Strategy: Strengthen research at all levels by facilitating the application for and management of grants of all sizes across disciplines

Point People: Barry Klein and Neal Van Alfen

Narrative Summary of Second Year Implementation Efforts:

The Office of Research has been actively engaged in the facilitation of the application for and management of contracts and grants of all sizes across disciplines. New developments within the office’s organizational structure include the formation of a single unit that will serve faculty and the business/industry community to facilitate the dissemination of UC Davis technology for the public benefit. The creation of Technology and Industry Alliances (TIA) merged four existing Office of Research units, namely the Technology Transfer Services, Industry Research Alliances, Technology Business Development, and UC Davis CONNECT. TIA relocated to Research Park last summer. In addition, the Interdisciplinary Research Support unit was developed to encourage and facilitate the preparation of large-scale and multi-disciplinary research grant proposals, which support the campus’s research priorities.

The Office of Research, Information and Educational Technology and other campus units, identified an Electronic Research Administration system, InfoEd and purchased the system in March. Currently the first module, Proposal Tracking and Reporting, is being implemented and legacy data migrated to the new system. Campus stakeholder and user committees have been established and meet regularly.

The office strengthened its research training programs both internally and across campus. Sponsored Programs has established weekly staff training sessions and provides external professional enhancement opportunities. The Office of Research is developing a campus-wide, certificate training series in Research Administration. A two-day workshop on proposal development targeted to the Humanities and Social Sciences was also held.

Advances and Ongoing Programs Consistent with Strategy

• Redesigned Office of Research web site, with beta launch in February and full implementation in the Spring of 2005.
• Developed a stem cell research web site for the campus
• Began implementing Electronic Research Administration (ERA) system. Budgetary support in place. AD3 and AC4 have both endorsed the InfoEd product. The business processes and a roll-out plan have been developed by the Steering and Implementation team.
• Began implementation of the first phase of the e-IRB
• Developed a campus-wide Research Administration certificate series program
• Started a Research Administration Breakfast Club, a monthly forum meeting open to anyone on campus involved in research administration
• Sponsored NCURA (National Council of University Research Administrators) Research Video Workshops (jointly sponsored by Accounting and Financial Services and Office of Research)
• Held a two-day workshop on proposal development targeted to Humanities and Social Sciences (jointly sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost–Academic Personnel and Office of Research)
• Prepared materials for the Social and Behaviorial Sciences for information and recruitment on support for research from the Office of Research
• Created a new unit, Technology and Industry Alliances (TIA), led Professor Alan Bennett. TIA includes the Technology Transfer Services, Industry Research Alliances, Technology Business Development, and UC Davis CONNECT. It is a primary point of contact for faculty and the business/industry community to relate to technology transfer and industry collaborations.
• Completed move of TIA to Research Park in South Davis, bringing all relevant units together in one location
• Finalized program/business plan for TIA, including integration of UC Davis CONNECT and Technology Business Development functions
• Established efficient and effective measures for deciding when to patent new technologies — created technology marketing team and a qualifying process for Record of Inventions (ROIs), which has enabled more effective use of resources
• Increased the efficiency of material transfer agreement transactions, doubling the number of agreements executed on an annual basis while continuing to decrease the time to completion
• Constructed and deployed an electronic roadmap for start-up companies for faculty, that delineates policy and guidelines for new ventures (e.g., start-up companies) that involve faculty members and UC Davis technology
• Developed boilerplate agreement for Industry Affiliates Program
• Set up master agreements with a number of industries, including Genentech
• Conduct monthly meetings between Sponsored Programs and Technology Transfer Services staff to promote coordination and collaboration on industry research agreements and material transfer agreements
• Moved the contract and grant function, formally handled by Business Contracts, to Sponsored Programs (SP)
• Enhanced training and professional development for SP staff through weekly training sessions and support of professional association memberships and opportunities to attend annual external meetings
• Established a university Research Compliance Task Force
• Hired a new Research Compliance and Integrity Officer
• Hosted a conference on research integrity on June 13-14, 2005 (jointly sponsored by the Office of Research Integrity, DHHS, and the Office of Research)
• Created the Interdisciplinary Research Support (IRS) unit, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Meisinger. IRS has become a significant campus resource that is in high demand, providing faculty with the needed and desired support for the preparation of major grant/contract applications: 30 proposals submitted; 4 proposals in progress.
• Hired a Cost Analyst to review rates charged by Organized Research Units and other research units to avoid unallowable costs
• Collected a comprehensive list of UC Davis centers and institutes and other research units (totaling to 214) and proposed a process for review and approval of centers and institutes
• Implemented a pilot program with UCDHS Cancer Center to facilitate and expand the number of investigator-initiated clinical research trials
• Hosted a successful Pfizer Workshop in collaboration with the Office of Research Integrity.

Short Statement of Plans for 2005-06

• Develop a New Faculty Orientation for Research
• Recruit an Associate Director of Sponsored Programs, who will review process efficiency and develop standard training programs
• Complete the development of a Laboratory Management Training Program, in conjunction with the Office of the Vice Provost–Academic Personnel, University Extension, and Graduate School
• Develop, in collaboration with the Office of Graduate Studies, a Responsible Conduct of Research program for graduate students.
• Develop and implement processes to administratively facilitate university-industry partnerships and sponsored research
• Develop and implement an external communications program and faculty “in-reach” program to expand opportunities for industry-sponsored research
• Expand the pilot program for investigator-initiated clinical trails and to encompass all animal and clinical trials

Evaluation of Metrics

In addition to the existing Strategic Plan metrics, other new metrics will be used:

• Increase in the number of material transfer agreements processed by the Technology Transfer Services
• Development of cost/benefit ratio analysis for decision-making in patenting technologies
• Reduction of the time-frame for negotiation of privately-funded research, especially in the area of clinical trials

  Existing metrics:

• Increase in the number of applications and awards for single- and multi-investigator grants
• Responsiveness to user feedback surveys and improvement in areas where needed (e.g., rapid internal processing of proposals, proactive search for and timely dissemination of information about funding opportunities, improved responsiveness to limited submission funding opportunities)
• Mobilization of the expertise and experience of senior faculty to mentor new investigators
• Development of training opportunities to facilitate more effective fiscal management of grants