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Headlines for this newsletter: NIH grants policy: eRA Commons Registration (and optional linking to ORCID iD) Upcoming AR INBRE deadlines A round up of AR INBRE activities and so much more!
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eRA Commons ID Pursuant to NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.2.1 eRA Commons Registration, institutions and individuals working in a variety of roles on a grant application or award must have Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons accounts to do business with the National Institutes of Health. Program directors/principal investigators, scientists, postdocs, graduate students, undergraduate students, project personnel who participate in a NIH-funded project (for example, recipients of Arkansas INBRE grant funds) for at least one person month or more should be registered in the eRA Commons.
Why is this important? NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), our funding agency, requires Arkansas INBRE to file an annual Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). The RPPR is a progress report submitted to NIH on our grant award. All personnel funded by our grant must be accounted for – which means all personnel including students – must have an eRA Commons id for our reports to be in compliance. |
Currently, not all students receiving salaries (summer research and academic year) have eRA Commons ids. We need this situation to be rectified as soon as possible. |
ORCID iD Open Researcher and Contributor ID, better known as ORCID or ORCID iD, is a free, unique, persistent identifier (PID) for individuals to use as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities. ORCID is used within NIH and Grants.gov to relate publications to grants. You can associate your ORCID iD from the Commons Personal Profile module. |
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Developmental Research Project Program: 2026 Grant Writing Workshop
The 2026 Grant Writing Workshop will be held on Mon, Aug 24, 1 to 4 pm CT, via Zoom. Workshop will include:
• Introduction to Grant Writing • How to write the Specific Aims Page • How to write the Significance and
Innovations Sections • How to write the Research Strategy Section
Includes discussion and Q&A session.
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Core Facility Voucher Program due Sept 1
The AR INBRE Research Technology Core provides voucher opportunities to obtain paid access to UAMS and UAF Core Facilities.
Three types of vouchers are available:
• Faculty Research Core Facility Vouchers • Student Research Core Facility Vouchers • Faculty Curriculum Core Facility Vouchers
Vouchers are offered three times a year. The next round is due 5 pm on Sept 1.
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Save the Dates: Nov 6-7
The 2026 AR INBRE Research Conference (ARC) will be held on Fri, Nov 6 at Embassy Suites in Rogers and on the University of Arkansas campus on Sat, Nov 7. The Conference involves participation from colleges and universities in Arkansas and surrounding states in biological sciences, physics and chemistry and biochemistry.
This conference is sponsored by the Arkansas INBRE. It is hosted by the departments of Biological Sciences, Physics, and Chemistry and Biochemistry – Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, University of Arkansas.
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Meet our Summer Research ParticipantsArkansas INBRE’s paid summer research fellowships are available for undergraduate students who are rising juniors or seniors. Selected students will work on a project relevant to human health led by a faculty member at either the University of Arkansas, or the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. We offer two 10-week summer research programs tailored to students with STEM majors (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science, mathematics, and related disciplines) who are considering careers in biomedical research. Here is one of our students. More to come on our website.
Murphy Hernandez, Sennior, Harding University AR INBRE Student Researching at UAMS
Double Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology and Applied Spanish
What I am researching this summer: I’m researching the role of two genetic regulators in Acinetobacter baumannii pathogenesis.
Plans after graduation: After graduation, I plan to get certified to be a Medical Laboratory Scientist specializing in microbiology.
Outside of the lab/classroom: WI’ve been playing the French horn for 10 years and am a member of my school’s marching band. I’m a huge dog person, I love to read, and I love working with kids. |
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Arkansas INBRE Activities AR INBRE has been very active this year. Here's a catch up with some of what we’ve been doing... |
Former Summer Research Students Match, March 20, 2026 Catching up with three former AR INBRE summer students who went on to medical school. The following received their matches this Spring. |
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Rylie (Davis) Jones participated in the AR INBRE Summer Program in 2021. Her mentor was Dr. Craig Forrest. She matched at UAMS Internal Medicine, Pediatrics.
Nicholas Kowalkowski was part of the AR INBRE Summer Program in 2016. His mentor was Dr. Gunnar Boysen. Nick matched with UAMS Internal Medicine, Washington Regional.
Emily Seminara participated with the AR INBRE Summer Program in 2017, mentored by Dr. Howard Hendrickson. She matched with the Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, PA) in Pediatrics. |
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2026 UAPB Research Symposium, April 20, 2026 AR INBRE PI/Program Director Dr. Lawrence Cornett was invited as the keynote speaker at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Spring Research Symposium. The day included talks by featured speakers, and poster and oral presentation, as well as tours of selected UAPB labs. Said Cornett, “It was my honor to speak at the UAPB Annual Research Symposium. It always a pleasure to visit UAPB and meet with faculty and students.” Learn more |
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National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE),
Bethesda/Rockville, MD, June 14-17, 2026 |
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Earlier this year, NISBRE announced a unique opportunity for students and trainees to visit the NIH campus in Bethesda during the conference. Take Your IDeA Science to Capitol Hill participants were able to tour advanced laboratories and engage directly with NIH researchers working on innovative biomedical projects. Of the students who applied, student Whitney Mitchell from Lyon College (center, left photo above) was one of the limited number chosen for this opportunity. Whitney received instruction on the legislative process from Van Scoyoc Associates staff before visiting members of the Arkansas delegation. Also shown in the left photo are Dr. Alan Tackett from UAMS and current National Association of IDeA Principal Investigators (NAIPI) President and Dr. Irosha Nawarathne, Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Research, as well as Whitney’s mentor at Lyon College.
Wrote Nawarthne, “Whitney and I had a great time participating in the Take Your Science to Capitol Hill event. We really appreciate all of [the] guidance and support throughout the event and the consideration of us being there. ... We hope that we represented the impact of Arkansas INBRE and the IDeA program on PUIs and undergraduate-to-workforce development in the biomedical field in Arkansas sufficiently well.” |
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AR INBRE Project Coordinator Caroline Miller Robinson (left, shown with Julie Benson, Associate Director, Alaska INBRE) was honored with the IDeA Administrative Excellence Award which recognizes IDeA administrators who exemplify the ideals of administrative excellence and who have provided exemplary support to an IDeA program. |
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Caroline Miller Robinson (center, highlighted) was also recognized as a NISBRE volunteer. The biennial event relies on volunteers to assist with operations, registration, and networking facilitation. |
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NIH Announces the Open Period of FY 2027 Helium-3 Requests for Medical Research (NOT-HL-26-006). The purpose of this Notice is to inform the biomedical research community of the availability of forms to request Helium-3 for FY 2027 that is intended for medical research (such as hyperpolarized MRI). Requests are being accepted now through July 10.
Request forms and further info may be obtained by emailing the NIH Representative for the DoE Inter-Agency Helium-3 Working Group. |
Call for Comments/Response: Office of Management and Budget Regulation for Federal Finance Assistance. On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), together with a broad group of participating federal grant-making agencies, released a proposed rule titled “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” to revise the governmentwide requirements in Title 2 governing grants, cooperative agreements and other forms of federal financial assistance. Comments are due on or before July 13. The proposed rule notes that late comments will be considered only to the extent practicable. OMB separately states that it proposes to issue a final rule to be effective by Oct 1. More |
Notice of Info Webinar on the NIGMS Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) (R35). The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) will host an info webinar to provide a program overview and respond to questions from prospective applicants to PAR-27-032, MIRA ESI on July 15, 1 pm CT, via Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 236 297 571 750 694; Passcode: aK7JH3WX).
Participation in the webinar, although encouraged, is optional and is not required for the submission of an application. Advanced registration is not required. |
NIH Targeting RNA in Disease with Novel Technologies (TRDNT) Challenge is intended to encourage new approaches to therapeutic development, especially for diseases linked to RNA dysfunction or diseases driven by difficult-to-drug proteins that may be addressed upstream at the RNA level. TRDNT is intended for novel technologies that target endogenous RNA to treat disease. This challenge is not focused on standard RNA-based therapeutic programs unless the proposed approach specifically targets endogenous RNA in a way that aligns with the challenge goals. Submissions for Phase I (Planning and Proposal Development) are due by July 15. More |
Request for Information (RFI): Promoting Youth Participatory Action Research Approaches in Prevention Research (NOT-OD-26-065). Young people today face many health risks. These include poor nutrition, limited physical activity, social isolation, and exposure to unsafe physical, social, and online environments. These risks can increase mental health concerns and lead to chronic health conditions over time.
Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is an approach that includes young people as active members of the research team. Youth work alongside adult researchers to identify research questions, design studies, collect and interpret data, and share findings. By including youth perspectives, YPAR can make prevention programs more relevant, acceptable, and effective for young people. Respond by July 16. More |
RFI: Proposal to Cap the Number of Simultaneous Research Project Grants per Principal Investigator to Support More Researchers and Maximize Scientific Productivity and Innovation (NOT-OD-26-086). The purpose of this Notice is to solicit public input on the outline for a proposed policy that would cap the number of Research Project Grants (RPGs) an individual can simultaneously serve on as Principal Investigator (PI) or Multi-Principal Investigator (MPI). To ensure the best use of the taxpayers' dollars in supporting biomedical research, the NIH is considering instituting a cap on the number of RPGs on which an individual could simultaneously be a PI or MPI. Respond by Aug 3. More |
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NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program (NOT-LM-26-001). supports exceptionally creative scientists pursuing highly innovative research with the potential for broad impact in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences within the NIH mission. Preliminary data are not required. The program's four constituent NIH Director's awards provide a diverse set of funding opportunities. See the individual award websites for more information and application help.
NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. For exceptionally creative early career scientists proposing innovative, high-impact projects. Must be an Early Stage Investigator. Single PI only. Apply by Aug 17.
NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award. For individuals or teams proposing groundbreaking, unconventional research with the potential to create new scientific paradigms. Open to all career stages. Open to individuals or teams. Apply by Sept 3.
NIH Director’s Pioneer Award. For scientists with outstanding records of creativity pursuing pioneering approaches to major challenges. Open to all career stages. Single PI only. Apply by Sept 9.
NIH Director’s Early Independence Award. For exceptional junior scientists bypassing postdoctoral training to launch independent research careers. Single PI only. Limit of 2 applications per institution. Apply by Sept 10. |
RFI: Future Direction of the NLM G13 Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health Program (NOT-LM-26-002). The National Library of Medicine (NLM) invites input from the biomedical, public health, informatics, publishing, and history of medicine communities to inform the future direction of the Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health program. This RFI seeks feedback on program priorities, scope, structure, and opportunities to enhance the relevance, impact, and dissemination of scholarly works in an evolving digital and data-driven environment. Responses must be received by Aug 18. More |
RFI: Measuring and Rewarding Scientific Impact (NOT-OD-26-087). Biomedical research has increasingly become a collaborative and interdisciplinary enterprise that relies on transparent reporting, rigorous replication, careful interpretation of methods and analyses, and the iterative refinement of scientific knowledge. In recognition of this evolution, NIH seeks public input on the defining features of modern 21st-century science that should be measured, recognized, and incentivized. Responses accepted through Aug 19. More |
NIGMS Limited Competition: Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion/Sustainability Phases (P30) (PAR-27-055). The IDeA program supports biomedical research capacity building in states that have historically received low levels of NIH funding. The COBRE-E/S Notice of Funding Opportunity supports the expansion and sustainability of biomedical research centers in IDeA-eligible institutions. These centers will focus on building research capacity in broad scientific areas of strategic importance for the institutions. The goal of COBRE-E is to expand research capacity by growing the institutional faculty base and supporting research projects and core facilities in the new area. The objective of COBRE-S is to sustain the infrastructure by continuing the growth of the faculty base and consolidating research cores. This is a NOFO for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Apply by Sept 25. More |
NIH Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) Award (R16) supports research capacity building at eligible higher education institutions by funding investigator-initiated biomedical research in basic, social, clinical, behavioral, or translational science that falls in the mission areas of the NIH. The purpose of SuRE awards is to provide support for investigator-initiated research at resource-limited institutions by full-time faculty who are not currently funded by any NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs) with the exception of SuRE or SuRE-First awards, to furnish students with high-quality undergrad and/or grad research experiences, and to enhance the institutional scientific research culture. Apply by Sept 28. More |
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NCFDD Webinar: The Art of Saying No – How to Create Healthy Boundaries, July 9, 1 pm CT, via Zoom. In this webinar, you will learn the biggest mistakes faculty make in responding to requests, how to identify and disrupt problematic patterns, and o ur favorite strategies that you can implement immediately so you can add “no” to your vocabulary. |
NIH Targeting RNA in Disease with Novel Technologies (TRDNT) Challenge is intended to encourage new approaches to therapeutic development, especially for diseases linked to RNA dysfunction or diseases driven by difficult-to-drug proteins that may be addressed upstream at the RNA level. TRDNT is intended for novel technologies that target endogenous RNA to treat disease. This challenge is not focused on standard RNA-based therapeutic programs unless the proposed approach specifically targets endogenous RNA in a way that aligns with the challenge goals. Submissions for Phase I (Planning and Proposal Development) are due by July 15. More |
National Disease Research Interchange Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource (HTORR) Pilot Award Program (PAP) seeks to enable the completion of pilot studies necessary for an investigator to obtain subsequent funding. Specifically, we are planning to support individuals that meet at least one of the following high priority areas: 1) early-stage investigators that are within 10 years of a terminal degree or completion of clinical residency and 2) established investigators that are transitioning to using human biospecimens. These 2-year awards provide up to ~10 biological samples per awarded investigator, covering all costs associated with obtaining the biospecimens, including tissue preservation reagents and shipping costs. Pilot Award Program awardees will also receive additional technical support for tissue procurement protocol design to help bolster rigor and reproducibility in their experimental data and analysis. Last day to submit requested tissue information form is Sept 15. Applications due Oct 1. More |
Academic Support and Coaching for Entrepreneurial Development (ASCEnD). Using an innovative approach combining mentoring, coaching, and skill-building activities, over the course of a year, ASCEnD participants will partner with accomplished biomedical entrepreneur mentors and a professional coach, gaining personalized guidance through monthly individual and group mentoring sessions. Funded by an NIGMS Innovative Program to Enhance Research Training (IPERT) awarded to the Medical University of South Carolina, applications are now being accepted from investigators (early- and mid-career faculty and senior postdoctoral fellows) at at all US universities (higher-education institutions). Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled or up to Sept 28. More |
Research Training at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (Lexington, KY) for students, early-career researchers, and faculty. Programs focus on interdisciplinary training in aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias. Given the many health risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease, each program welcomes trainees from a wide range of biomedical and behavioral science backgrounds. To receive notifications about program opportunities and application deadlines, join the email lists below.
KYAD-PREP, Postbaccalaureate research training TRIAD T32, Predoc and Postdoc research training |
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July 9 1 pm CT, NCFDD Webinar: The Art of Saying “No” – How to Create Healthy Boundaries
2 pm CT, NIH NCI/NIBIB Synthetic Biology and Cancer: Progress and Promise Webinar: Immunotherapy via engineered therapeutic programs in tumors using RNA |
July 13 11 am CT, ASM Webinar – From Lab to Literature: A Conversation with Kate Zernike |
July 13-16 1 pm, NCURA Virtual Workshop: Contract Negotiation & Administration |
July 15 12 pm CT, NIH NIDCD Loan Repayment Program Pre-Application Info Session
1 pm CT, 2 pm, Info Webinar: NIGMS Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) (R35) via MS Teams
ASCO Young Investigator Award Special Competitions
NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Dev of Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3) |
July 16 1 pm CT, NIH NCI (R25) Yes Pre-Application Webinar
1 pm CT, Training Opportunities within the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research and BRAIN Initiative |
July 22
NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) |
July 23 12 pm CT, NCFDD Webinar: How to Peer Review a Journal Article in No Time
12 pm CT, Info Webinar on the NIGMS Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion and Sustainability Phases (COBRE-E/S) Program via MS Teams |
July 23-24 NIH NCCIH Maximizing the Impact of Mind & Body Interventions Using Adaptation Workshop |
July 29 1 pm, Info Webinar on the NIGMS Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program via MS Teams |
July 31 ASM/mBio and mLife Emerging Leader in Microbiology Award |
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Our newsletter is open to all. Please feel free to forward and encourage others to subscribe.
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Copyright © 2024 Arkansas INBRE, All rights reserved.Questions or more info, contact Cyndy Buckhaults, Media Specialist, cbuckhaults@uams.edu
Material in this newsletter is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences (5P20GM103429). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the AR INBRE Program and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NIH.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
4301 W. Markham Street, Slot 818
Little Rock, AR 72205
USA
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