Office of Research News
The CCOM Office of Research is pleased to announce that our new website has launched. The site has improved functionality and new features, including a research calendar of relevant events. Check it out!
The CY2024 Publications Book (PubBook) has been assembled and is released. The college had some fantastic publications this past year. Please take a minute to see the exemplary work of your colleagues.
The Office of the Vice President for Research has written up an article highlighting tools for researchers.
Check out the bullet points below and read the story for more details.
- Utilize a new authorship agreement tool to prevent authorship disputes
- Enhance your research surveys through ha nationally-representative survey panel
- Gather expert feedback on your grant proposal before submission
- Polish your communication skills via Writing for the Public Good workshops
- Take advantage of the UI’s license for the anti-plagiarism tool iThenticate
NIH / Federal Updates
Many executive orders, restraining orders, and rescinded orders have been pushed out to the public lately, and several impact our university. To keep up to date with the information, we suggest frequently reviewing at the Office of Vice President’s Federal Transition Updated webpage. This is the university site for tracking federal administration transition information related to research.
NIH has released a new NIH Public Access Policy to make the results of NIH-funded research accessible as quickly as possible. The new Policy, which will replace the 2008 Public Access Policy upon effective date, removes the twelve-month embargo period to provide accelerated access to published manuscripts. NIH was cognizant while developing this Policy that it would not exacerbate potential inequities in publishing, and as such, work within the existing policy framework to minimize new burdens on the research community.
NIH is also releasing its plan to make it easier for researchers, clinicians, students, and the public to find and make use of research results. For more information, visit the article.
The March SERCC Newsletter will cover upcoming changes to the NIH Biosketch (required for grants due on or after 5/25/25).
Subscribe to the SERCC Newsletter before 3/25 if you do not already receive it.
Internal Funding Opportunities
This initiative, supported by the VPMA Strategic Initiatives, aims to help high-scoring NIH R01 (or equivalent) grant proposals cross the funding threshold. This program will proceed for 5 years beginning January 1, 2025.
Up to $25,000 is available to address discrete, well-defined weaknesses identified in prior proposal reviews. These funds can support focused experiments, the development of new reagents, adoption of innovative techniques, or other proof-of-principle efforts. The funding must target 1-2 specific, score-driving weaknesses noted in the summary statement. Learn more on our website.
Bridge funding allows one to continue their focused research program that has recently lost funding, or is about to lose, extramural funding despite the investigator’s efforts to renew or replace this funding; and has a strong likelihood of being refunded. We have three deadlines a year: April 1, August 1, and December 1. Take a look at our website if you would like to learn more and apply.
Events
April 10, 2025 | 3:00pm | Urmila Sahai Seminar Room 2117 MERF | Add To Calendar
"Novel Mechanism of ER Calcium Store-controlled Memory Induction and Alzheimer's Disease-related Memory Deficits"
In Partnership with the Distinguished Biomedical Scholars Lecture Series
April 17, 2025 | 4:00pm | Prem Sahai Auditorium 1110 MERF
"The new Biology of Diabetes"
Co-Sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center
May 2, 2025 | 12:00pm | Add to Calendar
Poster Session: 12:00pm-5:00pm in MERF 1103 (MERF Atrium)
Mini Symposia: 1:00pm-4:00pm in MERF 2117 and PBDB 1459
2025 Speaker: 4:00pm in MERF 1110 (Prem Sahai Auditorium)
Featuring Guest Speaker:
Matthew J. Merrins, PhD | Associate Professor
Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Department of Biomolecular Chemistry
Director, University of Wisconsin Optical Imaging Core (UWOIC)
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
Submit an Abstract HERE
Poster Abstracts must be submitted by 5:00pm on Friday, April 4, 2025.
In partnership with
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center
Core Updates
The IIHG Genomics Division will soon be providing genome sequencing services using the Element Biosciences AVITI 24 genome sequencing platform. This platform enables high quality, fast-turnaround, short-read sequencing at a low cost. The Element AVITI24 is a two-flow cell instrument capable of accommodating a variety of run formats which deliver varying sequencing yields, depending on the need of the project.
The AVITI24 is mid-size sequencer that enables the sequencing of individual projects more quickly because there will not be a wait for other projects to fill a high-volume flow cell. In contrast to the traditional sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS) chemistry used by Illumina, the AVITI24 uses an avidite binding chemistry (ABC) that involves the binding of a multivalent fluorescent polymerase substrate by avidity. The use of these multivalent avidites permits an increase in specificity and reduced fluorescent chemistry costs by an order of magnitude. Also, the DNA synthesis steps are carried out with unlabeled nucleotides which reduces artifacts. AVITI24 data will not contain artifacts introduced by the exclusion amplification seen on patterned Illumina flow cells. As a result, there is no index hopping and no read duplication during clustering.
The Element AVITI sequencing platform accommodates the same libraries that have been, or are, prepared for use with Illumina instrumentation. The Genomic Division laboratory is nearing the completion of validating that the sequencing libraries prepared for the various workflows (e.g., RNA-Seq, WGS, single-cell) will indeed give comparable results to the Illumina-generated sequencing data.
It is anticipated that the sequencing service using the Element AVITI24 will launch in April 2025.
We are pleased to announce that the NCBC has purchased a new 3i AxL Cleared Tissue LightSheet Microscope. Installation is complete and we are now offering training sessions for current and prospective users.
Please contact Shane Heiney (shane-heiney@uiowa.edu) for details.
The SAIC FY 25 rates are posted on the Small Animal Imaging Core Facilitiy's Website.
Writing NIH R, K, and F grants
We recently updated our templates for writing R, K, and F grants on the Writing Grants page of our website. However, NIH recently announced (on the Revisions to the NIH Fellowship Application and Review Process web page) that planned changes for the submission of certain F grant applications have been delayed, and that applications submitted for the upcoming deadlines must use the older FORMS-H instructions.
Alert for Parent Fellowship Funding Opportunities with Due Dates on April 8 and May 7, 2025
We were unable to reissue the parent fellowship funding opportunities to use the new review criteria, FORMS-I forms, and FORMS-I application instructions in time for the April 8 and May 7 (AIDS) due dates.
If applying to a parent Fellowship opportunity (PA-23-260, PA-23-261, PA-23-262, PA-23-263, PA-23-272) for the April 8 or May 7, 2025 standard due date, you must use FORMS-H application forms and FORMS-H instructions. We will accept candidate biosketches with or without grades for applications submitted using FORMS-H.
If applying to a non-parent Fellowship opportunity (PAR-24-332, PAR-24-333, PAR-25-234, or PAR-25-250), you must use FORMS-I application forms and FORMS-I instructions.
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Ask the Editor
Do you ever have questions about a grant application or other writing project but don’t know where to turn for answers? The SERCC virtual office hours provide an opportunity for free consultation with an experienced scientific editor. Topics that can be discussed include:
- Ideas for new grant proposals or manuscripts,
- Funding agency instructions or requirements,
- Strategies to structure or organize a writing project,
- Clarity, flow, or style of specific text,
- Approaches to address reviewer comments
Before the session, participants can reserve time and/or send in documents they would like feedback on. Send an email to com-scientificediting@uiowa.edu.
NSF Opportunities
