NIH INFORMATION

• NIAID Calls for Development of Alternative Human Models to Address Radiation-Induced Injuries. Find support for early- to mid-stage research and development of extracorporeal systems that mimic human responses and testing of appropriate medical countermeasures to treat civilian populations.
• Tabulating NIAID’s R01 and R21 Application and Award Counts for FY 2024. Each year, we share the number of R01-equivalent and R21 applications that NIAID received in the previous fiscal year as well as the number of grants NIAID awarded.
•  Leverage Microbial Exposure to Improve Mouse Models of Human Immunity. Advance our understanding of the impact of a host’s microbial experience on the development and function of host immunity and provide the data necessary to encourage broader use of mouse models with diverse microbial experience in immunologic and microbiologic research.
• NIH Launches Grants & Funding Website Redesign. Last week, NIH completed a major overhaul of its Grants & Funding website. You can watch a video tour for a summary of key changes to the site’s organization and resources.
• Final Scientific Integrity Policy of the National Institutes of Health. (NOT-OD-24-178) Office of the Director, NIH. The purpose of this guide notice is to issue the Final NIH Scientific Integrity Policy to promote a continuing culture of scientific integrity at NIH. This Policy codifies NIH’s long-standing expectations to preserve scientific integrity throughout all NIH activities, establishes key roles and responsibilities for those who will lead the agency’s scientific integrity program, and, as appropriate, establishes relevant reporting and evaluation mechanisms. 
• Create an ORCID Account in Preparation for the May 2025 Common Forms for Biosketch Transition. Investigators will soon be required to use Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) to complete Common Forms and the NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement to produce digitally certified PDFs for their application submission.
• How to Determine Where Your Application Will Be Reviewed. If you know your application will go to a Center for Scientific Review study section, you can request assignment to the most appropriate one.

NIH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

•  Limited Competition: Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program encourages applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase a single piece of new, costly, specialized, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system. The BIG Program is limited to institutions that have not received S10 instrumentation funding of $500,001 or greater in any of the preceding 3 Federal fiscal years. The minimum award is $25,000. There is no maximum price limit for the instrument; however, the maximum award is $350,000. Instruments supported include, but are not limited to, basic cell sorters, confocal microscopes, ultramicrotomes, gel imagers, or computer systems.
• Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Research on the Health of Women of Underrepresented, Underserved, and Underreported (U3) Populations (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional). The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) announces the availability of administrative supplements to support research to address health disparities among women in the United States who are underrepresented, underserved, and underreported (U3) in biomedical research. 
• NCI Small Grants Program for Cancer Research (NCI Omnibus) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-25-078). This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) supports small research projects on cancer that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources. The R03 grant mechanism supports different types of projects including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology.Enhance Diversity in SBIR/STTR Research Through Administrative Supplements. Recruit, mentor, and support students, postdoctoral scholars, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research or in Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. Administrative Supplements to Promote Diversity in Research and Development Small Businesses—SBIR/STTR (Admin Supp, Clinical Trial Not Allowed). 
• Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mammalian Models for Translational Research (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). (PAR-24-306). National Cancer Institute. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for projects to expand, improve, or transform the utility of mammalian cancer and tumor models for translational research. The NCI, through this NOFO, encourages submission of projects devoted to demonstrating that mammalian models, including organoids, tumoroids and cell models, used for translational research are robust representations of human biology, are appropriate to test questions of clinical importance, and provide reliable information for patient benefit. These practical goals contrast with the goals of many mechanistic, NCI-supported R01 projects that use mammals, or develop and use mammalian cancer models, transplantation tumor models, or models derived from mammalian or human tissues or cells for hypothesis-testing, non-clinical research. Among many other possible endeavors, applicants in response to this NOFO could propose demonstrations of how to overcome translational deficiencies of mammalian oncology models, define new uses of mammalian models or their genetics for unexplored translational challenges, advance standard practices for use of translational models, test approaches to validate and credential models, or challenge current practices for how models are used translationally.
• Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in Cancer (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). (PAR-24-311) National Cancer Institute. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites research grant applications (R01) for the development and application of current and emerging molecular imaging methods to gain fundamental insights into cancer inflammation in vivo. The motivation for this initiative is the recognition that much of the current imaging research on inflammation in cancer relies heavily on in vitro and ex vivo methods. These approaches have limited potential to provide significant insights into the dynamic interactions between cancer and inflammation. Utilizing molecular imaging probes in pre-clinical and clinical investigations allows for precise temporal resolution at molecular and cellular levels. This information is valuable for identifying and characterizing in vivo inflammatory cellular physiology in cancer and for detecting molecular changes in response to treatment. This NOFO encourages applications focused on developing integrated imaging approaches to investigate the role of inflammation in cancer through strong cross-discipline collaboration between cancer basic science researchers and imaging scientists. These collaborations are expected to advance the science and understanding of cancer inflammation interactions.
• Conduct Translational Exploratory Research on Chemical Countermeasures Research civilian chemical medical countermeasures and novel treatment strategies to combat serious morbidity and mortality resulting from high consequence public health chemical emergencies.

NCI Funding Opportunities in Cancer Research

NIH Conference Grant Support

• NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-25-080). The purpose of the NIH Research Conference Grant (R13) is to support high quality conferences that are relevant to the public health and to the scientific mission of the participating Institutes and Centers.   NOTE: NIAID funds radiation meetings as part of this solicitation mechanism.
• Now Accepting Nominations for the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 2025-2029 Term. Have you ever thought about putting your name forward to join the ICRP Main Commission or one of our four Committee’s? The nomination window for the 2025-2029 is now open (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2029)! Nomination packages will be accepted until 31 January 2025. Ensure you get it in early in case there are any issues with your submission!

Conferences and Workshops

• Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium on AI and ML Applications in Radiation Therapy, Medical Diagnostics, and Radiation Occupational Health and Safety. March 13-14, 2025. The Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium is hosting a two-day workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications in radiation therapy/oncology, diagnostics, and occupational health and safety on March 13 and 14, 2025.The symposium will include a community discussion on algorithm development and pathways to success, a focus on future directions and opportunities in AI/ML methods and technology to advance the fields of the radiation health sciences, and discussions on the intentionality of data collection for algorithm development and training, as well as focused breakout sessions on current and emerging applications of AI and ML in the radiation health science fields. Register now to stay updated on future announcements, including the public agenda. Online and in-person registration options are available.
• ConRad 2025 Meeting. Registration for ConRad 2025 is now open. The Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology will be hosting the conference “Global Conference on Radiation Topics - Preparedness, Response, Protection and Research” from Monday 5th to Thursday 8th of May 2025 in Munich. On our website you will find the “Register as attendee” button. Please use this button for join in on the action of what will certainly be a great meeting.

• Strengthening Global Nuclear Emergency Preparedness: Registration Open for 2025 ConvEx-3 Exercise. IAEA invites Member States to participate in the next ConvEx-3, the IAEA’s highest level and most complex emergency exercise. Hosted by Romania on 14 and 15 May 2025, this major exercise will simulate a severe nuclear emergency at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, offering a unique opportunity to test and strengthen global preparedness and response mechanisms.

• Innovations in Countermeasures & Toxicology Research (ICTR) Conference. June 9, 2025-June 11, 2025.
  Hosted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Join us for a cooperative and collaborative conference among colleagues and subject matter experts from the forefront of medical countermeasure (MCM) discovery and development. Research scientists and product developers across disciplines of biology, chemistry, clinical and translational medicine, and drug development interested in developing therapeutics that can treat the toxic clinical signs and symptoms after exposure to hazardous materials are welcome. Toxidromes of interest include adverse effects on the eyes, skin, lungs, nervous system, and respiratory drive. Registration details HERE
•  2025 Military Health Systems Research Symposium (MHSRS). The Defense Health Agency will be hosting the 2025 MHSRS, which is tentatively scheduled for early August 2025 in Florida.  The call for presentation abstracts will be open 6 January to 16 February 2025.   Among 60+ sessions is the topic: Rapid Response: Managing Radiation Injuries in a Near-Peer Conflict, which focuses on research to support military requirements. Session Description: This session explores cutting-edge research and practical strategies for managing acute radiological emergencies in military conflicts. Focusing on medical countermeasures for radiation injuries from both ionizing and non-ionizing sources, including nuclear weapons and directed energy (DE) systems, the session will delve into the complex pathophysiology of these injuries, particularly in the context of radiation polytrauma. Abstracts are encouraged to emphasize the translation of research findings into actionable military medical practice, enhancing both immediate response and long-term resilience of military personnel. Topics of interest include: (1) Development of safe and effective pre-exposure prophylaxis and novel post-exposure therapeutics for ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. (2) Advanced dosimetry, biodosimetry, and diagnostic approaches for rapid and accurate assessment of radiation injury. (3) Innovative strategies to facilitate development and approval of medical countermeasures under The Animal Rule, including advanced model systems such as organ-on-a-chip and multi-omic analyses. (4) Characterization of unique injury transduction mechanisms associated with DE weapons (wavelength-dependent, non-kinetic, non-pharmacologic) and the development of targeted medical countermeasures. (5) Strategies to prevent, mitigate, triage, and treat radiation combined injuries, encompassing injury mechanism characterization, therapeutic assessments, and development of models and clinical decision support tools, particularly for mass casualty events. (6) Psychological readiness strategies tailored to military operational settings. (7) Identification of non-lethal effects that can impact military resilience and operational planning. (8) Long-term care considerations in austere environments. (9) Novel approaches to increase military readiness for radiological events.
• International Society of Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry (ISORED). 2^nd hybrid meeting of ISORED: 9^th - 11^th September 2025 to be held at IARC, Lyon, France. Details can be found on the event website.

• International Symposia on the System of Radiological Protection. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. October 7-9, 2025. Registration and Abstract Submissions will open in February 2025. There will be special group rates for ICRP 2025 attendees at the Ritz-Carlton, as well as other hotels in the area to match your budgetary requirements! Highlights from the program include Radiation Effects and Risk, Modern Dosimetry, Radiological Protection in Medicine, Radiological Protection in Armed Conflict and Malicious Events, Implementing Recommendations in Regulatory Systems, Protection of the Environment, Individualization and Stratification, Sustainable Development & the Vancouver Call for Action, and Artificial Intelligence in Radiological Protection. Sign up for meeting updates here.

RECENT PUBLICATION

• Article: A Novel Approach to Potentially Improving Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Survival: Prophylactic Lung Radiotherapy Inhibits Growth of Lung Metastases and Prolongs Survival in a Murine Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Model
  
  Drs. France Carrier and colleagues proposed prophylactic pulmonary radiation for localized high-risk soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Their research suggests that circulating tumor cells (CTC) trapped in the lungs could be eradicated before they develop into metastatic colonies. They believe there may be an optimal window for administering this treatment shortly after tumor resection. While their mouse study shows promise, further testing and clinical trials are necessary to evaluate its safety and efficac
  
  Ruditsky A, Fisher K, Tighe K, B'lanton J, Ma X, Jiang K, Byrne K, Carter-Cooper B, Casildo A, Passaniti A, Carrier F, Lapidus R, Richard K, Kallen ME, Ng VY. A Novel Approach to Potentially Improving Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Survival: Prophylactic Lung Radiotherapy Inhibits Growth of Lung Metastases and Prolongs Survival in a Murine Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Model. Cureus. 2024 Dec 24;16(12):e76334. doi: 10.7759/cureus.76334. PMID: 39867071; PMCID: PMC11757009.
  
  Read More: A Novel Approach to Potentially Improving Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Survival: Prophylactic Lung Radiotherapy Inhibits Growth of Lung Metastases and Prolongs Survival in a Murine Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Model

 JOB & FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

• Research Fellow-LS-Radiation Oncology-Story Laboratory. 
  Job ID 348850 Date posted 12/20/2024 Job Expiration Date 11/01/2025 
  Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL. The Story Lab focuses on charged particle radiation biology and translational radiation oncology, currently dedicated to conducting research to maximize the efficacy of Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) to support the first in North America, hospital-based center under construction at Mayo Clinic Florida. Research projects include opportunities to improve radiation therapy in pancreatic, head and neck, and lung cancer as well as osteosarcoma and glioma. Opportunities to conduct research internationally in Italy and Japan are also available. Dr. Story is looking for a Research Fellow to join his lab.  A Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic is a temporary position intended to provide training and education in research. Individuals will train in the research program of a Mayo Clinic principal investigator. Qualified applicants will have a background in one or multiple of the following areas including: tumor biology, DNA repair, hypoxia, metabolism, immunology, and stem cell biology. Further desired, but not required experience includes small animal models of cancer biology, bioinformatics, and mammalian cell culture. The individuals will demonstrate the potential for research as evidenced by their training and peer-reviewed publications and should become competitive for national research grants.

• Beebe Fellowship Program. Rolling Admission between January 2025 – April 2026. The Beebe Fellowship program provides an opportunity for a scientist to contribute to the fundamental science at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) in Hiroshima, Japan. RERF is a binational program administered by the Japanese and U.S. governments performing pioneering research to help clarify the connection between radiation exposure and disease, and underlies the efforts being made around the world to enhance radiation protection. While helping to advance the pathbreaking work of RERF, the Fellow will become immersed in research related to the atomic-bomb survivors and their offspring and will lay the foundation for potential future collaborative activities between the Fellow and RERF scientists. The fellowship is intended for mid- to senior-level data scientists, bioinformaticists, clinical data scientists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and other scientists in fields relevant to RERF. The fellowship is for 3 or 6 months and will include a stipend and travel expenses to Japan. The program is administrated by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies). Fellowships will range from 3-6 months and will include a stipend paid in monthly installments. The stipend will scale with the length of the awarded fellowship. Fellows awarded a 3-month long award will receive a stipend of $50,000 and fellows awarded a 6-month long fellowship will receive a stipend of $100,000. The stipend is intended to cover living expenses, including meals and lodging, during the Fellow’s time in Japan. In addition to the stipend, fellows will be reimbursed for their travel to and from Japan at the start and the end of their fellowship and fellows will receive support in obtaining their Japanese work visa.