MHIR Monthly Monitor - January 2025

 

In this Issue January 2025

Message from Doug Sawyer Did you know? Opportunities Staff Services News Employee Spotlight Research Compliance

Grants Clinical Trials Corner Noteworthy MHIR Happenings Comings & Goings

Message from Doug Sawyer, MD, PhD Chief Academic Affairs Officer Interim VP of Research

Hello all,  The history of science is a fascinating topic, and one worthy of study, as we seek to show progress in science. What is that old saying about folks who have not learned from history being doomed to repeat it? Take that phrase into conversations about science, and who knows what interesting topics might come up! As we think about where to put our research time and other resources in the interest of improving the health and wellness of our community, history is a really important topic.     I was reminded of some history in reading through recently published works by MaineHealth team members. Our very own Wendy Smith, Director of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, authored updated guidelines over the appropriate screening for inborn errors of phenylalanine metabolism due to phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency. I enjoyed reading the background in the article which was rich in medical research history. Over 90 years ago physician and biochemist Ivar Asbjørn Følling cared for a family of children experiencing developmental delays, whose mother noticed a funny odor to their urine. Dr. Følling figured out that the source of the odor through some careful biochemical work, and within 30 years PAH deficiency became the first inborn error of metabolism that could be identified and treated, improving the lives of many through simply restricting dietary phenylalanine intake!  Someday we will look back on the research of today, and tell a story about how it impacted the lives of our community.   With appreciation, Doug

DID YOU KNOW?

Blood Drive at MHIR February 4, 2025, 9am-2pm All donors will receive a $15 e-gift card to the merchant of their choice. In general, the only requirement is that donors weigh 110 pounds. You don’t need to know your blood type in advance. Questions? See the FAQs Sign Up

Who's Recognizing Whom Nanette Herbert, Teresa Martel, and Claire Stull were recognized by Amy Caron "Incredible work on Basement Clean Up" Tammie Infantine, Jacqueline LaPointe, Ashley Milne, Ideh Rohani, and Julia Taylor were recognized by Stacia Kozidis "Diligence in Preparation" Heather Campbell was recognized by Michelle Karam "Consistent Help in Lab and Presenting at ASH"

Giving Tree Gift Drive RECAP The Social & Volunteer Group sponsored a Maine Children's Home Giving Tree Gift Drive during December. This drive successfully fulfilled every gift tag plus additional items off of the greatest needs list! The Social & Volunteer group thanks all who contributed and the team is incredibly proud of the MHIR community coming together to provide for so many young people.

OPPORTUNITIES

The 2025 Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat is taking place Friday, May 2 at the MMC Dana Center!   This annual retreat brings together more than 200 physicians, nurses, scientists, and trainees from MaineHealth for a daylong, multi-disciplinary, biomedical research symposium. The event gives basic and clinical researchers – and those who support them – the opportunity to catch up on each other’s work, to ask questions, to create new collaborations, and to discuss research in more depth.   The Co-Chairs for the 2025 retreat are Anne Breggia, PhD and Andrew Armitage, EdD, MBA with MHIR administrative support from Nic North and Heidi Lyon. Register & Learn More

Center for Molecular Medicine Seminar Speaker January 23 | 11 am | In person and hybrid Super-Resolution Re-Imagined – Leica Stellaris” Dr. Philipp Isermann – Confocal Specialist, Leica Company MS Teams Link

Responsible Conduct of Research on Mentor/Mentee Relationships in Research January 30 | 11 am | In person at 81 Research Drive Learn More

UMaine AI Webinar: "Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Power of AI in Transforming Patient Care" February 6 | 12 pm Learn More & Register

STAFF SERVICES NEWS

Updates Please review your 2025 compensation information in INFOR, beginning Jan. 13. If any market rate increase is being provided for your MaineHealth position at this time, the increase will be labeled as such and occurs first. After any market rate increase is applied, your merit increase will be calculated on top of that. Increases are effective 1/5/2025 and will be paid on the 1/24/2025 paycheck. If you will receive your 2024 W-2 in hard copy format at your home address (vs. the online portal), please ensure that your address is up-to-date in INFOR. Go to the Apps Portal on your MaineHealth desktop. Search for/click open the Infor Cloudsuite app. Navigate to “Personal Information”, then “Personal”, then double-click your address to open up a change form, make changes/set an effective date, click “Submit”.

Reminders & Resources Current MHIR Job Openings MaineHealth 2025 holiday schedule Are you accessing these employee benefits? Resources for Living (Employee Assistance Program/EAP) Transit options & benefits Tuition assistance

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT:  Jessica Dibiase

January's Employee Spotlight is Jessica Dibiase, Research Data Analyst II, in the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research. Jessica is working remotely.  What is your work?  I’m a research data analyst within the Center for Interdisciplinary Population and Health Research (CIPHR). I enjoy the process of tailoring the communication of results (visually and linguistically) for the intended target audience. I like to create fun and engaging data science presentations. How long have you been at MaineHealth?  I’ve been at MHIR a little over 3 years. I also previously worked at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) on a cardiology unit from 2017 to 2019.

What experience(s) brought you to MHIR? My first career was doing production and design work for Maine retail businesses, then after 10 years I pivoted to working clinically as a nursing assistant and as a medical assistant in outpatient settings. Interacting with patients and other health professionals inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in public health. Given that so much of one’s health and quality of life are impacted by intersecting social factors (like gender identity, and housing status), I wanted to work in research to help inform programs and interventions that improve health equity. What do you like to do when you’re not at work? I like to travel and to spend a lot of time outside: trail walks, hiking, biking, rockhounding. I also love to watch and talk about movies. What are you currently reading/listening to/creating? I like to read science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I’m currently reading Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I am really enjoying her books and the next one on my list is Ninth House.

RESEARCH COMPLIANCE OFFICE

The Research Compliance Office is implementing updated versions of IRB submission forms, this change includes the consolidation of many forms to reduce administrative burden. The following documents have been updated: Submission Checklist: Exempt Checklist Submission Checklist: Expedited and Full Board Checklist Local Form: MH Closure Local Form: MH Continuing Review Local Form: MH Initial Local Form: MH Modification *If you are submitting a modification for Key Personnel or Site Changes ONLY we will continue to accept the Submission Form: MH Key Personnel & Site Change Form until Huron is implemented.* The documents are now available in IRBNet under Forms and Templates and should be utilized on all new projects moving forward. Log in to IRBNet and then navigate to Forms and Templates. For projects currently in development their use will be required in all submissions received February 1st, 2025, or later. Questions? Please email hrppIRB@mainehealth.org.

GRANTS

News Revised Timeline for Proposal Document Submission   To ensure that grant proposals adhere to both institutional policy and funder guidelines; are accurate, error-free, and responsive to funding opportunities; and to provide the Research Grants Team sufficient time to review and submit proposals on time, we have revised the submission deadlines and timelines policy. The major change is that all documents must be submitted to Research Grants at least five (5) business days before the funding entity’s proposal deadline except for the final research strategy, which must be submitted at least three (3) business days before the proposal deadline. Late documents will need a waiver approved by both MHIR Leadership and Research Grants. The checklist timeline has been updated to reflect the revised policy.  See the website for the full policy and waiver request form Email Carolyn Elliott-Farino with any questions

Subscribing to NIH Notifications NIH Guide to Grants & Contracts We do our best to keep you apprised of what’s going on at NIH, but the most effective way to ensure you are well informed is to subscribe to the NIH Guide Weekly Index.  The NIH Guide to Grants & Contracts is NIH’s official publication of grant policies, guidelines, and funding opportunities, published daily; NIH issues a weekly index to all the publications. You can subscribe to the weekly index here.   NIH Office of Extramural Research Another source to keep you informed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research. You can subscribe to their publications here. We recommend Extramural Nexus monthly newsletter, Data Sharing News and Events, and NIH Grants Events. In December the Nexus published this post: Compare Research Project Grants: R01, R03, and R21. The Open Mike blog is part of the Nexus and is managed (and often written) by Mike Lauer, NIH's Deputy Director for Extramural Research.

Research Grants SharePoint Site We are gradually building out our SharePoint site and have linked a number of NIH resources: Finding a Fit, Nexus, All About Grants/Podcasts, Advice for New/Early Career, and Sample Applications. Please visit the Grants SharePoint site: NIH Resources.

Adherence to Timeline for Document Submission Please let us know about your upcoming proposals at least 10-12 weeks prior to the deadline, or as soon as you learn about the funding opportunity, by emailing researchgrants@mainehealth.org. Requests from collaborating institutions for subaward documents often come with short turn-around times, so please notify us as soon as you can about any collaborations where MaineHealth will be a subrecipient. Thank you.

CLINICAL TRIALS CORNER

Congratulations to Debbie Wright for 15 Years of Service  The Clinical Trials Office is thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Debbie on reaching this incredible milestone--15 years of outstanding service at MaineHealth!   Debbie’s unwavering dedication, meticulous attention to detail, and commitment to advancing clinical research have been an inspiration to us all. Over the past 15 years Debbie has not only ensured the success of countless studies, but has also left an indelible mark on her colleagues and the lives of the patients who have benefited from her hard work. Today, we celebrate Debbie and her remarkable journey with us. Thank you for your tireless efforts, your kindness, and your unwavering commitment to excellence.   Here is to celebrating this incredible achievement and looking forward to many more years of success together!

NOTEWORTHY

CIPHR News & Accomplishments

Kevin Stein, PhD: Appointed as a Visiting Associate Professor in Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts School of Medicine.

Cara Frankenfeld, PhD: Appointed to Editorial Board, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

Call for Papers

The Journal of Maine Medical Center is putting out a call for papers for the Spring 2025 Special Issue. The focus will be on Tick-borne Illnesses in the Maine/New England region. The Guest Editor is Dr. Robert Smith, Director and Co-Founder, Vector-borne Disease Laboratory, and Co-Director, Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, MaineHealth Institute for Research. Learn more

TUFTS Center for the Study of Drug Development's 52nd Annual Postgraduate Course

The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) Postgraduate Course in Clinical Pharmacology, Drug Development and Regulation is the longest-running professional development program in the biopharma space. Join thousands of successful alumni by enrolling in this esteemed program, where top experts from industry, academia, and the FDA unite to share their insights, fostering a highly engaging and rewarding learning experience.    This year's course is scheduled virtually for the following Thursdays, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm: January 30, February 6, 13, & 20, 2025.     Register now! Discounted group rates for three or more participants are offered. For details and questions, please contact Sarah Wrobel

Innovation News

Innovation Spotlight: Congratulations Fall 2024 Ignite Funding Recipients! The MaineHealth Innovation Ignite Fund provides up to $20,000 in seed capital to help advance novel ideas that address unmet care needs. Over the next year, the following innovators and their teams will accelerate their solutions to the next level with connections, education, and funding from MaineHealth Innovation and its industry and entrepreneurial partners. These three projects represent the newest investments in the Ignite Funding program, which has provided support for twenty prior innovations since its inception in 2020. For more information on the Ignite Fund and how to apply, click here.

Sequential Breast Biopsy Markers | Funded $20,000 Zachary Zaniewski, DO; Elizabeth Pietras, MD; Christina Cinelli, MD Dr. Zachary Zaniewski is a current Diagnostic Radiology resident at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center-Portland and is working with  Drs. Elizabeth Pietras and Christina Cinelli of Spectrum Healthcare Partners to prototype breast biopsy markers that will be implantable successively in an easily identifiable series of shapes to allow for sequential marking during the diagnostic and treatment process for each patient. Additionally, they are focusing on marker shapes that have a higher degree of visibility during the ultrasound imaging process. The intent is to create a set of biopsy markers that can be produced as single series that can be separated as needed. The aim of this innovation is to reduce the cost of the marker and to improve the qualities of the marker to elevate its ease of use.

SPOT-X: Medicated Adhesive Stickers for Spot Treatments |Funded $20,000 Shinya Amano, MD, PhD, AAD; Corina Spanu, PharmD, MBA Dr. Shinya Amano of MaineHealth Dermatology will be prototyping medicated stickers and/or adhesive patches for localized, targeted treatments of a variety of skin conditions. Over the course of the upcoming year, they have a goal of developing at least one functional prototype, initiating the plans/studies for FDA approval, and starting the process of licensing the developed product. Dr. Amano first came to the Innovation Center by going through the Innovation Cohort and is working on developing this project as a way to make medicated treatments for skin conditions with fewer physical limitations that are more accessible to patients.

Beyond Use Date Medication Stability Testing | Funded $10,000 Jonathan Angus, PharmD, BCOP; Victoria Jacobus, RPh; Richard Bowman, PharmD; Meghan Libby, PharmD; Lindsey Parmelee, PharmD; Nathan Brough  Jonathan Angus will be leading a team of MaineHealth pharmacists that will be running HPLC stability testing on several high-demand pharmaceutical compounds to confirm the length of their shelf-life in compliance with United States Pharmacopeia Convention guidelines. These compounds have not had their beyond use date stability previously confirmed in published studies, and by validating their beyond use date stability, the team will be able to solidly determine the length of time we are able to keep these compounds on our shelves available for patient use, which will help the pharmaceutical team better determine when to invest in the production of those compounds to reduce waste and increase the wealth of knowledge available to the wider pharmaceutical community.

To learn more about other innovation opportunities at MaineHealth, visit the MaineHealth Innovation website, or email innovation_center@mainehealth.org.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

In Case You Missed It   MHIR Community Blog MHIR SharePoint Site

Check out the MHIR calendar on SharePoint or click on the calendar below. Don't see a meeting on the calendar? View this comprehensive list of MHIR group meeting times and contacts click here.

COMINGS & GOINGS

Welcome, Congratulations, & Good Luck!

New Staff 

John Gill, Research Associate I, has joined the Brown Lab.

Jordan Gillespie, UNE Graduate Student, has joined the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research.

James Gray, UNE Medical Student, has joined the Rosen Lab.

Mackenzie Lachance, Program Coordinator, has joined Research Training & Education.

Oliva Mills, Lab Animal Technician II, has joined the Animal Facility.

Dana Schwartz, Research Assistant I, has joined the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research.

Emmanuella Waife, Research Associate I, has joined the Center for Applied Science & Technology.

Changes  EB Bernier, has been promoted to Research Coordinator II in the Center for Clinical & Translational Science. Christine Ellis, has transitioned to per diem in Research Training & Education. Nichole Goldfeder, has been promoted to Research Coordinator II in the Center for Clinical & Translational Science. Sue LaPierre, has been promoted to Scientific Manager III in Center for Applied Science & Technology. Valerie Trafton, has transitioned to Project Manager in Research Training & Education.

Departures Defne Eren, USM Academic Intern, has left the Prudovsky Lab. Benjamin Kaphan, UNECOM Student, has left the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research. Patience Mudjgiwa, Research Associate II, has left the Pinz Lab. Jarod Mutuski, UNE MPH Student, has left the Center for Interdisciplinary Population & Health Research. Tara Sangal, Barnard Academic Intern, has left the Rosen Lab.

Thank you! For questions or to subscribe: mhir_info@mainehealth.org