

2008 Summer Short Courses: Summer Session II

July 21 through August 1

Database Management (EP 814 001 and EP 814 002)

Time: Daily, 9:30 to 11:30 am (Section 001) and 3:00 to 5:00 pm (Section 002) (.5 course units), Course Director: John Holmes, PhD

This course provides students with an introduction to the techniques of data collection and database management as they apply to clinical research. Using Microsoft Access as the database platform, students learn how to design and implement computerized databases, perform basic query and reporting operations, migrate data between various file formats, prepare databases for statistical analysis, and perform quality assurance procedures. This course focuses on the practical issues of database management. The course will focus on a real-life project as an example for designing, implementing, and maintaining a clinical research database. Two to three hours of work outside of class are required each day.

Introduction to Epidemiologic Research Methods (EP 811)

Time: Daily, 12:30 to 2:30 pm (.5 course units), Course Director: John Holmes, PhD

This course is a series of lectures, designed to teach basic principles of epidemiologic research design. Lectures include the following topics: definitions of epidemiology; measures of disease frequency; measures of effect and association; epidemiologic study designs, both experimental and non-experimental; data collection methods; sampling; genetic epidemiology; and an overview of analysis of epidemiologic studies.

To register for these courses or follow up with questions: contact Tom Kelly (215-898-0861, tkelly@cceb.med.upenn.edu)

The Mary E. Groff Fellowship

In Clinical Research Methods

          The Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB) is pleased to announce the availability of a fellowship in clinical research training. Qualified applicants must be residents or fellows based at UPHS-affiliated hospitals, including HUP, CHOP, VAMC, Presbyterian Medical Center, and Pennsylvania Hospital, who are enrolled in the CCEB’s Clinical Research Certificate Program. Applicants also must be interested in academic careers as clinician educators performing collaborative research. This fellowship is not for those enrolled in formal clinical research training degree-granting programs, designed for those interested in careers as independent clinical investigators, such as the Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology and Master of Science in Translational Research degree programs.

          Fellowships are available for the two-week short courses in July 2008. See http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/education/non-degree/courses.php#non-credit for course descriptions and http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/education/non-degree/coursescrtp.php for the course schedule. For a description of the Clinical Research Certificate Program, see http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/education/non-degree/certificate.php. Fellowships cover enrollment fees and also provide a $100 book/educational materials fund per course.

          Applicants will be asked to submit a personal statement that includes an academic plan, career goals, and a CV. Applicants also must ask the appropriate clinical fellowship director for a letter of support. Application materials may be requested through Cathy Mulvaney (Blockley 818, 215-573-4866, cmulvane@mail.med.upenn.edu and also are available on the internet (http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/education/non-degree/GroffAppProcess.pdf and http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/education/non-degree/GroffRefReport.doc). The application deadline is Friday, June 6, 2008.

          Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis, as only a limited number of fellowships are available. It is anticipated that fellowships will cover one course per fellowship recipient. Priority will be given to applicants who have not received fellowships previously, however, as one of the goals of the fellowship is to encourage residents and fellows to enter the Certificate Program.

 

May 5, 2008

NTI Funding Opportunities for 2008

The Nanotechnology Institute ( http://www.nanotechinstitute.org) is pleased to announce new funding opportunities for 2008-2009.

NTI will be holding two Funding Information meetings so that PI's can learn further about the different funding opportunities and ask questions.
 
The meeting dates are:
 
   *  Wednesday, *May 7th*, 1-2 PM, Temple University, University
      Services Building, 1601 N. Broad Street, Rm. 405, Philadelphia, PA
      19122
 
   *  Thursday, *May 8th*, 9-10 AM, University of Pennsylvania, 3330
      Walnut Street, Levine Building, Room 307, Philadelphia, PA 19104
 
We ask that any individual, who is planning on attending, contact Denise
 
Graham (denisegr@seas.upenn.edu) so we can plan accordingly.
 
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
 
Denise Graham
Administrative Assistant
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics University of Pennsylvania
(215) 573-9928
(215) 573-6334 FAX
denisegr@seas.upenn.edu
 

April 8, 2008

Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine: $3.9 Million for Diabetes Research

University of Pennsylvania’s newly created Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IRM), in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Haverford College, Lincoln University, and Thomas Jefferson University, will receive $3.9 million from Pennsylvania’s share of the national tobacco settlement for 2007-08. 

“This grant to support new approaches for regeneration of insulin-producing cells will provide the resources we need to find new treatments for diabetes,” said IRM Co-Director Dr. Jonathan Epstein, the William Wikoff Smith Professor of Medicine and chair of the cell and developmental biology department. “We are excited to work collaboratively with our colleagues at CHOP, Fox Chase, and Jefferson to pursue this research. The grant will also fund the education of high school students in Philadelphia, and college students at Penn, Haverford, and Lincoln Universities so that we will help to provide a pipeline of new scientists to make discoveries in regenerative medicine in Pennsylvania.”

The IRM and their collaborators will develop regenerative therapies for restoring the function of islet cells, which produce insulin and are lacking in persons with diabetes.

Penn has programs underway to improve the outcome of islet-cell transplantation by investigating unique mechanisms for promoting the growth of transplanted islet cells to regenerate functional tissue and provide a sustained cure.

Regenerative medicine was determined to be one of two research priorities for 2007-08, as determined by the Health Research Advisory Committee, chaired by Health Secretary Calvin Johnson. Regenerative medicine is a rapidly growing area of medicine, which includes the use of adult stem cells to develop innovative health treatments for improving or restoring the function of organs and tissues damaged by disease or injury. The need for research on regenerative medicine is underscored by the number of people living with devastating diseases, such as leukemia or sickle cell disease, for which there are no cures or few effective treatments. Adult stem cell research may also lead to more effective treatments for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, two of the leading causes of death in Pennsylvania. 

Additionally, this project will include training and community outreach programs in regenerative medicine for Philadelphia minority students and faculty at Haverford College, Lincoln University and Thomas Jefferson University. Specifically, it includes an expansion of an already existing program at Thomas Jefferson to teach biology and to excite students about science and discovery from elementary school through high school in the School District of Philadelphia, whose student body is composed almost entirely of underserved populations.

The existing program will be expanded to include topics on regeneration, encouraging local children and young adults to enter biomedical careers.

Furthermore, the Institute will collaborate with Lincoln University and Haverford Colleges, both schools with a focus on serving minority students, to fund fellowships, research programs, and the creation of new courses in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. This scientific and educational program is designed to grow the next generation of scientists and put knowledge to work in medicine, research, and industry.

These grants are awarded as part of the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Program, which support clinical, health services, and biomedical research. More information on the use of tobacco settlement funds can be found at the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website for health research grants at www.health.state.pa.us/cure and a copy of the full announcement can be found at www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=250400&A=190.

 

February 19, 2008

Flyers Fundraiser for Penn’s Center for Brain Injury & Repair at the Wachovia Center: March 18

To mark Brain Injury Awareness Month, the Penn neurosurgery department is hosting a benefit night at the Philadelphia Flyers vs. Thrashers hockey game on Tuesday, March 18. The event will promote brain injury awareness and raise funds to support research at the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair.  

The night will include the opportunity for zamboni rides, a featured focus on our party on the big screen, informational tabling on the concourse and a photo opportunity for the Penn group with Flyers alumni who have experience with brain injury. Autographed Flyers memorabilia will also be raffled off prior to the event.  

Serious head injury (traumatic brain injury) is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. It often affects people in the prime of their lives.

• Brain injury is suffered by someone in America, usually a young person, every 15 seconds

• Each year, approximately 100,000 people die from a traumatic brain injury and 500,000 more are permanently disabled

• Annually 80,000 people experience the onset of long-term disability following a severe brain injury

• Approximately 5.3 million Americans—more than 2% of the US population—are living with a disability that results from brain injury 

• The cost of treating, rehabilitating and caring for the victims of traumatic brain injury costs the US approximately $30 billion each year

Today there are no treatments available to halt the progressive damage initiated by brain trauma. Yet, there is hope, based largely on exciting, groundbreaking research at the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair at UPHS.

The Center for Brain Injury and Repair is the longest-standing and most respected center for head injury in the US. For more than 30 years, scientists, engineers and clinicians have collaborated to study the causes, effects and management of traumatic brain injury, both in the laboratory and in the patient care setting. Charitable contributions to the center’s work are vital to keeping the research moving forward.

Tickets to the Flyers fundraiser are $40. Raffle tickets for autographed Flyers memorabilia are $5 for 5. $15 from each ticket sale and all proceeds from the raffle go directly towards research at the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair.

Contact Robin Armstrong at robin@mail.med.upenn.edu or (215) 746-4727 for tickets or more information. Tickets to the game and raffle tickets will also be available at a table on the mezzanine level of HUP during Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 3-9, 2008.

February 12, 2008

University Research Foundation: March 14 Deadline

The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applications for the March 14 deadline. The URF is an intramural funding program that provides up to $50,000 support for research projects and up to $3,000 for conference support.

The objectives of the URF research program are to, (1) Help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in establishing their careers as independent investigators; (2) Help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to determine project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural grant applications; (3) Provide support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal funding; and (4) Provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as part of a successful external peer-reviewed application. URF Review Panels comprise established Penn faculty members and are charged with giving preference to projects that meet one of the aforementioned criteria.

Faculty members are invited to submit their research applications to one of four disciplinary areas: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Social Science and Management. In addition, URF offers a Conference support program to provide funding for meetings designed to enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. Conferences that promote interdisciplinary and multi-school participation are given priority.

For this cycle, in addition to simplifying the URF guidelines, we have implemented a new web-based application and budget form which will help to facilitate the submission and review process. Complete details about the URF and links to the forms can be found on the Office of the Vice Provost for Research website at www.upenn.edu/research/FoundationGuidelines.htm.

February 12, 2008

Transdisciplinary Award Program

Dr. Garret A. FitzGerald, director of ITMAT, announced the third round of successful applications for the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics’ (ITMAT) Transdisciplinary Award Program (TAPITMAT), supported by the School of Medicine. “The quality of all applications was extremely high and the funding decisions, made by members of the Internal Advisory Board, were extremely difficult,” he said.

The selected projects range across the breadth of biology, integrate diverse disciplines and investigators from many schools at Penn, as well as the Wistar Institute, and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, reflecting their interaction in the context of the Clinical and Translational Science Award. “They are uniformly of high scientific quality, interdisciplinary and translational in nature,” Dr. FitzGerald said.

“ITMAT is delighted with the number and quality of applications responsive to this call for awards and will continue to develop the program further in future years,” he added.

The recipients and their projects are:

Dr. Eliot Friedman, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
Dr. Max Kelz, Department of Anesthesia, School of Medicine
Neural inertia: an obstacle to cognitive return, a new view of arousal state control

Dr. Namni Goel, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine
Dr. Maja Bucan, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine
Genotyping neurobehavioral phenotypic responses to partial sleep deprivation in humans

Dr. Zissimos Mourelatos, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine
Dr. Marianthi Kiriakidou, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine
Dr. Scott Diamond, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Small molecule modulators of human microRNPs:  discovery and validation

Dr. Donald Siegel, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine
Dr. Sergei Vinogradov, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine
Dr. Khalil Bdeir, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine
Targeted therapy for blocking ADAMTS13 autoantibodies that cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Dr. Susan Ross, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine
Dr. Sara Cherry, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine
Identification of targets for therapeutic intervention of new world arenavirus entry

Dr. Dwight Stambolian, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
Dr. John Rux, Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Wistar Institute
Dr. Randy Zauhar, Chemistry & Biochemistry; Bioinformatics & Computer Science, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Potential therapy of age-related macular degeneration with small molecules

 

December 14, 2007

Applications for Fellowship Positions from ITMAT

We are pleased to announce the request for applications for 8 fellowship positions offered by the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics(ITMAT). Each position will come with salary support of up to 90K per year for a total of two years.
 
Funding start date will be July 1, 2008. The positions are open to individuals nearing the end of their clinical fellowship program at PENN or junior faculty within the first three years of their academic appointment.  The goals of the program are to provide salary support to individuals that will facilitate protected time for the pursuit of research activities and to provide didactic training in research methodology. A required component of this fellowship will be completion of the Masters of Science in Translational Research.
 
For details on how to submit an application please contact Marti Dandridge marti@gcrc.upenn.edu or 215 349
8627) or Emma Meagher emma@gcrc.upenn.edu). 
 
The deadline for the receipt of completed applications is January 11, 2008.

December 4, 2007

Establishment of Institute for Regenerative Medicine

The University of Pennsylvania is launching the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a new cross-disciplinary endeavor to investigate and harness the therapeutic potential of stem cells in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, degenerative diseases, wound healing and aging. Two renowned Penn scientists, Dr. Jonathan A. Epstein and Dr. Ralph L. Brinster, will lead the Institute. The announcement was made last Tuesday by President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ronald J. Daniels.

“The discovery of the remarkable properties of adult stem cells is transforming our understanding of basic biology, as well as disease processes,” President Gutmann said. “Penn researchers are positioned at the forefront of this exciting new development. The Institute for Regenerative Medicine will foster new and significant campus-wide research collaborations to explore the frontiers of stem cell biology and pave the way towards the discovery of lifesaving therapies. I am delighted that two eminent Penn scientists, Dr. Jonathan Epstein and Dr. Ralph Brinster, have agreed to lead this consummately collaborative, interschool and interdisciplinary initiative.”

The Institute for Regenerative Medicine will complement existing Penn centers and institutes including the Abramson Cancer Center; the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism; the Institute for Neurological Sciences; the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics; the Penn Cardiovascular Institute; and the Genomics Institute. It will also draw on existing Penn programs in basic cell and organ biology, extensive animal modeling opportunities, practical and experiential expertise in tissue engineering, innovative translational research programs and ready access to pediatric and adult patient populations.

The Institute will work closely with other schools in the region, including Lincoln University and Haverford College, offering cooperative educational programs and student exchanges. In addition, the Institute plans to create partnerships to extend this interaction to inner-city classrooms, bringing the opportunities of regenerative medicine to students early in their academic development.

“The Institute will profoundly change our entire educational continuum,” Provost Daniels said.  “It will integrate our expertise in stem cell biology, enhance research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, increase postdoctoral fellowships and modernize our training of the next generation of scientists and physicians.”

The University is recruiting more than 15 new Institute-affiliated faculty in the next two years in stem cell biology, regenerative medicine and related disciplines. Penn’s schools of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dental Medicine, Engineering and Applied Science and Arts and Sciences have all committed new faculty postings to the Institute. The University is building a multidisciplinary research environment that will support Institute scientists. The schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, along with the Abramson Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, are pooling resources and space to establish new core facilities for Institute affiliates.  

“We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to be able to call upon the services of Dr. Epstein and Dr. Brinster as we embark on this exciting new initiative,” Provost Daniels said. “Jon and Ralph will have the full support of University and School administrators, and we are pleased to be committing substantial resources to seed new research programs and infrastructure projects under their leadership.”

Dr. Epstein is the William Wikoff Smith Chair in Cardiovascular Research and chairman of the department of cell and developmental biology in the School of Medicine. He is the scientific director of the Cardiovascular Institute and has numerous professional affiliations and honors, which include being an Established Investigator of the American Heart Association, a member of the American Association of Physicians and vice president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He specializes in exploring the molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular development, especially their implications for understanding and treating human disease. He has received numerous awards, including the Sir William Osler Young Investigator Award from the Interurban Club and the Outstanding Investigator Award from the American Federation for Medical Research. He earned an AB in 1983 and an MD in 1988, both from Harvard. 

Dr. Brinster is the Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Physiology in the School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. He has made landmark contributions to research related to germ cells, stem cells and the modification of their genetic program. He has received numerous honors, including the Gairdner Foundation International Award, being one of only three veterinarians ever awarded this distinction; the Wolf Prize in Medicine; the Charles-Leopold Mayer Prize, the highest prize of the French Academy of Sciences; the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology; and the Bower Award for Achievement in Science from the Franklin Institute. He received a BS from Rutgers in 1953, and a VMD in 1960 and PhD in physiology in 1964, both from Penn.

November 2, 2007

Over $5 Million to Establish Penn Center for the Integration of Genetic Healthcare Technology (Penn CIGHT)

A new Center for Excellence in Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research has been established at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in collaboration with the School of Nursing, the School of Arts and Sciences, the Wharton School and the Annenberg School for Communication.

Penn’s Center will be known as the Center for the Integration of Genetic Healthcare Technology (Penn CIGHT). It will receive over $5 million over the next five years from the National Institutes of Health to study the certainty or uncertainty of results from genetic testing.

“The University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have outstanding expertise in studying the human genome and the causes of genetic diseases, and in the care, counseling and treatment of people with hereditary diseases,” said Center director Dr. Reed Pyeritz, director of the Division of Medical Genetics at the Penn School of Medicine. “However, this expertise is spread over many centers and departments in multiple institutions. This grant begins the process of bringing together not only these people, but enabling them to interact with faculty and students from multiple disciplines from the wider university.”

The overall goal of the Penn CIGHT is to develop tools that will help educate consumers, professionals, policy makers, and insurers understand and cope with the certainty or uncertainty of results from genetic technologies. Team members will conduct original research to evaluate genetic technologies including:

• an historical and sociological analysis of the ethical, legal, and social consequences of prenatal testing in the areas of cystic fibrosis and Down syndrome, led by Dr. Ruth Schwartz Cowan, chair of the department of the history and sociology of science,

• an assessment of patient and provider perceptions of the utility of a genetic test to identify the likelihood of future disease susceptibility, using HHT, a single gene disorder, as an example, led by Barbara Bernhardt, clinical associate professor of medicine, and an evaluation of the long-term psychological, social, and medical effects of genetic testing and counseling for breast cancer on African American women and their families, led by Dr. Chanita Hughes-Halbert, associate professor of psychiatry.

Penn CIGHT is part of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)’s announcement about the establishment of two new ELSI centers to address the most critical ethical, legal and social questions relating to genetics faced by clinicians, researchers, and patients. The other new center will be at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. 

“Examining the emerging ethical, legal and social implications of genomic research is central to our goal of safely and effectively moving discoveries into the clinic,” said Dr. Francis S. Collins, NHGRI director. “These centers will work to identify and address the most pressing issues being confronted by individuals, families, and communities as a result of genetic and genomic research.”

The work of the new center at Penn will be conducted by a team of experts representing a broad range of disciplines, such as medicine, bioethics, law, behavioral and social sciences, clinical research, public policy, economics, and genetic and genomic research. The interdisciplinary nature of this team will allow the center to develop innovative research approaches focused on specific sets of issues that relate to the numerous applications and uses of genomic research, technologies, and information. The Center will also train investigators in methods to evaluate the implications and utility of future genetic technologies and discoveries. 

“The new Penn center will give us the structure and resources needed to respond quickly to the clinical integration of new genetic discoveries,” said Ms. Bernhardt, a genetic counselor.

“Our goal is to gather data that will allow us to make recommendations to ensure that the clinical applications of new genetic technologies result in the maximal benefit to the most people with the least associated risk and misunderstanding.” 

A list and summary of other Centers of Excellence in ELSI Research is available at www.genome.gov/26023213.

October 16, 2007

Population Health Grants: November 15

The Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars Program at Penn is issuing a Call for Proposals in Population Health open to all Penn faculty.  Grants will range from $2,000-$20,000 to develop pilot projects which will attract external support for larger-scale studies, fund small-scale projects or develop enduring education materials to advance teaching and training in population health concepts or methods within the University.

The application deadline is November 15;  see www.upenn.edu/rwjhssp for details.

September 25, 2007

Call for Applicants

The selection committee for the University of Pennsylvania’s nominee for the Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics invites qualified university faculty to apply.

The Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics is a career development award to enable outstanding junior faculty members to carry out original research that will help resolve important policy and clinical dilemmas at the intersection of ethics and the life sciences. This research will also put Faculty Scholars in a position to help set public policy and standards of clinical practice. Applicants must be junior faculty members holding at least a 60% appointment at a university.

To learn more about the Program, visit www.greenwallfsp.org

Applicants for the University’s nominee should write a three-page letter of intent that includes (1) a description of their research proposal, particularly its significance, how it will be carried out, and how it is likely to have an impact on public policy or clinical practice; and (2) a personal statement describing their goals in the field of bioethics. This letter should be double-spaced and in type no smaller than 12-point. The applicant should also submit a curriculum vitae, no longer than 5 single-spaced pages and a cover page including the project title and applicant's contact information.

These materials are due by 5:00 p.m. on October 31th, 2007 via email to Debbie Polekoff at Debbie.polekoff@uphs.upenn.edu.

Jason Karlawish, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine and Medical Ethics

Chair, Penn’s Selection Committee for the Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics.

Jason.karlawish@uphs.upenn.edu

 

September 18, 2007

University Research Foundation Conference Support Guidelines: Due October 31

The conference support program is designed for scholarly meetings that will be convened on the Penn campus, thereby providing enrichment opportunities to interested faculty, students, and staff, most frequently in the format of a 1-2 day colloquium.  The intent is to support meetings that are designed to enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain.  High priority will be given to inter- or cross-disciplinary conferences that include faculty from more than one School.

Read More: http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v54/n04/urf_guide.html

September 18, 2007

Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine will receive $1.5 million annually from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) over the next five years to study the molecular mechanisms that underlie the cognitive and movement aspects of Parkinson’s disease, as well as enhance the care and treatment of patients and training of physicians. The Penn Udall Center is the only center to focus on dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, second only to Alzheimer’s disease in the number of people affected. Estimates suggest that approximately 750,000 Americans have Parkinson’s.

“This grant will enable us to better leverage our achievements in clinical care for Parkinson’s patients with our strong background in research on the basic sciences behind neurological disorders,” said Center Director Dr. John Trojanowski, director of Penn’s Institute on Aging. “The theme of the Udall grant is cognitive impairment, a very much neglected aspect of Parkinson’s disease. This grant will bring together movement disorder physicians with experts in cognition and neuropsychiatry.”

“NINDS funding will help us build on our existing Parkinson’s efforts as well as recruit new faculty to the research program,” said Dr. Arthur Rubenstein, EVP of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean of the School of Medicine. “The award is a testament to the characteristic collegiality and team approach to science at Penn. This award will further add to our international reputation for multidisciplinary research excellence in neurodegenerative diseases of aging.”

The Penn Udall Center is based on 20 years of basic research on neurodegenerative diseases within the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and clinical programs at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center, both within the UPHS.

Dr. Trojanowski will coordinate the Center’s overall operations and conduct neuropathology and genetics research. Dr. Howard Hurtig, will investigate potential markers of Parkinson’s-related neurodegeneration, as well as lead educational efforts for physicians and the lay community. Dr. Andrew Siderowf, and Dr. Murray Grossman, will help mark out the nature of cognitive impairments in Parkinson patients. Dr. Virginia M.-Y. Lee and Dr. Benoit Giasson, will study the nature of these impairments in mouse models. Dr. Sharon Xie, will oversee data management and biostatistics for the initiative.

The Udall Centers of Excellence were developed in honor of former Congressman Morris K. Udall, who died in 1998 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The first center was named in 1997. Joining the existing 13 Centers, the Penn Udall Center has several objectives:

• Develop a new rating scale of activities of daily living for Parkinson’s patients to distinguish between cognitive and motor impairments.
• Investigate the neural basis of cognitive deficits in Parkinson’s disease, using MRI, among other techniques.
• Conduct studies with animal models of Parkinson’s disease to elucidate the role of alpha-synuclein proteins in disease pathology.
• Study the role of protein aggregations in Parkinson’s dementia pathology.

“Most significantly, advances in understanding how the accumulation of nerve-cell debris formed by the Lewy body protein alpha-synuclein causes motor and cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease are leading to the identification of exciting new targets for drug discovery aimed at stopping or slowing Parkinson’s,” said Dr. Trojanowski. “The Parkinson’s brain is flooded with deposits of alpha-synuclein misfolded protein and understanding how this happens suggests several novel therapies.”

One approach is to unclog the normal protein disposal mechanisms in sick nerve cells so pathological alpha-synuclein is cleared and no longer accumulates. This strategy will prevent sick nerve cells from being damaged by the alpha-synuclein debris. Alternatively, reducing the amount of pathological alpha-synuclein in sick nerve cells will help the normal disposal mechanisms in the brain to work effectively. “These success stories from the lab offer real hope for better patient therapies to stop or slow the progression of Parkinson’s,” Dr. Trojanowski said of the new Center’s overall aim.

 

September 17, 2007

The Nano Bio Interface Center (NBIC) has several competitions associated with NanoDay 2007, which will take place on Wednesday, October 24, 2007.  A cash prize is associated with each award, and competitions are open to all students across the University.  Awards will be given during a ceremony on October 24th.  Details for each award are below.  Please feel free to distribute or pass on to others who might be interested.

NBIC Graduate Research Award
Award: $200 cash prize, Certificate of Achievement, and delivery of presentation preceding the NBIC Research Excellence Award

Forms for the awards can be found on NBIC's website using the link  http://www.nanotech.upenn.edu/downloads/

  Nomination letters must come from the current faculty advisor and accompany a two-page description identifying research accomplishments and their significance.
Deadline: September 28, 2007
Send Submissions and Questions to: ncharles@seas.upenn.edu


NBIC Multimedia Award
Award: $100 cash prize, and Certificate of Achievement
Each year, a multimedia presentation on nanoscale research and applications of nanotechnology is exhibited during the NanoDay events.  Award winners will have their imagery displayed at this presentation.
 
The award has two categories, (1) aesthetic and (2) scientific.  Entries are judged on creative aesthetic implementation, effective educational approach, and/or significant research results.
Deadline: October 12, 2007
Send Submissions and Questions to: jmcgon@seas.upenn.edu


NBIC Exhibit/Demo Award
Award: $100 cash prize, and Certificate of Achievement
The 1st Floor of the Towne Building is filled with exhibit-like presentations and demonstrations of nanoscale phenomena or technologies during the NanoDay events.  NBIC research groups are encouraged to create an exhibit about their research.

This award will go to the most interesting and descriptive exhibit/demonstration that explains nanoscale phenomena or applications to a general audience.
Deadline: October 12, 2007 (Title and Abstract)
Send Submissions and Questions to: jmcgon@seas.upenn.edu

 
NBIC Research Poster Award
Award: $100 cash prize, and Certificate of Achievement

Graduate students have the opportunity to present their latest research results at a poster session during the NanoDay event.  An award will be presented to the poster showing innovative research, a well-designed experimental approach, validity of conclusions, impact of results, or the technical aspects of the presentation.
Deadline: October 12, 2007 (Title and Abstract)
Send Submissions and Questions to: jmcgon@seas.upenn.edu

August 15, 2007

CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE AWARED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

Increasingly, active community participation in research is being recognized as essential to improving health outcomes in diverse populations.  Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative process between individuals from the community or community-based organizations and academic investigators and has the following features:  (1) the community is acknowledged as the primary unit of identity, (2) efforts are developed and implemented to enhance the existing strengths of the community, (3) collaborative relationships between the academic institution and community partners are fostered throughout the entire research process, and (4) knowledge that is gained through the partnership is translated into specific action.  A key goal of CBPR is to enhance a community’s ability to address important health issues through the development of effective interventions that can be maintained over time.  Ideally, community stakeholders are actively involved all phases of the research.  Relatedly, community-based research includes studies that are conducted in community settings. 

One of the goals of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) at the University of Pennsylvania is to partner with community stakeholders on research efforts.  To foster community-based research, especially studies that use a participatory framework, at Penn, the Community Engagement Core within the CTSA will fund two pilot projects up to $20,000 each (total costs) for research that is conducted in community settings or uses a participatory research framework and actively involves community stakeholders in the conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation of a study.  Priority will be given to applications that use a participatory research framework.  Funds can be used to support salary for academic investigators, support for community collaborators, data management, supplies, and small equipment.  Funds may be used to support research designed to collect data that will inform future interventions or studies that evaluate the effects of a newly developed intervention. Funds may not be used to support travel or to supplement projects that are currently funded. 

 

Eligibility 

• All faculty, fellows, and residents from Penn and CHOP are eligible to submit applications.  Applications submitted by fellows or residents must be endorsed by a faculty member with experience in community-based or participatory research who will be responsible for the study.
• For projects that use a participatory framework, a community collaborator (individual or organization) must be included as key personnel and provide a commensurate level of support.  At a minimum, community stakeholders must have been actively involved in developing the specific aims for the study and should play an active role in collecting data, interpreting results, and disseminating findings.
• Existing or newly developed academic-community partnerships may be supported with pilot funds.  For projects submitted by existing partnerships, funds can only be used to support new projects that have not been previously funded.  For projects that involve a newly developed partnership, there should be evidence that activities have been completed to establish the partnership.
• Applications should also include a description of the relevant community or communities.
• Manuscripts and presentations from research supported through this award should acknowledge the Penn CTSA.

 

May 16, 2007

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS FOR THE CTSA-ACARD INTERNAL SMALL GRANT PROGRAM

One of the goals of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) -- shared by the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and its partner institutions, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the Wistar Institute (WI), and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) -- is to apply pharmacoepidemiologic approaches to improving the effectiveness and safety of drugs and other therapeutics. The CTSA is administered by the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT). The ACARD (Automated Claims and Medical Record Databases) Core is housed in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB).

To foster epidemiologic research using large databases, the ACARD Core provides access to a resource whereby CTSA investigators can perform epidemiological studies of large population databases (Medicaid, GPRD, and THIN) available at Penn. The ACARD Core also provides access to the needed hardware and software in an environment supported by expert faculty supervision. Resources are provided for the conduct of pilot studies with each data resource. Assistance is provided to meet with investigators, to apply for data-use agreements where necessary, to assist applicants in writing research proposals to ensure that the study is informed by in-depth understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each data resource, and to assist with data management, data analysis, and manuscript preparation.

Ultimately, the goal of the CTSA-ACARD is to encourage investigators with diverse training to conduct studies focused on translational therapeutics and pharmacoepidemiology, and to facilitate these research efforts by making available to them existing large databases that can provide answers more quickly, and at a lower cost, than studies involving de novo collection of data. To this end, the CTSA-ACARD is prepared to provide administrative guidance, technical advice, funding, and access to currently available data resources for qualified applicants.

Read more: Penn Medicine Pilot and Seed Grants

 

February 28, 2007

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2008

The Brocher Foundation would like to invite researchers to submit research projects for stays at the Brocher Foundation's premises in Geneva.

Stays of Researchers at the Brocher Foundation's premises in Geneva

These stays are planned for a duration of one to six months. The Brocher Foundation offers accommodation in Geneva and an office with all working facilities at the new Brocher Centre.

Conditions

1. Research themes in the field of:
   1. ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Issues) of genetics. This includes also political and economic aspects;
   2. ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Issues) of : Biotechnologies, Biomedical Engineering or Nanomedicine;
   3. Health Law, Health care Economy, Philosophical approaches to Health care or biotechnologies;
2. Starting or completing an existing research project (PhD, essay, book) on the above mentioned topics.
3. Options which will be considered as a plus.
   1. Developing a research project involving a cooperation with a European or a Swiss University
   2. Developing an international research project involving International organisations in Geneva, i.e.World Health Organisation WHO, United Nations UN, International Labour Organisation ILO (www.who.int; www.who.int/ethics/topics/en/), UN (www.un.org); ILO (www.ilo.org)

The Brocher Foundation offers the above services within the limits of its annual budget. We insure confidentiality for projects submitted to the Brocher Foundation. Projects may be presented by any person with an academic degree, from PhD students to Professors. The applicants are required to fill the form call for scientific proposals (Word) below and to provide the documents required therein.

The deadline for submission is the 15th of May 2007.

 

February 13, 2007

University Research Foundation Guidelines: March 15
Statement of Purpose and Guidelines

The University Research Foundation (URF) is an intramural resource to support research for faculty for a variety of purposes, including:

• Helping junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding, and aid in establishing their careers as independent investigators.
• Helping established faculty perform exploratory research, particularly on novel or pioneering ideas, to determine their feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural applications.
• Providing support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal funding.
• Providing limited institutional matching funds that are awarded contingent upon a successful external peer-reviewed application that requires an institutional match.
• Providing, under compelling circumstances, established investigators with funds to support a well-justified gap in extramural support or a documented unanticipated short-term need.
• Supporting conferences of up to $3,000. Conference Support Guidelines are on page 5.

Read more: http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v53/n22/rfg.html

 

February 13, 2007

University Research Foundation Awards Fall 2006 & URF Conference Support Awards Fall 2006

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research has announced awards to the following members of the faculty for the projects listed below. These are from fall 2006, the most recent cycle of Penn’s internally-funded University Research Foundation Awards and URF Conference Support  Awards (noted with *).

Stephen M. Baylor, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine; Calcium Flames in Mammalian Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Diego Contreras, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine; State Dependent Integration of Sensory Inputs Studied In Vivo 

Roderic G. Eckenhoff, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine; The Effects of Anesthetics on the Triple Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease 

Tom Kadesch, Department of Genetics, School of Medicine; Novel Aspects of Notch Signaling 

Daniel S. Kessler, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine; Negative Regulation of TGFß Signaling by a Fast1-Groucho Corepressor Complex 

Laurie Kilpatrick, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine; Novel Protein Kinase C Targeted Therapy for Acute Lung Injury 

David Lynch, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine; Anti-NMDA Receptor Antibodies in Paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis 

*Nina Luning Prak, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine; B Cell Targeted Therapy For Autoimmunity 

Glenn Radice, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine; N-cadherin Function in Pancreatic Cancer

Samir Shah, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine; Impact of Microbiological Diagnosis of Complicated Pneumonia on Clinical Outcomes Using a Broad-Range 16S rDNA PCR for Pathogen Detection 

Noga Vardi, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine; Role of Glutmate Signalling in Epithelial Cells 

Xiaowei Xu, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine; Characterization of Oct4 Positive Adult Stem Cells