Return to Campus COVID-19 Assessment Project for research employees and trainees
In July, a research study team led by Dr. Audrey Pettifor was awarded funding from the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory to implement a COVID-19 research employee and trainee return to work assessment project. The purpose of this study is to determine whether safety and preventative measures that have been implemented on campus are effective in preventing the spread of SARS-COV-2 amongst the research community.
The Return to Campus COVID-19 Assessment Project for UNC-CH Employees and Trainees (ReCAPP) is investigating novel research methods of detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 using self-collected swabs, saliva, and blood for viral and antibody testing. The study involves frequent testing over a 12-month follow-up, with referral as needed for clinical testing at the UNC Respiratory Diagnostic Center. Most of the study procedures and follow-ups can be done remotely over video conferencing and brief study visits in locations across campus with proper precautions including face masks and physical distancing.
The study is limited to research personnel, including those conducting laboratory or human subjects research, and those providing administrative support or other support such as housekeeping staff. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please visit the studyʼs website.
University Research Week
University Research Week 2020 will be held the week of October 19-23, 2020. Please note the earlier date due to the shifted fall semester timeline. The signature event of the week-long celebration will be a virtual symposium on UNCʼs response to the novel coronavirus pandemic featuring many of our front-line experts. There will be many more research-based events, panels, and showcases held during the week as well.
If your unit would like to host a University Research Week event, please email Layla Dowdy. A list of last yearʼs events is available.
2020 Creativity Hubs winner announced
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is pleased to announce this yearʼs winning Creativity Hubs team, Vector-Borne Disease: Epidemiology, Ecology & Response (VEER). Led by Ross Boyce, VEER will seek to develop and implement evidence-based, cost-effective surveillance and response systems to address vector-born disease — an epidemic affecting the entire state, but particularly those living in rural and underserved communities in North Carolina.
Now in its fourth round of seed funding, the Creativity Hubs initiative launches interdisciplinary projects that are expected to lead to sustainable, large-scale extramural funding and commercial opportunities.
ORD welcomes new research development manager
Leigh Ann Samsa assumed the role of research development manager in the Office of Research Development (ORD) on July 27. In this role, she will support strategic initiatives that grow UNCʼs research portfolio with an emphasis on large grant opportunities proposal development. Samsa holds a doctorate in cell and molecular physiology from UNC and a bachelorʼs in biology from Duke University. She completed a research postdoc in UNCʼs School of Medicine and a teaching postdoc in NC Stateʼs Biotechnology Program before joining ORD.
OSR introduces Proposal Playbook
The Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) Operational Excellence team and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research have collaborated on initiatives to improve and streamline the management of externally sponsored research programs at the university. One of the results of this partnership is a suite of new tools called Research Playbooks.
Research Playbooks are online resources intended to support researchers and research administrators in managing all stages of the award lifecycle from proposal to closeout. The first to be released is the Proposal Playbook, which will provide investigators with tools and information to complete each step of the proposal process.
Training videos on using the Playbooks are available. For questions or assistance, please contact ResAdminOSR@unc.edu.
NC TraCS Biostatistics releases new guidelines for consultations
Effective immediately, researchers seeking a consultation with Biostatistics must submit requests a minimum of three weeks before the deadline they are trying to meet.
The Biostatistics service at NC TraCS works with investigators to identify unmet statistical design and methodological needs and develop new design and analysis methodologies to resolve roadblocks encountered in cutting-edge biomedical research. The team offers biostatistical collaboration, statistical methodology support, and assistance with grant and manuscript preparation. One of the numerous ways the service delivers on these offerings is through no-charge, short-term consultations.
The three week period will give the Biostatistics team time to plan the consultation and investigators time to act on the results.
For more information on Biostatistics at NC TraCS, visit the Biostatistics page or submit a request for assistance in preparing for your biomedical research study. Please submit all cancer-related requests to the UNC LIneberger Biostatistics Core, not NC TraCS.
Downloadable COVID-19 safety signs available
Carolina Together signage and assets are available for download on the university’s branding and identity guidelines website.
Carolina Together communicates the steps the university is taking with clear community standards and university guidelines on the expected measures individuals will take to help keep one another safe and help reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on our campus.