Research Notes
May 2021
With gifts totaling $30 million, Brown established a new Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, integrating scientists and physicians from the Carney Institute and the Warren Alpert Medical Center. It aims at building a research program focused on early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's and related dementias. Read more.
Resuming Research
Effective June 1, new guidance will be in effect for research at Brown this summer, including changing the allowed density for laboratories with approved safety plans and changing lab meeting rules. Read more.
2021 Celebration of Research
This year's Brown University Celebration of Research was held virtually on May 18. Read about the 2020 and 2021 winners of Seed, Salomon, and Research Achievement awards.
Deeplite, Brown Licensee, Raises Funds to Expand AI Access
Deeplite, a Montreal-based start-up that is a Brown licensee, closed a $6-million seed fundraising round to make AI more accessible. Deeplite’s automated software engine enables AI computing on any device. Full story here.
New Patents to Brown
Last month, Brown was awarded a patent for research on ultrasensitive magnetic tunneling junction sensors (US 10,983,182) by Dr. Gang Xiao. The patented MTJ sensor can achieve a magnetic field sensitivity of 30 picoTesla.
Kareen Coulombe Earns NSF CAREER Award
Congratulations to Kareen Coulombe of Engineering and Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology for earning a NSF CAREER Award. Her project supports work included in a patent application guided by the Brown Technology Innovations office. Full story here.
Save the Date: 2021 Conference on Digital Health at Brown
The 2021 Digital Health Virtual Conference will be held June 22. This conference will explore how digital health has transformed over recent years and what its future may hold. Hosted by the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health.
Inventor’s Toolkit: Fridays for Founders
RIHub has launched a new program that provides free 30-minute consultations with local experts to interested entrepreneurs. Learn more about RI business laws or how to tell compelling stories through marketing. More information here.
Office of Research Integrity
New Human Subjects Researcher Onboarding Program
Are you a new faculty member who conducts human subjects research? If so, take our personalized onboarding program to learn about Brown's Human Subjects Research Protection Program, policies, and forms. Contact Chris Provencal.
New IRB Position Statement
Use of Sexual Orientation and Gender Inclusive Language is required for all study materials and is consistent with The Belmont Report's principles of Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice, pillars of human subjects research regulations.
IRB Tip: Clinical Trials Registration & Reporting
Conducting a clinical trial? Did you know that failure to comply with clinical trials registration and reporting may result in study suspension, termination, or civil monetary penalties? Contact IRB@brown.edu if you have any questions.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training for NSF supported Students
PIs on NSF awards are responsible for ensuring that all students and trainees who engage in research on their award complete RCR training. See here for more information. If you have questions, contact Juliane Blyth.
COI reporting obligations for Public Health Service (PHS) funded Investigators
We want to remind the PHS Investigator community that if they receive a new Significant Financial Interest (SFI) during the year, they must report the new SFI on Brown’s electronic COI form within 30 days. See here for more information.
Meeting Dates & Submission Deadlines
ORD has changed our name to ORSD
We have changed our name to the “Office of Research Strategy and Development," calling out the work we have been doing for years. This new title clarifies all services, including strategy development, our office provides to the research community at Brown. More details here.
Integrating Broader Impacts into Project Proposals at Brown
Session recordings and other resources from the Engaged Scholarship and Broader Impacts Spring 2021 Seminar Series events have been posted at the Seminar Series website--please share with your colleagues.
Research Development and Grant Writing Newsletter
This newsletter offers strategies on how to compete successfully for research funding and highlights new funding opportunities. Catch up on past issues here.
Aging Funding Opportunities
ORSD and the Office of Corporate & Foundation Relations have assembled funding opportunities in the area of aging.
Coeus & InfoEd Inquiries: Technical Help and Report Requests Require a Ticket
A reminder that all departmental inquiries and technical assistance requests for Coeus and InfoEd systems need to be submitted via a CIS IT Service Center ticket. Also, all report requests require a ticket. For more information, read more here.
Office of Sponsored Projects
OSP Case Study Challenge: Sally & Professor Books
Sally Nose is a Research Administrator in the School of All Studies. All Studies is a very busy and complex unit, with lots of interesting questions. Can you help Sally with her latest inquiry?
Summer Salary Costing
The summer salary costing allocation template is now updated with the FY21 NIH salary cap. The forms section and the summer salary section have been updated on the OSP website.
Implementation of NIH *2021* Other Support and Biosketch format pages
Transition to new Biosketch and Other Support format is expected 5/25/21. NIH will require the use of these documents on 1/25/22. All information requested by new instructions should be included, regardless of form, after 05/25/21.
NIH *2021* Other Support further guidance
Beginning on 5/25/21, NIH may request copies of contracts, grants or any other agreements specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution as part of Other Support review.
Caution: End of Award Expenditures are Highly Risky
All purchases incurred within the last 90 days of an award should be reviewed to determine how they provided benefit during the project period. Providing benefit means having a reasonable amount of use during the life of the project.
NIH Federal Updates
NIH Issues New Fetal Tissue Policy
HHS is reversing its 2019 decision that all research applications for NIH grants and contracts proposing the use of human fetal tissue from elective abortions will be reviewed by an Ethics Advisory Board. Read more.
NIH and Preliminary Data Through January 2022 Council
In recognition of the fact that COVID-19 may still be adversely affecting the ability of applicants to generate preliminary data, NIH will continue to accept a one-page update with preliminary data. Read more.
Revised NIH Grants Policy Statement
The revised NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS) was released on April 20, 2021, via NOT-OD-21-107. The GPS provides up-to-date guidance and serves as standard terms and conditions for grants and cooperative agreements.
Expanding Requirement for eRA Commons IDs to All Senior/Key Persons
Personnel Targeting due dates on or after January 25, 2022, NIH, AHRQ, FDA, and ORD/VA will require all individuals listed on the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Form to have an eRA Commons username (Commons ID). Read more.
Funding & Awards
Resilient & Intelligent NextG Systems (RINGS)
The RINGS program seeks to accelerate research that will have significant impacts on emerging Next Generation (NextG) wireless and mobile communication, networking, sensing, and computing systems. Proposals due July 29, 2021.
Limited Submission Funding Opportunities
Limited Submissions require institutional nomination or endorsement from Brown. Interested? See the featured funding database of searchable limited submission opportunities here.
Conferences & Training
Spring 2021 Virtual NSF Grants Conference
This free June 7-11 event is designed to give new faculty, researchers, and administrators key insights into a wide range of current NSF issues. NSF program officers will provide information and answering questions. Registration is open.
Impact: Research at Brown
Impact is Brown’s first magazine devoted to the University’s research. Read the magazine for stories of groundbreaking discovery and scholarship, and of our commitment to making a difference in the world.
