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Investigators discuss expectations, share resources
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by Cindy Abole
Public Relations
About 25 MUSC researchers and their business managers spent an
afternoon learning new requirements as research award recipients in a
first-ever meeting with South Carolina Clinical and Translational
Research Institute (SCTR) administrators and campuswide
supporters.
The group gathered Sept. 16 to share resources, discuss expectations
and review procedures for managing research connected with their new
SCTR pilot project awards. The effort was part of the SCTR Institute
Pilot Project Program (PPP) Orientation for New Awardees event held at
MUSC.
SCTR co-principal investigator and Pilot Project Program director Perry
V. Halushka, M.D., Ph.D., dean, College of Graduate Studies, greeted
participants, reviewed materials and acknowledged other SCTR staff and
on-campus research support speakers.
“This meeting was held to help SCTR pilot project investigators and
their support staff get to know each other and help them understand
what’s expected of them and communicate resources that will help them
at every stage of their research progress,” said Dayan Ranwala,
Ph.D., SCTR Institute’s Science Program manager, who along with
colleagues spoke to the group about the SCTR PPP and SCTR Success
Center services and support.
The event was open to the 15 new Clinical and Translational Science
Award (CTSA) PPP investigators chosen from SCTR’s 11 statewide
institutions that recently were named as part of the award’s fourth
grant cycle (2010-2011).
Through SCTR’s PPP, awardees may receive up to $50,000 per year in
project funding and other research support through the SCTR Success
Center. During the year-long program, pilot project investigators
follow specific guidelines and are expected to conduct their research
and generate preliminary data supporting investigator-initiated
extramural clinical or translational research grant applications and
peer-reviewed publications.
Additionally, PPP investigators are required to provide written
notification of any project changes, submit progress reports every six
months for the initial year and throughout a five-year period.
Investigators must also meet other specific evaluation criteria related
to their projects in the categories of discovery, early career
investigator and novel methodologies and technologies.
SCTR Success Center staff is available for assistance and consultations
via the SCTR Translational Assistance and Review (STAR) program.
Investigators are introduced to research-related resources such as
scientific retreats and collaboration with the SCTR Biotechnology
Interest Group, which provides a mechanism for intellectual property
and tech transfer resources.
“We like to see that these investigators become successful in their
proposed research and will be able to gather preliminary data
that is valuable for applying extramural grant application to further
support their research work,” Ranwala said.
Each year, PPP investigators are chosen from SCTR’s 11 participating
institutions or among MUSC partners including MUSC, the University of
South Carolina, Clemson University, South Carolina State University,
Claflin University, Greenwood Genetic Center, Ralph H. Johnson VA
Medical Center, South Carolina Research Authority, Health Sciences
South Carolina and other organizations.
In July 2009, MUSC joined 39 funded academic medical research
institutions committed to promoting clinical and translational research
in South Carolina and beyond through scientific discoveries and
collaboration.
MUSC was awarded a $20 million grant supporting this to develop new
technologies and train and prepare promising trainees and junior
faculty as medical researchers. Since 2007, SCTR has funded more than
40 collaborative projects involving investigators and scientists from
different disciplines and institutions.
For information, visit https://sctr.musc.edu/index.php/programs/pilot-projects.
2010-2011 SCTR
Pilot Project Awardees
Heather Boniha, (Health Sciences & Research) MUSC; Jeffrey
Bockardt, (Psychiatry & Anesthesiology) MUSC; Heather Brandt,
(Health Promotion, Education & Behavior) MUSC; Ernest Camp,
(Surgery) MUSC; James Chou, (Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences)
MUSC; Laura Goetzl, (Obstetrics & Gynecology) MUSC; Karen Hartwell,
(Psychiatry), MUSC; Joshua Mann, (Family & Preventive Medicine)
USC; Eric Muth, (Psychology) Clemson; Besim Ogretmen, (Biochemistry
& Molecular Biology) MUSC; Chris Parsons, (Medicine)MUSC; Michael
Rosol, (Radiology & Radiological Sciences) MUSC; Ida Spruill,
(Nursing) MUSC; Dana Stafkey-Mailey, (Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes
Sciences) USC; and James Thrasher, (Health Promotion, Education &
Behavior) USC.
Friday, Oct. 8, 2010
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