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Research Notes
FEBRUARY 2024
Research information from the Office of the Vice President for Research for Brown faculty, grant-related staff, and students
In a ‘transformative moment in medical research,’ Human RNome Project launches at Brown
The Warren Alpert Medical School hosted the first international working group meeting for a project that aims to sequence all of humanity’s RNA, mirroring the approach of the Human Genome Project in the 1990s.
Research Integrity
NEW prohibition in 2024 NSF PAPPG
Beginning May 20, 2024, senior/key personnel on NSF proposals and awards are prohibited from participating in Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs. Contact ORI-Admin@brown.edu with questions.
BEARCORE interest form
BEARCORE will run again this spring and meets the NSF and NIH RCR requirements. Complete our interest form for priority notification when registration opens.
IRB Huron tip: CITI training
All research personnel engaged in human subjects research must have current training at the time of submission in Huron. Submissions with research personnel who do not have current training will be sent back to "Pre-Submission" and will not be accepted for review.
COI annual disclosure for faculty/researchers
The annual COI disclosure process for faculty and researchers kicked off on Feb. 12 with an email notification from OVPR. As a reminder, the staff COI disclosure process is managed by UHR through Workday and will kick off separately at the end of February.
Research Integrity concerns
Do you have concerns about the integrity of a research project? Anyone may request a confidential consultation with the Office of Research Integrity to discuss matters related to potential research misconduct. Please contact ori-admin@brown.edu or visit our website for additional information.
Meeting dates & submission deadlines
Research Strategy and Development
Federal proposal workshop (NSF, NIH & more)
This in-person workshop includes four sessions, appropriate for any stage of a faculty career or target funding agency. Presented by Dr. M.S. (Peg) AtKisson of AtKisson Training Group. Space is limited and will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Apply by Feb. 22.
February is fellows month
What is the process for fellow election in the societies/associations where you are a member? Contact Susan Weiner to discuss your strategy.
Sponsored Projects
Guidance on salary limitation for grants and cooperative agreements FY 2024
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the NIH salary cap is $221,900. For active awards, including new and continuation awards that have been issued in FY 2024, recipients may re-budget funds to accommodate the new salary level.
Updates to table on current & pending support
NSF has published January 2024 updates to pre-award and post-award disclosures relating to the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support.
2024 NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
NSF has released the new PAPPG. It is effective May 20, 2024 and includes many new policy updates including requirements from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022; common forms for the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support; landscape format permitted.
Malign foreign talent recruitment programs
A new section that addresses requirements regarding malign foreign talent recruitment programs. This applies to individuals designated as senior/key persons on a proposal.
Use of generative artificial intelligence technology in the merit review process
In mid-December 2023, NSF issued a notice to the research community with guidelines for safeguarding the integrity of the development and evaluation of proposals in the merit review process.
OSP Brown Bag spring quarterly meeting
Join us to learn more about NSF and other federal agency updates on March 21, 2024. The session will be offered via Zoom. To join our mailing list, please send an email to mailto:ResAdmin@brown.edu.
National Institutes of Health common forms
NIH is implementing the common forms (biosketch and current and pending (other) support) in a phased approach as part of Forms I.
Reminder of eRA Commons ID Requirement
An eRA Commons ID must be entered in the “Credential, e.g. agency login” field for all Senior/Key Personnel, and Other Significant Contributors (OSCs) listed on the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile Form.
Simplified review framework for NIH research project grant applications
A simplified review framework for the peer review of most research project grant (RPG) applications beginning with submissions for due dates on or after Jan. 25, 2025. It is expected to better focus peer reviewers on the key questions needed to assess the scientific and technical merit of proposed research projects.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA Procurement & Grants Policy Division (PGPD) has a YouTube channel dedicated to grants and cooperative agreements!
Reminder of subrecipient letter of intent best practice
Letter of Intent best practice is to request statements indicating the subrecipient’s awareness and acceptance of sponsor consortium agreement policies. For more information, please visit our updated NIH Updates to policy guidance for subawards to foreign collaborators website.
Research Administration Information Systems
Submitting access/roles and system support tickets
The following applies to all access/roles (add or remove) and system support tickets for Huron, Coeus, InfoEd, sponsored projects reporting, and Workday (grants roles only). The steps for requesting new or removing access for a transferred or terminated employee are outlined here.This also applies to system support.
Technology Innovations
Harris earns CAREER Award from NSF
Assistant professor of engineering Daniel Harris has been awarded a five-year $570,000 Faculty Early Career Development grant from the National Science Foundation for his work integrating experimental and theoretical research on the motion of solid particles at a fluid interface.
Bolden Therapeutics receives $1.5M in financing
Brown licensee Bolden Therapeutics, co-founded by Justin Fallon, Neuroscience, and Ashley Webb, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, received $1.5 million in pre-seed convertible note financing to advance its preclinical development of antisense oligonucleotides to promote neurogenesis.
Engineering faculty meet with Helen of Troy
Representatives from Helen of Troy (OXO, Hydro Flask, PUR) met with Engineering faculty members Vicki Colvin,Daniel Harris, Robert Hurt, and Kimani Toussaint in late January to discuss potential collaboration opportunities. Contact tech-innovations@brown.edu for further information.
Coulombe and Raimondo MIT competition finalists
Brown engineering professors Kareen Coulombe and Theresa Raimondo were among twelve finalists for the 2023–2024 MIT-Royalty Pharma Prize Competition, a program that supports female faculty entrepreneurs in biotechnology and provides them with resources to help take their ideas to commercialization.
Dean Desai elected to National Academy of Engineering
Dean of Engineering Tejal Desai has been elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honors accorded to an engineer. A Brown alum and biomedical engineer, Desai joined the University as dean in 2022.
Conferences & Training
Hot topics in Research Administration
Feb. 14, 2024 12:30-2 p.m. EST. Free Virtual Event - REGISTER HERE
High-level updates and insights into the following subjects: Uniform Guidance changes, NIH foreign subrecipient policy and data sharing requirements, changes to the misconduct guidelines, AI and research administration, updates on research security, and how staffing impacts our ability to navigate these new and changing regulations.
2024 NCURA Financial Research Administration / Preaward Research Administration
Honolulu, Hawaii, March 18-22, 2024. Registration now open!
2024 NCURA Region I spring meeting
Portland, Maine, May 6-8, 2024. Westin Portland Harborside Hotel. Registration coming soon!
Level II: Sponsored Projects Administration live virtual workshop experience
Monday, May 13, 2024 - Thursday, May 16, 2024. More information. Register here.
NSF
Spring 2024 NSF Grants Conference
June 3-5 in Philadelphia, Pa. In-person and virtual options. Registration opens in early March.
PAPPG 24-1 Webinar
March 12, 2024 at 2 p.m. EST.
Research Communications
Impact: Research at Brown has a new home
Impact: Research at Brown magazine is online! Devoted solely to the University’s research, Impact tells the stories of Brown faculty and students making a difference in the world through their research, discovery, and scholarship.
Highlight your research achievements on @BrownUResearch social media
Promote your research or award and share your accomplishments with a broader audience. Fill out the Brown Research/Award Submission form and we'll follow up with social media posts on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Threads.
Request photo/video coverage
To request research-related photo or video coverage (faculty or student researchers, events, field or lab work, classroom activities, presentations, etc.) please fill out the Research Related Photo/Video Coverage Request form.
Impact: Research at Brown
In Students Engage the Issues, Deliberate the Future, an education expert joins $2 million grant project to transform high school civics. Read the full story.
