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Center for Clinical and Translational Science
  • Training Interdisciplinary & Emerging Research Scholars (TIERS)
    • What: A monthly presentation on rotating topics such as team science, writing a specific aims page, how to speak to a program officer, etc., that provides beneficial information on career planning and development.
    • Why: Learn from experts in various fields with topics presented in a relaxed environment structured to promote collaborative learning, networking, and problem-solving.
    • Who: Faculty, Graduate & Postgraduate

    Learn more

  • Friday Fellows
    • What: A weekly opportunity co-sponsored by the CCTS and COERE, for investigators, trainees, and others interested in population and health outcomes research to discuss best practices and hear from experts.
    • Why: This meeting provides a space to share your latest project in a supportive "discipline agnostic" environment, find new collaborators, develop foundational skills in study design, outcomes measurement, and evaluation, and practice critical "soft" career skills such as public speaking, networking, and providing/accepting constructive feedback. *For students in the UAB School of Public Health, this weekly meeting is EPI 690: Population and Health Outcomes Research Seminar Series.
    • Who: Faculty, Graduate & Postgraduate

    Learn more

  •  
    Mastering Collaborative Research Leadership

    • What: 8-week course to enhance leadership skills among clinical research team members through experiential learning

    • Why: Understand fundamental concepts of leadership, interpersonal effectiveness, trust-building and teamwork 

    • Who: Clinical Research Staff Professionals committed to enhancing their interpersonal and leadership skills

    Learn more

  • Translational Training Symposium
    • What: This two-day event convenes predoctoral, postdoctoral, and early career scholars, as well as their mentors and training grant leaders, from across the CCTS Partner Network for experiential training and career development sessions on translational and design thinking, grant writing, clinical trials, community engagement, and funding opportunities.
    • Why: Sharpen your grant writing and research skills, expand your translational thinking, and connect with new friends and future collaborators
    • Who: Investigators at any stage, from student to senior faculty

    Learn more

Kaizen - R2T

  • The National Institute of Health (NIH) requires formal instruction in Scientific Rigor, Reproducibility & Transparency (R2T) for all federally-funded trainees. In support of high quality investigation and in our commitment to scientific integrity, UAB based the R2T-Kaizen course upon the review of articles focusing on common errors and fallacies in scientific research as well as the (4) focus areas of R2T: scientific premise, authentication of chemical and biologic resources, consideration of sex and other biologic variables in study design and statistical rigor. All T, K, F awardees are encouraged to play but it is open to all investigators at UAB, across the CCTS Partner Network, and around the country.

    The CCTS Hub based the R2T-Kaizen course upon the review of articles focusing on common errors and fallacies in scientific research as well as the (4) focus areas of R2T: scientific premise, authentication of chemical and biologic resources, consideration of sex and other biologic variables in study design and statistical rigor.

  • Upcoming 2024 Games:
    *Registration deadline is one week prior to the start of each game.

    June 10-28 

    This game will begin on June 10 and end June 28. You will receive an email with study materials and information that will guide you through downloading the app as well as other helpful information about playing the game. Please do not hesitate to contact Alia Tunagur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.

    August 5-23

    This game will begin on August 5 and end August 23. You will receive an email with study materials and information that will guide you through downloading the app as well as other helpful information about playing the game. Please do not hesitate to contact Alia Tunagur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.

    October7-25

    This game will begin on October 7 and end October 25. You will receive an email with study materials and information that will guide you through downloading the app as well as other helpful information about playing the game. Please do not hesitate to contact Alia Tunagur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.

  • For more information about this event, please contact:

    Alia Tunagur
    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  •   Articles to review for questions 1-15. *Please note, questions 16-20 are review and will cover content from questions 1-15. 

    Study for Questions 1-5 
    How Scientists Fool Themselves
    Study for Questions 6-10 
Mock NIH Study Section: K & R Grants

  • Step into the role of an NIH study section member and experience what happens after a grant is submitted. Through a facilitated simulation, participants will read, critique and score an actual grant (K or R application) and will see how their comments influence the discussion. Participants are able to learn how a study section operates from the other side of the process, to better prepare their own grants for review. Nothing can replace hands-on experience with grant reviews. Thus, participants will be required to read and score grants as if they were a reviewer. 

    Upcoming Sessions (all offerings will be held via Zoom):

    Thank you for your participation in the latest round of CCTS Mock SNIH Study Section sessions.
    Subscribe to the weekly CCTS Digest to be informed of all upcoming CCTS events.

  • Download and share the flyer! 

    2024AugustMockStudyFlyer

  • K Critique Template (docx)

    R Critique Template (docx)

    NIH Reviewer Orientation (pdf)

    Review Criteria at a Glance – Master (pdf)

    NIH Scoring Matrix (docx)

    Scoring System and Procedure (pdf)

    Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects Section (pdf)

    Budget Information (pdf)

    NIH Peer Review Webinars and Videos

    Sample Applications and Summary Statements

    Overall Impact vs. Significance (pdf)

    Roles and Responsibilities of a CCTS Mock Study Section Member (docx)

  • William Geisler, MD, MPH

    William Geisler, MD, MPH

    Professor
    Division of Infectious Diseases
    University of Alabama at Birmingham
    School of Medicine

    Dr. Geisler graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee and earned his MD from the University of Tennessee in Memphis. He holds a master's in public health from the University of Washington. After an internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan, he completed an infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Washington. He is the Director of the UAB STD Program, Assistant Dean for Physician Scientist Development, and a consultant for the CDC and WHO.

    Elizabeth Jackson, MD

    Elizabeth Jackson, MD

    Professor
    Division of Cardiovascular Disease
    University of Alabama at Birmingham
    School of Medicine

    Jackson is the Inaugural Bourge Endowed Professor in Cardiovascular Disease and has lectured extensively on women’s health and cardiovascular prevention. She is a reviewer for several cardiovascular and internal medicine journals and is on the editorial board for Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes and ACC.org. Her research interests are eHealth, cardiovascular prevention and behavioral interventions.
    Martin Young, DPhil

    Martin Young, DPhil

    Vice Division Director of Research
    Division of Cardiovascular Research

    Professor
    Division of Infectious Diseases
    University of Alabama at Birmingham
    Department of Medicine

    Martin Young received his Bachelors, Masters, and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford. After postdoctoral training at Boston University and the University of Texas-Houston, he held faculty positions at those institutions and at Baylor College of Medicine. He is now a Professor of Medicine at UAB, Vice-Director for Research, Section Chief for Basic and Translational Research, and holds the Jeanne V. Marks Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Young has published over 160 peer-reviewed manuscripts and contributed invited reviews to numerous journals.

    David Pollock, PhD

    David Pollock, PhD

    Professor
    Division of Nephrology
    University of Alabama at Birmingham
    Department of Medicine

    Dr. Pollock is the James A. Schafer Professor of Medicine, Director of the Cardio-Renal Physiology & Medicine Section, and Co-Director of the Hypertension Research Center at UAB. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Evansville and his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati, with a post-doctoral fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill. He previously worked at Harvard University, Abbott Laboratories, and the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University). He joined UAB in 2014.



Questions?

For more information about the Mock NIH Study Section, contact Jean Lambert at jThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Manuscript Writing Sprints
  • Manuscript Writing Sprints - Summer 2021
    Manuscript Writing Sprints

  • Academic Resilience - Spring 2021
    Academic Resilience presented by the CCTS Training Academy

    • May 7, 2021
      12-1:30 PM

      Candida Rebello, PhD, LLB, RD, FTOS, research scientist from CCTS Partner Institution Pennington Biomedical Research Center, will present on the topic of Academic Resilience. This will be followed by guided, small-group breakout room discussions where peers can share and learn from each other’s experiences with academic rejection and resilience.

      This event has ended. View the recording here: https://mediaspace.uab.edu/media/Academic%20Resilience/1_9oatwabk

    • 12:00-12:05 PM: Welcome/Introductions

      12:05-12:50 PM: A Lesson in Academic Resilience presented by Candida Rebello, PhD, LLB, RD, FTOS

      12:50-1:05 PM: Q&A/Discussion

      1:05-1:30 PM: Peer Mentoring Breakout Rooms

    • For more information about this event, please contact:

      Alia Tunagar
      This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Grant Proposal Development Academy - Fall 2020


    • What: This program is a six-week comprehensive overview of the ins and outs needed to develop, write, and submit winning grant proposals presented by Research Administrators, Faculty, and Funding Agency Program Officers.

      Who: This opportunity is open to the CCTS Partner Network and is targeted to junior faculty, postdocs, and early-stage investigators.

      Where: This Intensive will take place virtually with Zoom. Participants will receive details once their registration has been confirmed.

      Requirements:
      - Participants are expected to attend all six sessions
      - Identified funding mechanism
      - General Research Question and PA/RFA in mind

      Sessions will be held on 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12.

    • Meeting format:

      Lecture: 1:00-2:00 pm

      Q&A:  2:00-2:30 pm

       Meeting Date

       Topic

      October 8, 2020

       Getting Started the Right Way
      https://zoom.us/j/98729224084

      October 15, 2020

      Developing Your Project
      Meeting #: 996 2721 8482
      Password: 703972
      https://zoom.us/j/99627218482
      Dial-In: 646-558-8656
      *Please be prepared to use your camera & microphone*

      October 22, 2020

      Writing Your Story
      Meeting #: 986 6463 3378
      Password: 941284
      https://zoom.us/j/98664633378
      Dial-In: 646-558-8656
      *Please be prepared to use your camera & microphone*

      October 29, 2020

      Assembling Your Team
      Meeting #: 932 1090 5922
      Password: 637473
      https://zoom.us/j/93210905922
      Dial-In: 646-558-8656
      *Please be prepared to use your camera & microphone*

      November 5, 2020

      Focus on Funders
      1:00pm - 2:30pm
      Meeting #: 962 8875 5305
      Password: 390273
      https://zoom.us/j/96288755305"
      Dial-In: 646-558-8656
      *Please be prepared to use your camera & microphone*

      November 12, 2020

      Submitting Your Proposal
      1:00pm - 2:30pm
      Meeting #: 991 8762 7506
      Password: 845607
      https://zoom.us/j/99187627506
      Dial-In: 646-558-8656
      *Please be prepared to use your camera & microphone*

      *Zoom info will be posted online the Wednesday before each session.


    • For more information about the Grant Proposal Development Academy, please contact:


      Becky Reamey, PhD
      This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

      Alia Tunagar
      This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    • Course Resources:

      NSF Proposal Checklist
      Early Career Research Funding

      Lecture Recordings:

      Session 1
      Session 2
      Session 3
      Session 4

    • Session 5: Focus on Funders
      November 5, 2020
      1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

      Please select your preferred breakout session and indicate via this link: https://uab.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aWa3pjkL7CZHH5r

      *Tips: Do not worry if your research focus does not align perfectly with any one guest. The officers from NIH can speak both broadly and focused on NIH-related funding. Dr. Chu is a great choice for those interested in NSF, professional development, social sciences, and humanities. Drs. Pollock and Muntner bring expertise from the American Heart Association, but they are also eager to advise on applying for funding to foundations and societies in general.

      • Breakout Room #1

        Rebecca Henry, Ph.D. , RN
        Program Director, NIH/National Institute for Nursing Research
        HIV/AIDS and Immune Function

        Dr. Henry is the HIV/AIDS coordinator for NINR and a Program Director overseeing a portfolio focused on HIV/AIDS/immune function. She is an experienced clinician and public health professional and has conducted research and problem-solving studies among immigrant and minority groups in the United States, as well as in communities in Laos, the Philippines, Ghana, Guyana, and Mexico. During her tenure with the Demographic and Health Research Group, Dr. Henry worked with researchers and physicians from around the world on major health initiatives including evaluation strategies to measure the impact of the President’s Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS Relief. Dr. Henry holds a BS (nursing), MA (anthropology), and a PhD (anthropology).

      • Breakout Room #2

        Michael J. Stirratt, Ph.D.
        Senior Behavioral Scientist, NIH/National Institute for Mental Health
        Division of AIDS Research

        Dr. Stirratt takes pride in (1) Articulating NIMH research priorities in HIV research through funding opportunities, workshops, and writing; (2) monitoring the progress of actively funded research grants in my portfolio; and (3) providing technical consultation to individuals who are interested in applying for research grants.

        In addition to stewardship for NIMH extramural research grants addressing adherence in HIV prevention and care, his work includes participation in several large NIH HIV Research Networks and associated clinical trial protocols. He also is Co-Chair for the NIH Adherence Network, which is a consortium of 14 NIH institutes and centers that seek to advance adherence research in chronic disease.

      • Breakout Room #3

        Kelvin Chu, Ph.D.
        Vice President, The Implementation Group

        Kelvin Chu, Vice President, has significant experience with research development, program building, and administration of research capacity-building programs, in both academia and at the federal level.  He brings expertise in evaluation and assessment, private sector initiatives, and cyberinfrastructure initiatives. 

        As a former faculty member, research administrator, and program officer, Kelvin has first-hand knowledge of and experience in growing and supporting a research enterprise as well as practical knowledge of campus-based efforts to encourage faculty scholarship and extramural research funding.  Since coming to TIG, Kelvin has helped universities bring in more than $150 million in small, medium, and large-scale awards. He served as a Program Officer at NSF in the Office Integrative Activities.  At NSF, he managed projects worth $137 million in the physical, life, mathematical, and social sciences. Prior to this, Kelvin served as Senior Associate Director of a state-wide research initiative in Vermont, building research capacity and education infrastructure. Kelvin holds a Sc.B. in Physics from Brown University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

      • Breakout Room #4

        David M. Pollock, Ph.D.
        James A. Schafer NRTC Endowed Professor
        Director, Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine
        Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine
        The University of Alabama at Birmingham

        Dr. Pollock has been a Professor at UAB since 2014, and he serves as Director of the Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine section in the UAB Department of Medicine whose charge it is to develop translational research and training programs. In 2016, he was named the James A. Schafer NRTC Endowed Professor of Medicine.

        In 2015-2016, Dr. Pollock served as the 87th President of the American Physiological Society. Dr. Pollock is a fellow of the American Heart Association, the American Society of Nephrology and the American Physiological Society. He has served as Associate Editor for several journals including American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology and the Journal of the American Heart Association and is now serving as Editor-in-Chief of Comprehensive Physiology. He is also a founding member of the International Advisory Board on Endothelin who organize the bi-annual International Conferences on Endothelin. Dr. Pollock has also served on numerous NIH and AHA grant review committees. Dr. Pollock has also served as scientific advisor for several companies in the clinical development of endothelin antagonists including Speedel Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer Corporation, and Gilead Pharmaceuticals.

        Paul Muntner, Ph.D.
        Professor of Epidemiology
        Associate Dean for Research
        School of Public Health
        University of Alabama at Birmingham

        Dr. Muntner is a professor of epidemiology and the associate dean of research in the School of Public Health. His recent research has focused on hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. He was the lead author on a recent national study that looked at the impact of the new American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association hypertension guideline. The study found that, under the new guideline, approximately 103.3 million people in the United States will be categorized as having high blood pressure.

  • Specific Aims Intensive - Fall 2020


    • What: This three-session Intensive will feature presentations by the School of Nursing faculty, followed by discussions and workshops via breakout rooms. Participants are expected to attend all three sessions, will be asked to complete tasks related to their specific aims page prior to each session, and will receive written & verbal feedback on their drafts from reviewers and fellow cohort participants.

      Who: This opportunity is open to the CCTS Partner network and is targeted to faculty who are in a good position to apply for NIH funding with any R mechanism for the next NIH cycle (but will consider others).

      Where: This Intensive will take place virtually with Zoom. Participants will receive details once their registration has been confirmed.

      Requirements:
                - Participants are expected to attend all three sessions
                - Identified funding mechanism
                - Faculty Chair support/approval
                - General Research Question and PA/RFA in mind

      Deadline to register is September 18, 2020 at 5PM. Sessions will be on 9/30/20, 10/21/20, & 11/18/20.

    • Meeting Format:
      Lecture: 1:00 - 1:30
      Q & A: 1:30 - 2:00
      Workshop: 2:00 - 3:00

      Meeting Date

      Lecture

      September 30, 2020             

      Specific Aims Part I, by Maria Bakitas, DNSc, CRNP, NP-C, AOCN, ACHPN, FAAN, FPCN

      October 21, 2020

      Specific Aims Part II, by Carolyn Pickering, PhD

      November 18, 2020

      Specific Aims Part III, by Nick Dionne Odom, PhD, MSN, MA, RN, ACHPN, FPCN


      Prior to Meeting 1, 9/30:  Complete the "How to Write Specific Aims" Worksheet (provided following registration).
      Prior to Meeting 2, 10/21:        Complete rough draft Aims Page with complete sentences.
      Prior to Meeting 3, 11/18:        Prepare Aims Page working draft to share with the group, review others' work and be ready to provide verbal feedback.

    • For more information about the Specific Aims Intensive, please contact:


      Becky Reamey, PhD
      This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

      Alia Tunagar
      This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    • Click here to view Specific Aims Intensive presentations once each session has been completed. These will usually be available within 24 hours of the session.

      PowerPoint Presentations:

      Session 1 

  1. Case Studies in Collaboration and Teamwork
  2. Translational Science 2020 Poster Sessions
  3. CCTS Bioethics Forum
  4. Previous LEAD Cohorts

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