UC San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) is part of a national
Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) consortium, led by the
National Institutes of HealthNational Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Established in 2010, ACTRI provides infrastructure and support for basic, translational and clinical research throughout the San Diego region to bring discoveries from the laboratory to the bedside, and facilitates training and education of the next generation of researchers. ACTRI carries out its activities in collaboration with institutional and corporate partners and currently has more than 1,400 members. The ACTRI News and Funding Opportunities is a monthly newsletter.
ACTRI Special Announcements
ACTRI Life Course Symposium Explores Cognitive Resilience in Aging The ACTRI Cognitive Resilience in Aging Symposium, which drew about 100 participants on November 1, featured an international panel of nine presenters who discussed topics ranging from cognitive function in aging, lifespan changes in the brain, prevention of dementia and early life influences of cognitive function in aging. The all-day event took place at the ACTRI Building Auditorium. The symposium was hosted and organized by the ACTRI Center for Life Course Research. “Where we end up in life depends on where we begin and what we do along the way,” said Linda McEvoy, PhD, in her introductory remarks. McEvoy is an associate director of the ACTRI Center for Life Course Research and led the symposium. “This symposium explores the factors that contribute to cognitive and brain health in aging, and the methodologies for studying brain health in aging from a life course perspective.”
Read more and view the presentations
Funding Opportunities
REMINDER:ACTRI and IEM Invite Applications for 2018 Galvanizing Engineering in Medicine (GEM) Awards Phase I (Open to Clinically Active UC San Diego Faculty) Deadline: November 20, 2017 by 5 p.m. PT
ACTRI Seeks Proposals for Administrative Supplements
ACTRI Vouchers for ACTRI Research Services (In-kind) - Allowance for Vouchers to Supplement Two Types of NIH-Funded Studies for ACTRI Clinical Services Only
- Recent Addition of CCBB Vouchers
Eligible: Unfunded Projects Designed to Gather Preliminary Data for Grant Submissions or ACTRI Pilot Projects, Career Development Awards (K-series only; UC San Diego only) and ACTRI KL2 Awardees. In addition, Vouchers can potentially be used to supplement two types of NIH-funded studies for ACTRI clinical services only.
NCATS Open Funding Opportunities
Courtesy Postings
ACTRI News and Features
ACTRI Leader Chambers Receives Chancellor’s Mentoring Award Professor Christina D. Chambers, PhD, MPH, has received the 2017-18 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring. The award recognizes faculty mentors who serve as effective advisors, advocates, role models and colleagues to their postdoctoral trainees, and who consistently promote and actively engage in the many forms of mentorship. UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla and Vice Chancellor for Research Sandra Brown announced the mentoring and outstanding postdoctoral scholar awardees on October 31. Chambers, a professor of pediatrics, serves on the ACTRI Executive Committee and directs the ACTRI Center for Life Course Research. Among the postdoctoral scholars she has mentored is Gretchen Bandoli, PhD, an ACTRI TL1 Postdoctoral Fellow focusing on life course research.
ACTRI Building Receives Orchid Award for Architecture The Orchids and Onions jury has selected the UC San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) Building as a recipient of the Orchid for Architecture Award. In the award statement, the jury said they were completely impressed with the scaling, texturing and juxtaposition of forms of the ACTRI building. One juror noted, “The building is elegant, modern, textural and allows a natural flow of light and ventilation through the site planning around an internal courtyard.” ZGF Architects designed the building, which opened in 2016. Orchids and Onions is a San Diego Architectural Foundation program.
Read more about the Orchids and Onions program. |

In This Issue
Upcoming Seminars ACTRI SEMINAR SERIES
The Role of Immunodominant Peptides in Stimulating Natural Regulatory T Cells
Wednesday, December 15 3:00 p.m.
ACTRI Auditorium (first floor) Read more
Presented byAlessandra Franco, MD, PhD,
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UC San Diego
ACTRI Communications Seminar for Early Career “K” and Equivalent Awardees UC San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) is hosting a year-long career development seminar series, “Communicating: Your Academic Life Depends on It,” for early career “K” and equivalent Career Development awardees from UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and ACTRI partner institutions. The fourth session in the series is scheduled for
Tuesday, December 5. Michael Ziegler, MD, will present, “Responding to reviewers’ criticisms.” The session will take place at the ACTRI building. RSVP is required to
ctri-education@ucsd.edu.
Read more
ACTRI-Supported Ethics Forum
Social Media: How should researchers balance your privacy with public health benefit?
Wednesday, December 6, 2017 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fleet Science Center Balboa Park, San Diego
Presented by
Tim K. Mackey, MAS, PhD,
Director, Global Health Policy Institute, Associate Director, Joint Master’s Program in Health Policy and Law, UC San Diego
Cite the Grant
Don’t forget to cite the grant! To help ensure resources are available for future research,
please cite the UCSD ACTRI CTSA grant. Projects and Publications using UCSD ACTRI resources must cite the UCSD ACTRI grant and follow the NIH Public Access Policy.
ACTRI News and Funding Opportunities
Gary S. Firestein, MD Director of ACTRI
Eric Mah Chief Administrative Officer
Patricia Wieser Communications Director
Tracy Dezenzo Graphic Designer |