UPDATE: The video from this webinar is now available.

We were unable to get together in person for this year’s Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) program meeting. Instead, we’re hosting a virtual meeting for NARCH investigators, project directors, and community leaders:

Friday, December 11, 1:30-5:45 p.m. ET

Funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for the Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE) (PAR-21-026) and the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) (PAR-21-025) T32 programs have been issued. The FOAs continue the shared goal to develop a diverse pool of scientists earning Ph.D. degrees who have the skills necessary to transition successfully into careers in the biomedical research workforce.

The new G-RISE and IMSD FOAs have an application receipt date of February 26, 2021. The earliest start date for both programs is February 2022.

We’ve issued a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA): Exploring the Scientific Value of Existing or New Sepsis Human Biospecimen Collections (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-21-077). This FOA aims to promote the optimal use, testing, and sharing of patient-derived materials. It stems from recommendations of the NAGMSC working group on sepsis and input from the scientific community for strategies to rebalance NIGMS’ investment in sepsis research.

In September, we hosted a virtual meeting for investigators and students supported by the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program to introduce them to strategic initiatives from NIH leaders in response to COVID-19, and to highlight scientific progress by IDeA researchers. We were pleased with the overwhelming response from the IDeA community—there were approximately 750 attendees and more than 180 abstracts submitted.

UPDATE: The video from the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence webinar is now available.

If you’re planning to submit a Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) application in 2021 or 2022, it’s important that you attend our upcoming webinar:

Wednesday, November 18, 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET

UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re recruiting for an accomplished scientist to manage research grant, fellowship, training, and other types of awards focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying inheritance, gene expression, and development. The position is in our Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Job responsibilities involve working collaboratively with other staff to stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities for a portfolio of research awards. 

UPDATE: These positions are now closed.

We’re recruiting for two branch chief positions within our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). Applicants should have interest and experience in the scientific areas that comprise the Biomedical Technology and the Biophysics branches. Job responsibilities include scientific and administrative planning, managing, and evaluating one of the branches, along with supervising program directors with portfolios of funded research grants. Each branch chief will also handle a portfolio of research grants consistent with their own scientific background.

I’m pleased to tell you that Dorit Zuk has agreed to serve as acting deputy director of NIGMS upon Judith Greenberg’s retirement at the end of the month.

Dorit has served in several leadership roles at both NIGMS and NIH. She’s been the director of our Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (GMCDB) since early 2016. Before joining NIGMS, she was director of the former Office of Policy, Communications and Strategic Alliances at NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Prior to that, she was the science policy advisor to the NIH deputy director for extramural research.

I’d like to share with you the bittersweet news that our deputy director, Judith H. Greenberg, is retiring at the end of the month after 45 years of service to NIH, most of which was spent right here at NIGMS. Judith has been a vital part of the NIGMS leadership team and an invaluable advisor to me since I came on board as NIGMS director.

At the September meeting of our National Advisory Council, I presented a concept clearance for our next step in response to the recommendations of the working group on sepsis. The videocast of the presentation is now available.

Watch the sepsis concept clearance at the September Advisory Council meeting.