Research Notes

Research information for Brown faculty, grant-related staff,
and students from the Office of the Vice President for Research

A five-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will support Ahmed Abdelfattah’s research to shed light on brain activity, which could ultimately benefit patients facing a range of disorders. Read more.

Submit Brown Research Achievement Award nominations

Brown recognizes outstanding research and scholarship through annual Research Achievement Awards. Early Career Awards - and, new this year - Midcareer Awards will be given in 2022. Midcareer Awards and Distinguished Research Achievement Awards alternate every other year. See guidelines. Submit nominations via UFunds.

Office of Sponsored Projects

Effort certifications - communication between department managers and Principal Investigators (PIs) is critical!
Make adjustments PRIOR to certifying effort. Once certified, adjustments are not allowed. Re-certifications are only allowed in limited circumstances and MUST address why the effort was certified incorrectly.

Are you currently the Effort Certification Partner (ECP) for your department and are retiring from Brown at the end of this year?
Who is going to be the next ECP? Please submit a Help Ticket through Workday so effort certifications continue to route correctly.

Cost share worktag reminder
Reminder to review the Cost Share Reference Guide when determining appropriate worktags. Questions related to worktag usage should be directed to the Controller's Office.

Proposal deadlines for Winter Break
Please see OSP’s Announcements page to find deadline information for proposals due during or immediately after Winter Break.

Updated FAQs added to NIH forms guidance page
Be sure to check our Guidance and Reference Documents for *New* 2021 NIH Templates page for newly added and updated FAQs. We’ve added questions and answers related to Formatting, In Kind Contributions, and Consulting.

eRA Commons IDs for Unaffiliated Individuals
With the upcoming FORMS-G transition, all Senior/Key Persons, including Consultants, will need Commons IDs. Please see the Special Registration Instructions online and share with your colleagues who are classified as Unaffiliated Individuals. 

US Department of Education - G5 System December schedule
The G5 System will be unavailable for all activities, including the drawdown of payments, from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), Thursday, December 9, 2021, until 6:00 a.m. EST, Monday, December 13, 2021. Read more.

Support for safe and respectful workplaces at NIH-funded institutions
NIH has updated its anti-sexual harassment website including how to notify NIH (which can be anonymous), resources to evaluate workplace climate, and frequently asked questions.

August Mini Case Study Challenge solution
In the August newsletter, Sally was struggling with a late proposal submission from Professor Scope, let’s see what she learned.

November Mini Case Study Challenge
Sally is working with Professor Scope on an NSF Preliminary Proposal.  Sally’s understanding of the FOA instructions vary from Professor Scope’s. Can you help Sally with her latest inquiry from Professor Scope?

Technology Innovations

Accepting applications: Brown Biomedical Innovations to Impact
The Brown Biomedical Innovations to Impact (BBII) is an accelerator fund that supports biomedical technologies with high impact potential to become attractive to industry partners and investors. BBII is accepting applications due 12/16. Read more.

Brown licensee, Theromics, awarded Small Business Technology Transfer Grant
Brown licensee, Theromics, Inc. was recently awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer Grant and a patent (US11076916). Theromics is developing a thermal accelerant used to fine-tune tissue ablation at the tumor boundary. Read more.

Deeplite wins AI tech award
Brown licensee, Deeplite, was awarded Best in Deep Learning Technology at AI Dev World last month, the largest AI development meeting to date. Deeplite’s goal is to make AI accessible through software that enables computing on any device.

Developments in solar energy
Nitin Padture Ph.D. (Engineering) and his team published data on the use of a molecular glue that enhances the durability of perovskite solar panels. Learn about perovskite panels and Brown’s contribution to solar energy efficiency in this video.

Brown to attend JPM Health Conference 2022
Brown Technology Innovations will attend the 40th annual JPM Health Conference, which takes place January 10-13 in California. Please contact us (tech-innovations@Brown.edu) with news or connections related to the conference.

Office of Research Strategy and Development

Real Talk: Collaborative Conversations about Collaborative Work
This event will showcase high-quality Engaged Scholarship and Broader Impacts (ES/BI) work in order to acknowledge excellence and enhance understanding of meaningful ES/BI. December 1: Scott Frickel & Summer Gonsalves. Register here.

Potential collaborator request form
Looking for a researcher with a specific set of characteristics? Fill out this short form to request a list of potential collaborators nationwide, customized by the individual and institutional attributes you select.

Research Development and Grant Writing Newsletter
This newsletter offers strategies on how to compete successfully for research funding and highlights new funding opportunities. Read our October issue and catch up on past issues here.

Office of Research Integrity

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
If you receive, or may receive or work with, CUI, review the new CUI page on our website and contact the Export Control Team to discuss next steps. The receipt of CUI requires a Brown approved CUI Control Plan.

International technology challenges
Students and researchers participating in international technology competitions or challenges must contact Brown’s Export Control Team to discuss the need for an export license. NOTE: all prototypes are subject to export control regulations.

Integrity tip: Appropriate text “recycling”
Are you looking for best practices on how to appropriately reuse textual materials (prose, visual, or equations) in a new document without concern of self-plagiarism? Check out the Text Recycling Research Project’s Best Practices for Researchers.

NEW IRB guidance: Research involving deception and incomplete disclosures
Does your study design include providing participants with misleading information about the research or deliberately withholding information from participants? This new guidance describes the PI’s responsibilities and HRPP/IRB expectations.

NEW IRB guidance: ClinicalTrials.gov registration
Need help registering a study on ClinicalTrials.gov? Unsure how to set up a PRS account? How do you edit a registered study? We have new guidance, FAQs, and tips for you!

Revised IRB position statement
Use of Sexual Orientation and Gender Inclusive Language has been revised in response to feedback from the Brown research community. This required IRB Position Statement is a living document and will continue to be revised, as needed.

Meeting dates & submission deadlines

Research Administration Information Systems

Funding & awards

2022 Limited Submission projected calendars
The intent of the Limited Submission calendars is to enable the Brown research community more time to plan for these opportunities. See the Early Career Calendar and the Major Calendar for more information.

Understanding the Role of Bilingualism in Cognitive Reserve/Resilience in Aging and AD/ADRD (NIH)
This FOA will support research studying the role of bilingualism as it relates to cognitive reserve/resilience in healthy aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD). Due 3/3/22.