For families of British soldiers killed in the First World War, the question of how to remember the men they’d lost was a delicate one. Most died too young to have had much life to commemorate.

Many of their families privately published books—touchingly akin to scrapbooks—that tried to capture a fleeting life between covers for a small circle of friends and relations.

“They’re extraordinarily miscellaneous volumes,” says Bette London, a professor of English. “They’re trying to produce something that will contain and sum up his life—but there’s not really enough life to do it. They might include a remembrance from a sibling, or the parents, or a friend. There are often extracts from letters he wrote as a schoolboy, or from the front. Or a poem he wrote to his mother when he was seven years old.

“It’s incredibly poignant.”

London, who holds one of this year’s Bridging Fellowships, scrutinizes the remembrance books in “Posthumous Lives: World War I and the Culture of Memory.” A scholarly book manuscript, it’s just one of many research projects on memory and forgetting that the Humanities Center is supporting this year. The center incubates interdisciplinary study of an annual theme—last year, environments, and next year, expertise and evidence—through public lectures, workshops, and a slate of fellowships for internal and external scholars at all professional ranks.

Joan Rubin, the Dexter Perkins Professor in History and the Ani and Mark Gabrellian Director of the Humanities Center, says promoting interdisciplinary research is a foundational part of the center’s mission. “The exchange of ideas with faculty members who hold assumptions different from one’s own—who invoke theories, apply methods, or know about materials that put a researcher’s subject in a new light—is essential to insuring that a scholar’s contributions to knowledge remain fresh and original,” she says.

Read more here about London’s research, and that of fellow Bridging Fellow Jonathan Baldo, professor of English at the Eastman School, plus three Humanities Center fellows; Dan Blim, an assistant professor of music at Denison University; Ben Nienass, a political scientist on the faculty of Montclair State University; and Evelyne LeBlanc-Roberge, an assistant professor of art and art history at Rochester.

Funding will be doubled for the University Research Award program, which provides “seed” grants for promising, high-risk projects, says Robert Clark, provost and senior vice president for research.

This will enable more faculty members to gather the preliminary data they need to compete for federal and other external funding.

“We want to make sure people have resources necessary to develop new ideas and for opportunities that could drive new strategic initiatives,” Clark says. “We want to continue to grow ‘seedlings’ for the future.”

The fund will be increased from $500,000 annually to $1 million, effective from the next academic year of 2018/2019. Half the funding comes from the President’s Fund, with the rest being matched by the various schools whose faculty members are recipients, Clark says.

Valentina Kutyifa, associate professor of medicine (cardiology) who chairs the Research Policy Committee of the Faculty Senate, says the need for more seed funding was a “common theme” among the 343 responses the committee received from a research policy survey of faculty last fall.

“For most grants, and especially for federal funding, you need to have some preliminary data available,” she says. “Pilot or seed funding can enable researchers to gather the data they need to support larger grant submissions.”

University Research Awards, formerly called Provost’s Multidisciplinary Awards, provide a maximum of $75,000 for a one- or two-year period. Applications are evaluated by a review committee, consisting of a representative group of faculty members from all University schools. The senior vice president for research makes final award decisions.

Click here for more information about the award, and a listing of current and past recipients.

Faculty who responded to the research policy survey also requested greater opportunity to provide continuous, direct feedback to the Research Policy Committee, and ways to make the University’s research policies more easily accessible and widely disseminated, Kutyifa says. Therefore, a new Research Policy Committee website is currently being developed to address those needs, she says. The website will be launched as part of the Faculty Senate website by April 1, 2018.

“We are looking forward to your continued engagement and support to advance research here at the University of Rochester,” Clark and Kutyifa said.

Biological sex can modify communication between nerve cells and generate different responses in males and females to the same stimulus, according to research in the journal Current Biology. The findings could new shed light on the genetic underpinnings of sex differences in neural development, behavior, and susceptibility to diseases.

“While the nervous systems of males and females are virtually identical, we know that there is a sex bias in how many neurological diseases manifest themselves, that biological sex can influence behavior in animals, and that some of these differences are likely to be biologically driven,” says lead author Douglas Portman, an associate professor of biomedical genetics, neuroscience, and the Center for Neurotherapeutics Discovery. “This study demonstrates a connection between biological sex and the control and function of neural circuits and that these different sex-dependent configurations can modify behavior.”

The findings were made in experiments involving the nematode C. elegans, a microscopic roundworm that has long been used by researchers to understand fundamental mechanisms in biology.

The behavior of C. elegans is driven by sensory cues, primarily smell and taste, which are used by the worms to navigate their environment and communicate with each other. Female worms secrete a pheromone that is known to attract males who are drawn by this signal in search of a mate. Other females, however, are repelled by the same pheromone. It is not entirely understood why, but scientists speculate that the pheromone signals to females to avoid areas where there may be too much competition.

The scientists were able to manipulate the genetic sex of each of the worm’s neurons, essentially switching each individual nerve cell from male to female and vice versa. In doing this, the researchers were able to isolate the sex-specific behavioral differences to a pair of sensory neurons called ADF. In males, these neurons appear to be “tuned” in a manner that triggers the expression of a gene called mab-3 which signals the worm to follow the pheromone to its source, while in females it generates a different response which instructs the worm to keep its distance. When the biological sex of this single pair of neurons was altered, the males and females flipped their responses to the pheromone.

Read more here.

• Mary Jane Curry,  an associate professor at the Warner School. Inside Higher Education has published her essay, co-written with Theresa Lillis, professor in the Faculty of Education and Language Studies at the Open University, U.K., on “The Dangers of English as Lingua Franca of Journals.” The pressure to publish in English language journals listed in prestigious indexes has become “a global trend, most recently reaching Latin America and Africa,” they write. “Some multilingual scholars do view using English as a way to reach a broader academic audience than their local context, language, or research community affords. But after closely examining the effects of this trend on academics for nearly two decades, we’ve seen little attention being paid to what is lost in this focus on English. The consequences of this major shift in the creation and distribution of academic knowledge, as well as the burdens it creates — even for scholars who welcome it — need to be more carefully weighed.” Read more here.
• Riccardo Betti, the inaugural Robert L. McCrory professor of mechanical engineering and of physics, who has been appointed chief scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Betti, an internationally recognized leader in fusion energy research, will work with Gilbert “Rip” Collins, LLE’s new associate director for science, technology, and academics, and with other LLE leadership, staff, and students to ensure the quality and impact of ongoing LLE research. “LLE is recognized as a research center of excellence in fusion, high-energy-density physics and lasers and optics,” says LLE director Michael Campbell. “As we look to the future, innovation will become an increasing focus and strategy. Riccardo is a recognized expert in the science that makes LLE a special place.”

Our brains are made up of an intricate network of neurons. Understanding the complex neuronal circuits—the connections of these neurons—is important in understanding how our brains process visual information. Farran Briggs, a new associate professor of neuroscience and of brain and cognitive sciences, studies neuronal circuits in the brain’s vision system and how attention affects the brain’s ability to process visual information. Previously a professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Briggs became interested in neuroscience in high school. “I took a class and just became really fascinated by the brain and how it works,” she says. Later, as a graduate student, “I was trying to understand a wiring diagram of neurons in the visual cortex, but the diagram didn’t take into account what these neurons do for vision,” she explains in a Q&A with Lindsey Valich.  “It’s kind of like if you took all of your Facebook friend connections with people in different states. This would give you a really interesting map, but it wouldn’t tell you why those people are your friends or what type of information you share back and forth; it just shows you who you’re physically connected to. The map of neurons in the visual system is fantastic, but without knowing why or what information is being shared, the map isn’t quite as useful. I’m trying to link both neuronal structure and function to study neural circuit interactions that give rise to visual perception.” Read more here.

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s KL2 Mentored Career Development Program provides two years of support to new investigators interested in pursuing a career in clinical or translational research. The latest awardees are:

• Caroline Silva, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, who will evaluate a potential target mechanism for suicide prevention among Hispanic Spanish-speaking outpatients.
• Kevin Mazurek, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurology, who will investigate how areas of the brain communicate information about how and why movements are performed and how neurologic diseases such as epilepsy affect this communication.

Additional information about their projects can be found at the CTSI website.

UNYTE Pipeline-to-Pilot awards provide $10,000 of support for six month to stimulate research partnerships among UNYTE member institutions to compete for future external translational biomedical research funding. These are newly funded projects:

• Advanced Digital Stethoscope: Listening for left ventricular assist device dysfunction.
  PI Karl Q. Schwarz, professor of cardiology at URMC, with co-investigators David Borkholder, associate professor of electrical and microsystems engineering, Nicholas Conn, postdoctoral fellow in electrical and microsystems engineering; Steven W. Day, department head of biomedical engineering; and Jason Kolodziej, associate professor of mechanical engineering, all at RIT.
  Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) help pump blood to the rest of the body and are integral to managing end-stage heart failure. LVAD dysfunction can be difficult to diagnose. Schwarz and his team believe that sounds from the heart and the implanted LVAD may help diagnose patients with device dysfunction and plan to develop a new and improved stethoscope that can better detect these sounds.
• Transfer of Vitamin D during Pregnancy.
  Co-principal investigators: Eva K. Pressman, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at URMC; Kimberly O’Brien, professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology.
  Low vitamin D during pregnancy is linked to adverse maternal and neonatal birth outcomes. Fetuses depend entirely on their mothers for their vitamin D, but we still do not know how vitamin D is transferred across the placenta. Pressman and O’Brien recently developed a method to measure the absorption of D₃, its conversion into 25(OH)D₃ and the half-life of 25(OH)D₃ in pregnant (mid-gestation) and non-pregnant women. In this new pilot grant, they plan to capitalize on their prior findings and use the new method to examine the dynamics of maternal transfer of vitamin D to the fetus.

The Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Pipeline-to-Pilot provides up to $15,000 for six to 12 months to stimulate research partnerships between University of Rochester faculty and community-based organizations in the greater Rochester area. Projects aim to address local public health issues using a CBPR approach with an eye to develop a pilot grant and/or a larger, independently-funded study.

• Many Members, One Body: Integrating systems in mental health and self-injury resilience.
  Co-principal investigators: Ann Marie White and Silvia Sorensen, associate professors of psychiatry at URMC; Rev. Phyllis Jackson, project manager of Community Wellness at Common Ground Health.
  With community partners, White, Sorensen, and Jackson will develop approaches to help faith communities take a systems approach to addressing mental or behavioral health burdens and related self-injury in their congregations and surrounding communities. The team will examine how faith communities, especially in congregations serving African Americans, develop system insights and deepen their engagement in mental health by tackling deeply entrenched social issues to change the culture of health and advance their community resilience.

Applications are now open for the next round of UNYTE and CBPR Pipeline-to-Pilot funding. View the UNYTE Pipeline-to-Pilot request for applications and contact Karen Vitale with any questions. Applications are due April 2, 2018. View the CBPR Pipeline-to-Pilot request for applications and contact Indrani Singh with any questions. Applications are due April 16, 2018.

Each year, students in the Medical Scientist Training Program invite an inspiring translational medical researcher to give a keynote address at the annual spring Medical Scientist Research Symposium.

This year’s speaker is Kafui Dzirasa, an associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurosurgery at Duke University. In 2011, his laboratory was featured on a segment of CBS’ 60 Minutes.  His goal is to combine his research, medical training, and community experience to improve outcomes for diverse communities suffering from neurological and psychiatric illness.

An invitation to attend the keynote address is extended to the entire University community. No need to register—just stop by the Class of ’62 Auditorium at 3 p.m., Friday April 6.

The symposium will also include student oral presentations and a poster session.

For more information about the symposium, click here.

Jerry Chukwuemeka Madukwe, Biochemistry, “Insights into G protein ?? Regulation of Phospholipase C?” 1 p.m., April 2, 2018. Medical Center | Neuman Room (1-6823) Advisor: Alan Smrcka.

Chutikarn Chaimayo, Microbiology & Immunology, “Mechanistic Analysis of Influenza A Virus Assembly and Host Gene Regulation.” 1:30 p.m. April 6, 2018. Medical Center | Upper Auditorium (Room 3-7619). Advisor: Toru Takimoto.

Martina Afia Magdalena Anto-Ocrah, Epidemiology, “Reproductive and Sexual Functioning after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTMI) in Woman.” 1 p.m., April 10, 2018. Helen Wood Hall/1W502. Advisor: Edwin van Wijngaarden.

Jimmy Zhang, Physiology, “Mitochondrial Metabolism in Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.” 1 p.m. April 11, 2018.  Medical Center | Neuman Room (1-6823). Advisor: Paul Brookes.

Shringkhala Bajimaya, Microbiology & Immunology, “Elucidating the Role of Cholesterol in Respiratory RNA Virus Infection and Transmission.” 1:15 p.m. April 13, 2018. Medical Center | Adolph Auditorium, 1-7619. Advisor: Toru Takimoto.

Aleta Steevens, Neuroscience, “The Dynamic Role of SOX2 in Mammalian Inner Ear Development.” Noon, April 16, 2018. Medical Center | Ryan Case Method Room (1-9576). Advisor: Amy Kiernan.

Today: Center for Integrated Research Computing (CIRC) symposium. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Goergen Hall 101 (Sloan Auditorium). Lee Murray from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will discuss numerical simulations of the atmosphere and their role in helping reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Xiaolu Wei from the Department of Biomedical Genetics will highlight functional genomics studies of satellite DNA.

March 19: Deadline to submit nominations for the Furth Award, given to junior, tenure track faculty appointed in natural or biological science departments within Arts, Sciences & Engineering or the School of Medicine and Dentistry.  Read more here.

March 26: “The History of the Universe from the Beginning to the End,” presented by John C. Mather, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics and senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. 3:30 p.m., Goergen Hall 101. Hosted by The Institute of Optics. Read more here.

March 29-30: “Social Life of Guns,” research symposium. Panel presentations and discussions with invited scholars on what guns mean and how do they matter in the United States today. Humanities Center Conference Room D. Sponsored by the Humanities Center. Click here for the schedule. For more information, contact Kathryn.mariner@rochester.edu or Kristin.doughty@rochester.edu.

March 30: PONS Luncheon Roundtable Series: Acquired Hearing Difficulties and Deafness. Discussion of ongoing hearing loss research at the University of Rochester with panelists Ross Maddox and Patricia White of the Department of Neuroscience and U-Cheng Leong of the Department of Audiology. Noon. URMC Med Center Specialty Room 2-7520. Refreshments will be provided. For more information on upcoming Neuro-related events, go to http://blogs.rochester.edu/pons/.

April 2: Deadline to apply for UNYTE Translational Research Network Pipeline-to-Pilot Awards of up to $10,000 from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Intended to stimulate research partnerships between UNYTE member institutions to compete for future external translational biomedical research funding. Learn more about the UNYTE Translation Research Network; view the full RFA; contact Karen Vitale with questions.

April 6: “Translating Neuroscience: Obstacles and Opportunities.” Keynote address by Kafui Dzirasa, associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurosurgery at Duke University. Medical Scientist Research Symposium. 3:00-4:30 p.m. Class of ’62 Auditorium. Jointly sponsored by the Medical Scientist Training Program and the Dr. Thomas A. and Joyce E. Pearson Endowed Lectureship fund. More information here.

April 9: Deadline to submit proposals for three Center for AIDS Research pilot grants. See the CFAR Pilot Funding Opportunities page and the specific RFA’s for additional information.  Contact the CFAR administrator (Laura_Enders@urmc.rochester.edu) for additional information on eligibility, budgeting guidelines, and required cost sharing forms no later than March 23.

April 12: “The American Health Paradox: What’s Missing?” Presented by Nancy Bennett, professor of medicine and public health sciences, director of the Center for Community Health, and co-director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Phelps Colloquium Series. 4-5:30 p.m., Helen Wood Hall. Click here to register.

April 16: Deadline to apply for Community-Based Participatory Research Pipeline-to-Pilot grant of up to $15,000 from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. For academic and community partners currently completing the CTSI’s Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) program, or who have demonstrated experience in CBPR. For more details, see the  RFA. Contact Indrani Singh with questions

April 20-21: UpStat 2018: Better Living Through Statistics conference. A friendly and empowering annual gathering of statisticians, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, and data scientists from upstate New York and its neighboring regions. We are interested in contributions to statistical methodology as well as to statistical practice, consulting, and education. Read more.

April 28: All In: When Theory Meets Practice in Education Reform. Symposium sponsored by the Warner School Center for Urban Education Success (CUES). 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., East High School. Free and open to the public. Read more.

April 30: “Zionism: Conflicting Dreams.” Public lecture by Israeli author Amos Oz, the inaugural Farash Fellow for the Advancement of Jewish Humanities and Culture. 5 p.m., Hawkins Carlson Room at Rush Rhees Library. The lecture will be followed by a reception in the Humanities Center. Presented by the Farash Foundation, the Humanities Center, and the Center for Jewish Studies. For more information, contact Jennie Gilardoni.

May 15: Respiratory Pathogens Research Center Scientific Symposium. Featured speakers, lectures by RPRC investigators, poster session. Lunch and refreshments provided. 7:45 a.m. to 6:30 pm., Saunders Research Building. Registration is free, but pre-registration is required by April 27 at RPRCSymposium.urmc.edu

May 17: “Ever Better Teams: A CTSI Team Science Summit.” Interactive symposium featuring keynote presentation by Gaetano “Guy” Lotrecchiano, an associate professor of clinical research and leadership at The George Washington University, and breakout sessions for networking and dialogue on the future of team science at URMC. 1 to 5 p.m. Hosted by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Contact Oksana Babiy with any questions.