NeuroNEXT

We are pleased to announce that the NINDS Clinical Trials Methodology Course (CTMC) is accepting applications for the 2020 cohort. The overarching goal of the CTMC is to help junior investigators develop scientifically rigorous, yet practical clinical trial protocols.

The course features a combination of distance learning activities and a residential course, along with small group mentorship from experienced clinical trialists and biostatisticians. Investigators from the NeuroNEXT and Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care (SIREN) clinical trials networks, along with other clinical trials experts, lead this course and serve as faculty. The residential part of the course is required and will be held July 20 – 23, 2020 in Ann Arbor, MI. Funding for travel (within the US) and accommodations will be provided for participants. Qualified applicants from clinical disciplines focused on neurological disease or injury, along with biostatisticians working on projects with clinical neuroscience researchers are encouraged to apply. All preliminary trial ideas are encouraged – the only requirement is that protocols are focused on the clinical neurosciences. Trainees should have content area mentors to assist them with the science and implementation of their project.

The deadline for application submission is February 28, 2020 at midnight. Application forms and additional details are available on the course website https://nett.umich.edu/training/ctmc.  

Please contact NINDS-CTMC-Info@umich.edu or William Meurer, MD, MS with any questions wmeurer@umich.edu.

The NINDS Clinical Trials Methodology Course is supported by the NIH-NINDS grant R25 NS088248 and is administered by the University of Michigan, the University of Iowa, and Los Angeles BioMed. Additional support is provided by the American Academy of Neurology.

The INC Pilot/Feasibility Core is now accepting applications for Pilot Awards. The goal of the INC Pilot Awards is to support investigators wishing to perform single or multi-site projects that will advance the diagnosis, clinical trial readiness, management, and/or treatment of CMT. Both senior investigators wishing to expand their research into new directions and Junior INC investigators are encouraged to apply.

Deadline: Full applications (including NIH Biosketch) should be submitted via email to laura-perez@uiowa.edu before 17:00 January 27^th 2020 (EST). Late submissions will not be accepted.

Format:

1. NIH Biosketch
2. Research plan (3 pages)
3. Budget (1 page)

Applications should include the applicant’s NIH Biosketch and a three-page Research Plan, including a Specific Aims page and a Research Strategy of no more than 3 pages, consisting of Background and Preliminary Data, Scientific Approach, Interpretation of the Data, and Future Directions (references do not count toward the page limit).

The research plan should be completed in a sans-serif typeface (Arial or equivalent, not Arial Narrow) and font size of 11 point, with a minimum of 2cm margins.

Budget: $25,000 to 50,000 for a one-year project (a second-year extension will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis). The application should include a separate page with detailed costings of the pilot project.

Applications and questions regarding this funding opportunity should be sent to Laura Perez Quiros (laura-perez@uiowa.edu).

MGNet, an NIH-funded Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (RDCRC) in partnership with the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America and Concur MG, is seeking proposals that address the clinical research field in Myasthenia Gravis. Please see the attached notice for more information regarding this opportunity.

The slide presentation from the 2019 NeuroNEXT Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA October 28-29 are now available on the NeuroNEXT private website. They can be accessed under Network Materials > Annual Meetings. Thanks to everyone for a successful meeting!

We are very excited to announce the first ever NINDS podcast for trainees!

The vision for the podcast is threefold: provide an introduction to the grant cycle with an emphasis on what is unique about the way NINDS does things, address some commonly-asked questions; and personal advice from staff across the NINDS including Senior Leadership, Program Officials, Scientific Review Officers, and Grants Management Specialists. We have found that many trainees are missing fundamental information on what to expect during the process of submitting an application and where to find answers to their questions, and hopefully this podcast can provide a central place to start them out. We want to make the unknown known in an engaging and informative format.

The podcast will be released every other week beginning October 18, but you can listen to the trailer now and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

The 2019 Clinical Trials Methodology Course was held in Iowa City in July. See below for an informational video from the University of Iowa on how the course helps investigators design large scale neurological studies.

The AAN is collaborating with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to offer The TRANSCENDS (Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers of Diverse Scholars) Scholars program. This program is funded by a NINDS R25. The TRANSCENDS program is designed to train promising early-career neurologists to conduct high-quality neurologic research and achieve a successful academic career. 

Program Details

Interested individuals must apply for the program. Up to six will be selected to participate in 2019, with more positions available in subsequent years. Selected participants will receive:

• A Master of Science degree in clinical research (preferred) through the Medical University of South Carolina by completing a primarily online two-year course curriculum (38 credit hours) OR a certificate in clinical research through the Medical University of South Carolina by completing a primarily online one-year course curriculum (19 credit hours)
• Mentoring and support in the development of their current research portfolio
• Preparation, review (by a Mock Study Section), and submission of K-type grant application (required)
• AAN member benefits
• Opportunities to present research and network with leadership at the AAN Annual Meeting

Eligibility 

Eligibility is limited to US citizens/permanent US residents who are disabled and/or belong to an  underrepresented minority in neurology including Black/African American, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, Native Alaskan, or  Hawaiian, and are in any of the following career stages:

• Fellows in a formal neurology sub-specialty training program
• Neurology faculty three years or less from first academic appointment (academic appointment must be in the US), or
• Neurologists five years or less from completion of residency (residency training must have been completed in the US)

Please contact us if you have questions about your eligibility.

Applications are open from July 15-October 15, 2019.

NeuroNEXT was well-represented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials (SCT) this week. The meeting – hosted in New Orleans, LA, May 19-22, 2019 – featured two invited sessions by NeuroNEXT personnel:

• “Switching Boats Mid-Stream: Maintaining Continuity in a Large Clinical Trials Network in the Face of Change” by Chris Coffey, Angela Molloy, Dixie Ecklund, Jeri Sieren, Julie Qidwai, Krista Valladares and Marianne Kearney Chase
• “Preparing and Submitting Data to Open and Limited-Access Repositories” by Janel Barnes, Sharon Yeatts, Chris Coffey and Carolina Mendoza-Puccini

One contributed session also featured NeuroNEXT:

• “The NeuroNEXT Mode: Efficiencies Gained by Deploying an Embedded Research Administrator” by Krista Valladares and Maggie Spencer

And one poster session:

• “Utilizing cloud-based software to increase efficiency and reduce errors in communication during the conduct of multi-site clinical trials” presented by David Klements. 

Thanks to everyone for for promoting the excellent work of the Network!

NIH is soliciting for Pain Research Centers to join a clinical trial network.  NIH has mounted a major effort to improve pain management as a part of its response to the opioid crisis in America.  One cornerstone of that effort is an phase 2 clinical trial network to test new, non-addictive pain therapies in well-phenotyped patients.  This is part of a public-private partnership with academia, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology and device companies. The initial call did not get the number of needed participating sites and the call is now out for a second and final time.  Please consider applying to join what will be an innovative, and very exciting project.  To learn more see https://www.nih.gov/research-training/medical-research-initiatives/heal-initiative/early-phase-pain-investigation-clinical-network-eppic-net

Applications are due June 3^rd so don’t hesitate. 

Dr. Robert Fox, PI of the NN102 SPRINT-MS study was the 2019 recipient of Cleveland Clinic’s Sones Innovation Award for the advances in progressive multiple sclerosis made by the NN102 study. This award recognizes advances in innovation in the service of improved patient care. Congratulations to Dr. Fox and the NN102 SPRINT-MS team!