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AUGUST 2025
In the Spotlight
How hot is too hot for health? Brown researcher shares heat-related red flags
As summer temperatures surge, Dr. Katelyn Moretti, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, discussed how extreme heat affects the human body and how people can best protect themselves.
MESSAGE FROM THE VPR
Greetings,
As you know from President Paxson’s message to the Brown community two weeks ago, Brown signed a Resolution Agreement with the federal government on July 30, 2025. This agreement restored millions of dollars in NIH funding. We are beginning to see some positive impacts from the agreement. Some reimbursements have arrived over the past few days, and more are expected soon, as the agreement stipulates that all payments consistent with the approved budgets for each grant will be paid to Brown within 30 days. In addition to the reinstated NIH grants, we have also had other awards restored. However, we are still waiting for several reinstatements of NIH awards that were terminated earlier this year.
While many of you may feel relieved that your NIH-funded research can resume, we encourage you to continue seeking diverse funding sources. We encourage you to reach out to the Research Strategy and Development (RSD) team in DOR and Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) to explore new opportunities. Given the evolving federal landscape, pursuing a diverse funding portfolio has never been more essential for our research success.
More recently, as many of you have noticed, a new EO was announced late last week (see our Federal Updates page). The EO introduces new political oversight to the federal research process, and also has potential impacts on the overhead rate we use to reimburse the facility and administrative expenditures that support research at Brown. Over the coming months, we will engage with AAU and COGR to navigate these evolving issues.
Cheers,
Greg Hirth, Vice President for Research
BROWN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
Funding opportunity for cutting-edge research proposals: The 2025 Sony Research Award Program
Sony invites Brown researchers to submit research proposals for the Faculty Innovation Award and Focused Research Award, with funding up to $150,000 annually. Details and eligible topics are on the Sony Research Award Program website. Proposals are due by Sept. 15, 2025. Contact Technology Innovations for more information.
Samsung seeks Brown researchers for new technology incubation partnership
Samsung Research America launched LEAP-U to help mature university innovations (Technology Readiness Levels 3+) commercialize over 8-12 months through academic collaboration. See LEAP-U details and research areas of interest, or contact Technology Innovations for more information.
NEMIC 2025 MedTech Leadership Program—registration open
The MedTech Leadership Program, developed by New England Medical Innovation Center (NEMIC), is based on extensive research and experience in the MedTech industry. Sessions start Sept. 8, 2025.
Registration extended! Applications open for the fall cohort of Blueprint by The Engine
Blueprint by The Engine helps graduate students, postdocs, and researchers explore the translational potential of their breakthrough research. This 8-week program provides an overview of the entrepreneurial path. Apply by Aug. 15.
Equalize Startups 2026: Applications open in September
Equalize Startups is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps women academic inventors create university startups. Equalizers gain education, a mentor, and networks for entrepreneurial connections. Carolina Haass-Koffler (Psychiatry and Human Behavior) won the 2025 People's Choice award in Therapeutics. Applications open in September.
RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Huron: Sponsor selection
Learn how to select the correct sponsor in Huron.
RESEARCH INTEGRITY
BEARCORE RCR training program registration open
BEARCORE will be held in person on Jan. 14-15 and May 13-14, 2026. Register in Workday Learning. BEARCORE meets NSF and NIH RCR Training requirements. Email Torrey Truszkowski with questions.
NSF changes to RECR content requirements
As outlined in NSF “Important Notice No. 149,” export control and research security must be included in RCR training starting Oct 10, 2025. Email Torrey Truszkowski with questions or to request resources or assistance.
Meeting dates & submission deadlines
SPONSORED PROJECTS
Important reminder as the new fiscal year opens
All proposals submitted to external sponsors (federal and non-federal, including corporations and foundations) require review and approval from the central office before submission. This is done by routing the application materials through the Huron grants system and adhering to the timeline outlined in the University’s 5/3 rule.
Changes to subrecipient scope of work require amendments
As projects evolve, subrecipient scopes often need revision. To ensure mutual awareness and agreement, any change in scope should be documented with a formal modification to the subaward as soon as decided.
NIH
Reminder: New NIH Public Access Policy Compliance
The NIH's new Public Access Policy started on July 1, 2025. Manuscripts from active NIH awards accepted for publication on or after this date must be deposited in PubMed Central (PMC) without embargo. Learn more about support and planning for compliance at Brown.
NIH reinstates first-time NCE option in eRA Commons
In a reversal from a previous Guide Notice, NIH announced that First Time No-Cost Extensions may once again be processed in eRA Commons. Going forward, new initial NCE requests can be initiated using Brown’s UPAS form, without additional Prior Approval documentation (NOT-OD-25-110).
Timeline adjustment for certain NIH award closeouts
NIH is still reviewing and responding to appeal submissions related to recent terminations. In cases where a recipient has submitted an appeal but has not yet received a response, NIH will not take action to initiate a unilateral closeout while the appeal is under review (NOT-OD-25-128).
Foreign Subawards Policy is updated by NIH
NIH has established a short-term supplement model to continue support for human subjects research conducted under an active foreign subaward (NOT-OD-25-130). This supplement option is in addition to the options that were originally described earlier this year (NOT-OD-25-104).
Proposal submission planning for NIH applications—new application limit
Effective Sept. 25, 2025, NIH will accept only six (6) new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications from an individual Principal Investigator/Program Director or Multiple Principal Investigators for all council rounds in a calendar year (NOT-OD-25-132). This policy applies to all activity codes except T activity codes and R13 Conference Grant Applications.
New mandatory NIH training and policy for other support disclosures
Effective Oct. 1, 2025, NIH outlines the new NIH requirement for other support disclosure training and policy (NOT-25-133). Affected investigators, PIs, and Senior/Key Personnel will be contacted directly with further information. Email researchsecurity@brown.edu with questions.
Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
On July 8, 2025, NIH announced an intent to establish new policies limiting allowable publication costs (NOT-OD-25-138). View the current details of the plan and an invitation to comment. Responses will be accepted through Sept. 15.
NSF
NSF research security policies documentation requirement
NSF proposers and recipients must keep supporting documentation, including copies of contracts, grants, or other agreements related to foreign appointments, employment with foreign institutions, participation in foreign talent recruitment programs, and any other information reported as current and pending support for all senior/key personnel. This documentation should be available to NSF upon request.
NSF Safe and Harassment-Free Fieldwork Plans (SAHF)
An SAHF plan is the new name for the policy previously called Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research. It is a project-specific, two-page supplementary document that will be reviewed using NSF's Broader Impacts merit review criterion.
NSF research security policies and information on Brown’s Research Security Training program
NSF posted “Important Notice No. 149” with several research security updates, including completion of research security training required by proposal deadline starting Oct. 1, 2025. See DOR's research security webpage for access to the training. Email researchsecurity@brown.edu with questions.
Sharing stories of research and discovery at Brown University.
