SRA International eConnections
February 2011 Issue
PDF Available Here
Table of Contents
- SRA Pre-Award Meeting, March 7-8, and Post-Award Meeting, March 9-10 in San Antonio, TX
- NCSRA's 15th Annual Conference In Greensboro, NC, March 14-16, 2011
- Ohio Chapter Meeting in Lewis Center, OH, March 21, 2011
- Northeast/Southern Section to Meet in New Orleans, LA, March 27-30, 2011
- What, You Haven't Registered Yet…Don't Delay!
- Silent Auction
- Volunteering at a Meeting
- Dinner Groups and Things to Do:
- Western/Midwest Sections Joint Meeting in Long Beach, CA, May 14-18, 2011
- 2011 SRA International Annual Meeting in Montreal, October 22-26, 2011
- SRA Pre-Award Meeting, March 7-8, and Post-Award Meeting, March 9-10 in San Antonio, TX
- NCSRA's 15th Annual Conference In Greensboro, NC, March 14-16, 2011
- Ohio Chapter Meeting in Lewis Center, OH, March 21, 2011
- Northeast/Southern Section to Meet in New Orleans, LA, March 27-30, 2011
- What, You Haven't Registered Yet…Don't Delay!
- Silent Auction
- Volunteering at a Meeting
- Dinner Groups and Things to Do:
- Western/Midwest Sections Joint Meeting in Long Beach, CA, May 14-18, 2011
- 2011 SRA International Annual Meeting in Montreal, October 22-26, 2011
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http://www.effortadministrator.com
The SRA Pre-Award and Post-Award meetings will take place at the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.
To make your sleeping room reservation for these meetings, please visit the hotel information page.
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Pre-Award Meeting: March 7-8, 2011
The Pre-Award meeting is intended primarily for research administrators who are involved in the planning, development and preparation of grant proposals and who collaborate with various agency personnel, institutional administrators, and investigators prior to award submission. The topics included in this program are:
- Proposal Development
- Budgeting Basics
- Pre-Award Preparation
- Funding Development
- eRA/Submission Technologies
- Post-Submission to Award Acceptance
- Responsible Conduct of Research for Pre-Award
For more information about the program, visit the meeting web site.
Registration closes February 22, so register now!
Post Award Meeting: March 9-10, 2011
The Post-Award meeting is also a two-day program, geared towards A-21, and provides resources and information for research administration's next generation of leaders. Course content balances the needs of both small and large institutions, and focuses on strategies attendees can use in their profession.
Who should attend? Mid-level financial and post-award administrators, looking to make the transition to a managerial position; or individuals who are looking to get an understanding of the entire view of post-award administration.
As a participant in this program, you will gain:
- An understanding of different structures of the research office
- Costing & compliance concepts related to risk areas
- An overview of Financial and Award Management Concepts
- An awareness of internal control, fraud and audit findings
- An in depth discussion on the F&A rate components
For more information about the program, visit the meeting web site.
Registration closes February 22, so register now!
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"Forging Alliances to Safely Navigate the Research Enterprise!"
The North Carolina Chapter of the Society of Research Administrators will meet March 14-16, 2011 at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons in Greensboro NC. Here are some of the things you can look forward to if you attend the meeting:
- Timely topics by knowledgeable professionals in research administration
- Professional development opportunities for newcomers and senior colleagues
- The SRA International NIH Certificate Program
- Two fabulous keynote speakers
- Poster presentations
- Multiple pre-conference half-day and full-day workshops
- The opportunity to network with colleagues across the state and region
- And so much more!
The conference location is easily accessible from major interstates, the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), and Amtrack. Reasonable room rates at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons make this decision an easy one. The last day to make your sleeping room reservation is Thursday, February 17, 2011, so reserve your room now!
Registration is open, so take a moment to sign up now! For more information on the schedule, program, and hotel and meeting site, click here.
We can't wait to see you in Greensboro in March!
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SRA's Ohio Chapter is holding their one-day chapter meeting on March 21, 2011 at the Northpointe Conference Center in Lewis Center, Ohio (right outside of Columbus).
The following sessions will be offered at this year's chapter meeting:
- Post Award Management from A - Z
- Nuts and Bolts (Pre Award)
- Sponsored Programs Offices and Faculty
- Top Ten Things Your Faculty Ought to Know
- Introduction to A21 (2 CFR 220)
- Clinical Trials From the Industry Perspective
- Budgets - Not Your Typical "How To"
- Compliance with 21 CFR 11
- An Overview of Responsible Conduct of Research Topics and Resources
For more information on this year's chapter meeting in Ohio, please visit the meeting web site.
Registration is now open!
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What, You Haven't Registered Yet… Don't Delay! The Joint Southern/Northeast SRA Section Meeting is selling out like hotcakes - or should I say like "beignets?" In record breaking time, we have exceeded our projected room block at the meeting site location - The Royal Sonesta.
If you plan to come early to New Orleans or attend a Sunday Workshop, we now have a block of rooms available at the Hotel Monteleone, one block from the Royal Sonesta. For more information about sleeping room reservations, click here.
Silent Auction: In order to be able to offer travel awards each year, the Sections host a Silent Auction fund raiser on Sunday Night during the Opening Reception. We ask members and local vendors/organizations to donate merchandise (i.e., logo items - hats, backpacks, totes, mugs, gift certificates, jewelry, food baskets, etc.) that we then auction off to the highest bidder. If you or your institution would like to donate goods please contact Gayle Walters at gmwalters@jhmi.edu.
Volunteering at the Meeting: Successful meetings depend on the generosity of our members! If you would be willing to serve as a room monitor or staff the registration/information desk for an hour or two, please contact Trudy Riley at triley@udel.edu or sign-up to volunteer online.
Dinner Groups and Things to Do: When you aren't busy expanding your professional capacity and marketability by completing one of three certificate programs, or attending one of our eight (8) workshops or sixty (60) concurrent sessions - take some time to network at a relaxing pace at a Dinner Group or on a tour of one of NOLA's many unique sites.
These activities are at the participants' expense and pre-registration is required in most cases. We strongly urge you to sign up online before you leave or get details onsite at the SRA registration desk.
Questions? Contact: schalled@mskcc.org. Don't forget you can also follow the meeting updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SRA2011NOLA
Looking forward to continuing the conversation…
Best,
Debbie
Debra Schaller-Demers, MSOM
President, Northeast Section
schalled@mskcc.org
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"From the Heartland to the Western Seaboard: Diving into Research Administration"
Registration is in full swing for the Western/Midwest Section Meeting in Long Beach, CA.
Three certificates will be offered in their entirety at this meeting:
- Grantsmanship
- Financial Management, and
- The Practice of Research Administration and Management.
We are honored to open this program with keynote speaker Dr. Carol Blum, Director of Research Compliance and Administration, Council on Governmental Relations (COGR). Many of you know Carol through her work with COGR and the great job she does expending her knowledge on current issues that impact research administration. We look forward to hearing from Carol and getting some real "DC insight" while in California. To review her bio, visit our meeting Web site at http://www.srainternational.org/sra03/template/tntbWsa11.cfm?id=4182.
Another event you have to look forward to at the Western/Midwest section meeting is the opening reception, which will take place on the Endless Dreams Yacht. Join us for a sunset cruise around the harbors of Long Beach. Guest tickets are available for this event. For more information on the opening reception, click here.
Please check out the Schedule at a Glance for a list of workshops and sessions.
You won't want to miss this meeting, so register early! See you in Long Beach!
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2011 SRA International Annual Meeting in Montreal, October 22-26, 2011
The 2011 Annual Meeting is taking place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Now is the perfect time to book your sleeping room. A block of rooms is reserved at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, where the meeting will take place.
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We have a block of rooms reserved at the rate of $249 (CDN) (single/double) + tax per night.
Reservations by Phone
Please call (514) 861-3511or (800) 441-1414to make a sleeping room reservation by phone. The group rate will be honored by identifying yourself as a participant of "SRA International."
Reservations Online
Please click here to make sleeping room reservations online. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth has set up a page specifically for attendees of the 2011 SRA International Annual Meeting.
To receive complimentary high-speed internet, and other benefits for your stay, enroll in the Fairmont hotel loyalty program. Click here for details of benefits and to enroll.
For more information on the hotel and making sleeping room reservations, please visit http://www.srainternational.org/sra03/template/tntbAM11.cfm?id=3900
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Midwest Section News
Still…………..Seeking Midwest Section Officers!
Last month, I placed an article calling for nominations for Midwest Section Officers. Again, the list of offices and a short description of duties is below. I encourage you to shake off any inhibitions and take a step forward and make a difference! Speaking from experience, you will be well supported throughout your term and beyond.
President-Elect:
The President-Elect shall take office at the close of the Annual Section Meeting (i.e., Long Beach CA., meeting). The basic duties for this office are to assist the President with the planning of our 2012 Section Meeting and to continue to lead the Midwest Section in respect to our goals of providing the Midwest Section membership with educational and professional growth opportunities in the areas of research administration by (1) promoting mutual assistance among members; (2) fostering communications, understanding the friendship among research administrators; and (3) to carry out "as determined" initiatives voiced by the membership, which do not conflict with SRA International Bylaws. The President-Elect requires a (3) year commitment consisting of serving three (3) one (1) year terms; President-Elect (1 year), President (1 year) and Past President (1 year). Please refer to the Midwest Section Bylaws for additional information.
Secretary:
The Secretary shall take office at the close of the Annual Section Meeting (i.e., Long Beach CA., meeting). The basic duties for this office are to take the minutes associated with Midwest Section Business Meetings that occur during our Section meetings (i.e., 2012 and 2013 Section Meetings) along with the minutes of our Business meetings occurring at the SRA International Annual Meetings (i.e., 2011 Montreal, Quebec Canada and 2012 Orlando, FL) in addition to any and all ad-hoc meetings consisting of the officers of the Section. This office requires a two (2) year commitment.
Please refer to the Midwest Section Bylaws for additional information.
If you are interested in running for one of the aforementioned offices or if you would like to nominate a Midwest Section member, please email me at john.michnowicz@wustl.edu.
Deadline for nominations is February 28, 2011.
Sincerely,
John Michnowicz
Past President, Midwest Section
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Northeast Section News
Research Administrators NYC Network
Do you work in the New York City Tri-State area? Are you interested in networking with your research administration colleagues? If so, please consider joining this ever-expanding group of research administrator professionals.
The NYC network began as the brainchild of Stephanie Endy, who at the 2010 Joint Northeast/ Midwest SRA Section meeting in Philadelphia approached fellow NYC colleague Debra Schaller-Demers with the idea. That's all it took to get the ball rolling and at its debut gathering last September, nineteen research administrators from various institutions (i.e., Weill Cornell, Mount Sinai, Columbia, CUNY, Rockefeller, NYU, Yale, UMDNJ, Natural Museum of History, Memorial Sloan-Kettering) met in Stephanie's apartment on the upper eastside of Manhattan. Last month on one of the numerous stormy nights that we have been having in NYC this winter, twice as many came as the group convened for a second time at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Grants & Contracts office. The evening was graciously hosted by Jessica Moise, Associate Dean for Sponsored Programs and Keelie Jones, Director, Sponsored Programs Education.
The energy in the room was truly electric - with no formal agenda, just welcoming remarks, introductions, wine and hors d'oeuvres - conversations abounded as people were eager to trade stories and talk shop.
As often happens, the group began discussing the virtues of SRA vs. NCURA and vice versa - there was even talk of discussing a possible joint event between the SRA Northeast Section and the comparable region of NCURA.
The NYC Networking group will be meeting again in the spring as different institutions have volunteered to host. If you are interested in getting involved or want more information contact Debra Schaller-Demers at schalled@mskcc.org or Stephanie Endy at stephanie.endy@lehman.cuny.edu.
NE Elections
Still time to nominate: Ever thought of running for office? You too can be an SRA leader! The Northeastern Section is seriously looking for candidates for President-elect and Treasurer - term starting after the 2011 Section meeting in NOLA. Self-nominations accepted or nominate a colleague who you think would be willing to serve. Deadline to submit a nomination is February 28th. Election will take place via electronic survey in Mid-March. Contact Kate McCormick, Past President and Nominating Committee chair at kmccormick@hms.harvard.edu for more information.
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Western Section News
Now Accepting Nominations for Western Section Officers: President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer
The SRA Western section needs you! Help lead the Society dedicated to serving the profession of research administration. The sections are currently seeking nominations for the position of President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer.
The term for the position of President-Elect will be one year, followed by one year as President and one year as Immediate Past President. Terms will begin at the close of the Annual Business Meeting and will terminate at the close of the Annual Business meeting as appropriate.
The term for the position of Secretary-Treasurer will be for two years. The treasurer responsibilities will be shared with the treasurer of the section that joins the Western section for the combined section meeting. The term begins at the close of the Annual Business Meeting and the current Secretary-Treasurer will work closely with the new officer to transition section activities.
We need strong, dynamic and creative leadership for SRA. Candidates are needed from all divisions, interests and subspecialties in the field to serve in this important leadership roles. Being part of SRA leadership provides an opportunity to advance the profession of research administration, make critical decisions about SRA's future, and give back to the Society. New officers will also receive support, mentorship and assistance from previous officers of the section. The duties and responsibilities of the President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer are included at the end of this notice.
We want to hear from you. If you are interested in serving, or know of potential candidates, please contact Wendy Schroeder, Immediate Past President, Western Section at: wschroeder@carisis.com.
The deadline to submit nominations is April 1, 2011.
The following are duties and responsibilities related to the President-Elect position:
1. Second in Command. The President Elect shall serve as the second in command of the Section.
2. Meetings. The President Elect shall have the responsibility of calling and conducting all meetings in the President's absence and as delegated and coordinated with the President. These meetings include: Section Leadership, Executive Committee, Planning Committee and Business Meetings.
3. Advisory. The President Elect provides guidance may be requested by Section Leadership, Members, Committee Chairs and International representatives to assist them in accomplishing their specific duties.
4. Finance. The President Elect may make recommendations for the approval of expenses and financial reports associated with maintaining Section.
5. Annual Section Meeting. The President Elect will serve with the President as co-Chair of the Annual section meeting. Together they will coordinate all planning activities and execution of the Annual section meeting.
The following are duties and responsibilities related to the Secretary/Treasurer position:
1. Secretary. The Secretary has the responsibility of Section communications regarding sending notifications and correspondence as may be required and coordinated with the Section Leadership.
2. Meetings. The Secretary will receive meeting agendas from the President and/or President Elect in advance of a scheduled meeting (preferably 1 week prior) and distribute and remind meeting attendees of the meeting, its agenda, supporting materials, time and place. During the meeting the Secretary will record minutes and will be responsible for distributing minutes and action items to meeting attendees post meeting. These meetings include: Section Leadership, Executive Committee, Planning Committee and Business Meetings.
3. Treasurer. The Treasurer is responsible for coordinating the financial aspects of all Section functions. This includes maintaining pertinent records, supporting documentation, coordinating financial approval process with International SRA. The Treasurer also serves as the Sections' representative on the SRA-International Budget and Finance Committee.
4. Budget and Finance Committee. This Committee is made up of Section Treasurers and meets twice a year. The Budget and Finance Committee is responsible for overseeing fiscal matters of the Society and executing other functions as may be assigned.
5. Reports and Records. The Secretary - Treasurer will keep the official records of the Section and will prepare and distribute financial reports as required. The Secretary-Treasurer will provide financial reports as part of the Section Business Meetings.
6. Annual Section Meeting. The Secretary - Treasurer will serve on the Planning Committee for the Annual meeting and will be consulted with on decisions regarding all costs associated with Its planning and execution. As an active member of the Section, this person is also involved in planning programmatic content, meeting logistics and ancillary activities.
All Section Leadership has a duty of loyalty and a duty of care to the Society of Research Administrators International.
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Leading Industry Providers Exhibiting at SRA's 2011 Section Meetings
Health Research, McGladrey, MAXIMUS, InfoED, Research Administrators Certification Council and NSF's Research.gov will all hold a table top exhibit at each SRA's Section Meeting this year. SRA exhibiting companies not only support our industry, they are part of it and play an essential role to SRA's Body of Knowledge. For more information on the services they will highlight at the meetings, visit the Section Meeting Exhibit Pages:
Southern/Northeast Section Meeting
Western/Midwest Section Meeting
If you are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring a meeting, see the 2011 Section Meeting Sponsorship Order Form, or contact SRA's Rebecca Vandall.
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Hire Experienced Research Administration Professionals at SRA Section Meeting Job Fairs
For the first time ever, SRA will host a job fair in conjunction with the table top exhibits held at the 2011 Spring Section Meetings. We are now taking booth applications for institutions wishing to participate in the following fairs:
Southern/Northeast Section Meeting - March 27 - 30, in New Orleans, LA
Western/Midwest Section Meeting - May 14 - 18, Long Beach, CA
Contact Rebecca Vandall for more information.
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NIH, NSF, FFATA Webinar Recordings Available
The past few months have held significant changes in research funding and reporting. From the NIH Error Correction Window closing on January 24, to NSF's New Cost Sharing Policy being implemented January 18, to the OMB directing federal agencies to implement the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act "FFATA": The Impact of Openess and Transparency. FFATA regulations. SRA held educational Webinars to keep members apprised of these important changes. If you missed the recent NIH, NSF, or FFATA Webinars, recordings are available for viewing through January, 2012.
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Illinois MCLE Credit Available for FFATA Webinar Recording
Looking for CLEs?
SRA's Recorded Webinar: Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act "FFATA": The Impact of Openness and Transparency, has been approved to offer 1.5 hours of Illinois MCLE credits.
Nearly four years after enactment of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, (FFATA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed federal agencies to implement the FFATA regulations. FFATA requires monthly reporting of subcontracting activities on both Contract and Grant awards received from the federal government. This Webinar provides a summary of the regulatory framework and guidance related to FFATA reporting, identify key data elements that recipients and contractors must report, including how to determine if a sub-recipient must report on their to p-ten compensated employees, the projects that require reporting, registration and reporting website overviews and a discussion on institutional considerations when implementing systems or procedures to be compliant with this new reporting requirement. Geared towards anyone involved with sub-award reporting under FFATA. See the fax registration form to sign up: Fax or Mail a Registration Form
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SRA's Senior Research Administration and Management Series Continues March 2
Program 2 of SRA's Senior Research Administration and Management Series Continues March 2 with: Webinar 3: Resource Investments
Capacity building requires wise investment of institutional resources. The chief research officer plays a pivotal role by distributing institutional funds to launch new research initiatives, expand existing programs, and provide emergency support. Challenges arise when deciding which programs merit support - and how much. This webinar explores effective ways to optimize the return on institutional research investments. Attendees will learn how to recognize constraints, organize resource distribution methods, and analyze investment strategies.
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VA SRA Visits Patriot Land
SRA International's Virginia Chapter held its annual chapter meeting on January 14, 2011, on the campus of George Mason University (GMU), home of the "Patriots." The meeting's theme, "Through the Lens of Research Administration: The Foundation of Research Development, Compliance, Integrity, Discovery, & Service Excellence," was supported by various lectures, concurrent sessions and a panel discussion on research administration best practices, compliance, human resources, CRA exam preparation, stress management and the history of sponsored research in America.
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Dr. Paul Theerman, Head of Images and Archives, History of Medicine Division, from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Library of Medicine, gave an interesting talk on the history of sponsored research and the growth of the research enterprise in America. Dr. Theerman put into sharp perspective the impact, importance, and significance sponsored research has had and continues to have in the advancement of modern society and the world.
Another highlight of the meeting was an inspiring luncheon talk given by Dr. Alan G. Merten, President of GMU. Through his leadership, GMU has recently seen tremendous growth and expansion efforts in research and research related activities, infrastructure, student enrollment, staffing and faculty recruitment. Dr. Merten noted the support, contribution and important role research administrators play in the research enterprise.
The day ended with a "stress relief" seminar by Julia Morelli, Director of Operations for The Capitol Connection at GMU. Ms. Morelli, a yoga instructor, provided the audience with several stress management techniques and tips on effective human interaction. These techniques can help research administrators who may routinely deal with stressful situations, time sensitive material and deadline driven requirements.
A final highlight of this year's chapter meeting was the NIH tour held the day prior to the meeting. Over thirty administrators joined in an inspiring tour of the Clinical Research Center (CRC) at NIH and also attended lectures by Dr. Toni Scarpa, Director of the NIH Center for Scientific Review, and Dr. Sally Rockey, Deputy Director for Extramural Research at NIH. The lectures and CRC tour provided an inside glimpse into the magnitude, importance, and global impact NIH sponsored research has had and continues to have in both the U.S. and the world. Many administrators are well aware of NIH's extramural programs but did not realize the extent of intramural research conducted within NIH facilities. As one administrator put it, "As research administrators you hear, read about and deal with NIH on a continual basis, but until you see it with your own two eyes you have no real idea of its impact on research!" One thing is for sure, more field trips like the NIH tour will be planned for the next Chapter meeting in Southern Virginia!
By Jose Alcaine, MBA, CRA,
President, VA SRA Chapter
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How to Fail in Grant Writing
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Brian Taylor for The Chronicle
Looking for the fast path to grant rejection?
We provide a list here of proven techniques. We gathered these in the course of serving on grant panels or as program officers, and, in some cases, through firsthand experimentation. We are biologists, but many of our suggestions will be useful to grant writers in all disciplines.
On content:
- Don't explicitly state any goals, objectives, or hypotheses in your grant proposal. A good panelist will be able to figure out your questions from the methods.
- Say that your grant is "transformative"-something the National Science Foundation looks for in particularly outstanding grants; it means that your work will change the approach we take to a particular problem-when it is clearly not. Say that more than once if possible. Heck, go ahead and boldface it! If you claim it is so, it is so.
- However, if your grant is potentially transformative, make it clear in your proposal…
Read more: http://chronicle.com/article/How-to-Fail-in-Grant-Writing/125620/
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Obama Holds Out Research as Rare Exception From Budget Cuts
President Obama on Monday proposed budget increases for the leading sources of federal money for university research, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, setting up a showdown with Republicans seeking steep governmentwide spending cuts.
Declaring an exception to what both parties see as an overall need for painful reductions in domestic spending, Mr. Obama issued a budget recommendation for the 2012 fiscal year in which nondefense research and development would total $66.8-billion, or 6.5 percent higher than fiscal-2010 levels.
Under the president's proposal, the NIH would get $31.8-billion in fiscal 2012, up 2.4 percent from its fiscal-2010 levels. The NSF would receive $7.8-billion, up 13 percent from 2010, while the Energy Department's Office of Science would take in $5.4-billion, a 10.7-percent increase from 2010. The average increase for federal research expenditures is well above the nation's 2.7-percent rate of inflation over the past two years.
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Mr. Obama is setting the priority on research at the same time he's proposing to eliminate or scale back more than 200 programs throughout the government. The president's proposed cuts fall in areas that include…
Read more: http://chronicle.com/article/Obama-Holds-Out-Research-as/126361/#
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Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Is Seeking Nominations For The 2011 Paul Marks Prize For Cancer Research
Established in 2001, the prize honors the legacy of Paul A. Marks, MD, President Emeritus of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a distinguished scientist. It recognizes outstanding young investigators who have made significant contributions to increase the understanding of cancer or improve the treatment of the disease through basic or clinical research. Nominees are required to be age 45 or younger on the date of the submission deadline, which is Apri1 29, 2011. Up to three investigators are now awarded the prize every other year. The winners share a cash award of $150,000 and present their work at a scientific symposium at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center on December 2, 2011. Past winners are listed on the attached flyer. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of external scientists. Nominations must be received by April 29,2011.
For more details, click here: http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/53985.cfm
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"The Lab: Avoiding Research Misconduct"
The long awaited release of "The Lab: Avoiding Research Misconduct" is now available for viewing on the web site of the Office of Research Integrity, US Department of Health and Human Services.
To participate in this interactive experience, go to:
http://ori.hhs.gov/TheLab
This interactive film is an extremely rich and substantively educational resource for teaching/learning research integrity and ethics. It deals with the issue of research misconduct. Filmed in a university research environment, it makes excellent use of the best knowledge and science regarding ethical decision-making and the responsible conduct of research. The video simulation allows users to assume the role of a graduate student, post-doc, research administrator, or PI and make decisions that affect the integrity of research.
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Federal Research Center Will Help Develop Medicines
The Obama administration has become so concerned about the slowing pace of new drugs coming out of the pharmaceutical industry that officials have decided to start a billion-dollar government drug development center to help create medicines.
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Jennifer S. Altman for The New York Times
Creating a drug development center is a signature effort of Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
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The new effort comes as many large drug makers, unable to find enough new drugs, are paring back research. Promising discoveries in illnesses like depression and Parkinson's that once would have led to clinical trials are instead going unexplored because companies have neither the will nor the resources to undertake the effort.
The initial financing of the government's new drug center is relatively small compared with the $45.8 billion that the industry estimates it invested in research in 2009. The cost of bringing a single drug to market can exceed $1 billion, according to some estimates, and drug companies have typically spent twice as much on marketing as on research, a business model that is increasingly suspect.
The National Institutes of Health has traditionally focused on basic research, such as describing the structure of proteins, leaving industry to create drugs using those compounds. But the drug industry's research productivity has been declining for 15 years, "and it certainly doesn't show any signs of turning upward," said Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the institutes.
The job of the new center, to be called the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, is akin to that of a home seller who spruces up properties to attract buyers in a down market. In this case the center will do as much research as it needs to do so that it can attract drug company investment.
That means that in some cases…
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/health/policy/23drug.html?_r=1
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Despite Efforts To Improve, U.S. Patent Approvals Move Slower
1.2 million applications await federal decisions
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Mike De Sisti
It took George Davida, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 11 years to receive a patent for secure ways to store personal biometric information on smart cards, well after the surge in interest in such products after Sept. 11.
A year and a half after President Barack Obama appointed an IBM Corp. executive to fix the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, its problems by several key measures have only worsened, as damage inflicted by years of congressional raids on its funding continues to make it all but impossible for the agency to keep up with its workload.
The result: More than 1.2 million patent applications, filed by inventors and entrepreneurs ranging from major corporations to garage tinkerers, are still awaiting final decisions, a number nearly unchanged from the levels of the past three years.
Also unchanged is a bureaucracy that publishes entire patent applications online 18 months after they are filed, whether or not they have been acted upon - and most often they have not, because the agency is so far behind.
That puts American ingenuity up for grabs, free to anyone with an Internet connection.
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OhioHealth Requires No IP Ownership Stake From Inventors
Since its inception, the commercialization office of the OhioHealth Research & Innovation Institute has taken a unique approach to its relationships with inventors: It does not require them to give OhioHealth an ownership stake in their IP. "This not only makes economic sense, but it makes sense from a commercialization standpoint as well," says Patricia E. Eisenhardt, manager of commercialization and technology transfer for the institute. She notes that in exchange for bypassing an ownership stake, the institute requires the inventors to…
Read more: http://www.ipmarketingadvisor.com/content/2011/01/25/ohiohealth-requires-no-ip-ownership-stake-from-inventors/
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Institutional Conflicts Of Interest At NIH Grantees
OBJECTIVES
- To determine whether National Institutes of Health (NIH) grantee institutions have written policies and procedures to address institutional financial interests and conflicts of interest.
- To determine whether grantee institutions had financial interests and financial conflicts of interest related to NIH research grants in fiscal year (FY) 2008.
BACKGROUND
Grantee institutions consist of universities, medical schools, and other research institutions (e.g., private or nonprofit research organizations) receiving research grants from NIH. An institutional conflict may arise when an institution's own financial interests (e.g., royalties, equity, stockholdings, and gifts) or those of its senior officials pose a risk of undue influence on decisions involving the institution's research.
Pursuant to Federal regulations, each grantee institution receiving NIH funds must have…
Get the full report from Office of Inspector General here: http://www.srainternational.org/sra03/uploadedFiles/oei-03-09-00480.pdf
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Eye On Science: Look For A Busy Year For These La Jolla-Based Folks
It's time to take a peek at what the year ahead may hold for some research leaders with ties to La Jolla.
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Sandra Brown
Sandra Ann Brown starts 2011 as the newly appointed vice chancellor for research at UCSD. She will be responsible for promoting, facilitating and supporting the university's complex and growing research mission which in the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2010 amounted to more than $1 billion in funding.
The Office of Research Affairs at UCSD fosters research across disciplines and is charged with creating opportunities, enhancing the research experience, developing tools and training to improve research administration, and supporting and promoting university innovations to benefit the region, the state, the nation, and the world.
Read more: http://www.lajollalight.com/2011/01/19/eye-on-science-look-for-a-busy-year-for-these-la-jolla-based-folks/
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Parliament Backs Plans To Use Cohesion Funds For Innovation (UK)
Cohesion funding for EU member states must be better coordinated to support Europe 2020 goals, such as spending 3 per cent of GDP on research and innovation, says the European Parliament.
The Parliament agreed on 10 February that all regions should be able to benefit from EU cohesion funding, but that it should be more tailored towards boosting competitiveness. MEPs said funding streams that currently concentrate on infrastructure, should be opened up for business innovation and economic projects.
There was also agreement on the need to keep a level budget for cohesion funding. "The majority opinion in this committee is clearly that we should…
Read more: http://www.researchresearch.com/index.php?option=com_news&template=rr_2col&view=article&articleId=1031521
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Neuroscience Funding Cuts Mean 40 Fewer Research Groups (UK)
Funding for neuroscience from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is being cut by an estimated £4 million a year as a "result of its success", leading researchers have claimed.
The BBSRC planned to reduce spending on neuroscience by "at least 20 per cent", said British Neuroscience Association director Trevor Robbins.
On 24 January the BBSRC said demand-led funding has resulted in too great a proportion of funding going into that area and that it instead sought to focus its investment in areas "most relevant to our strategic priorities."
But speaking at a London briefing today (10 February), Oxford university neuroscientist Colin Blakemore said that neuroscience was only funded according to its quality - which saw some fields rated as best in the world, according to measures of citations.
The BBSRC's "arbitrary" decision to reduce the share of funding was made worse by…
Read more: http://www.researchresearch.com/index.php?option=com_news&template=rr_2col&view=article&articleId=1031229
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Scientific Smear Campaign? (Germany)
An anonymous agitator upsets a German misconduct investigation
An official misconduct investigation at the Research Center Borstel in Germany has been overshadowed by an anonymous effort distributing accusatory emails to scientists and journalists, and posting documents and allegations online.
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Image: Wikimedia commons, michael fosu b.
In July, Silvia Bulfone-Paus, head of the department of immunology and a member of the board of directors at Borstel, brought suspicions of data manipulation in several papers from her lab to the attention of officials, Ulrich Schaible, a member of the board of directors at Borstel told The Scientist. Subsequently, an external investigation committee was formed to look into potential misconduct in the lab. "This was formally all done how it should have been done," said Schaible.
Read more: Scientific smear campaign? - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57898/#ixzz1E393iHEQ
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Zimbabwe To Hold Research And Intellectual Expo
Zimbabwe will hold its inaugural Research and Intellectual Expo (RIE) in Harare from the 16th to the 18th of February.
Briefing journalists in the capital Thursday, Herbert Chimhundu, explained that the Expo will bring together Zimbabwe's scholars, including scientists, doctors, lawyers, social researchers, cultural practitioners and political scientists.
"There will be presentations of papers by experts and exhibitions by higher and tertiary education institutions and we have also invited Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora to take part in the Expo," said Chimhundu, who chairs the marketing and publicity sub-committee.
He said the theme of the three day event is…
Read more: http://www.dailynews.co.zw/news/34-news/1516-zim-to-hold-research-and-intellectual-expo.html
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CIHR Named One Of The NCR's Top 25 Employers (Canada)
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has been selected as one of the National Capital Region's Top 25 Employers for 2011. This honour was bestowed by Mediacorp Canada Inc. following their annual survey of companies and organizations across the NCR. This is the second consecutive year that CIHR has been listed for this award.
The National Capital Region's Top 25 Employers recognizes organizations in the region that lead their industries in attracting and retaining employees by examining key factors including…
Read more: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/43137.html
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The Career Center
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