The Score

As a condition for NIH funding, all research subject to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) must be reviewed by the UNMC Institutional Biosafety Committee. Examples of clinical trials subject to the NIH Guidelines (human gene transfer) include viral vector-based vaccines, mRNA vaccines, and gene-modified cell therapies such as CAR-T. Industry-sponsored clinical trials where a new IBC protocol is submitted on or after March 1, 2026, will be subject to the following IBC review fees: 

Fees for IBC review of Industry Sponsored Clinical Trials

• Initial Review: $1,500 per IBC protocol
• Request for Change to IBC protocol (sponsor initiated): $750
• Annual Continuing Review: $750
• Study Closure: No charge

Invoicing for IBC review will occur through RSS. Please contact IBCORA@unmc.edu or biosafety@unmc.edu if you have any questions.

TriNetX LIVE is a powerful tool for clinical research, enabling swift cohort discovery and feasibility assessments across a vast data network.

• This platform is now available for use by UNMC researchers, a new resource supported by the READi Core and the VCR office.
• Supports queries against the TriNetX research network (includes more than 100 HCOs and more than150 million patients) or Nebraska Medicine.

TriNetX LIVE empowers researchers at UNMC by streamlining access to real-world data from over 100 healthcare organizations, enhancing the speed and accuracy of study planning.

• Provides comprehensive EHR data, including demographics and lab results, supporting robust analysis.
• Accelerates feasibility and cohort discovery for observational studies, outcomes research, pragmatic research, and hypothesis generation.
• Supports trial feasibility planning by helping teams estimate eligible populations and baseline characteristics.

Researchers interested in using this new tool can now request access through the UNMC/NM Service Now website.

Questions? Contact Lisa Treat at ltreat@unmc.edu.

REDCap has been fully restored. Please email RITO@unmc.edu with questions.

Several core facilities across UNMC are transitioning from RSS to Stratocore PPMS on a rolling basis. Stratocore is a web-based platform for managing core facilities, equipment reservations, service requests, and billing. During this phased rollout, some facilities will continue to use RSS until their migration is complete.

Principal investigators should complete lab group setup as soon as possible. Researchers won’t be able to book services for cores that have transitioned to Stratocore until their lab group setup is complete.

Read more about Stratocore PPMS from the UNMC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

The NIH extended its 'leniency' period regarding the adoption of Common Forms thru May 2026. NIH encourages all applicants and recipients to begin using the Common Forms as soon as feasible, however, NIH will continue to accept the NIH Biosketch and NIH Other Support format pages through the duration of this extended leniency period.

Please continue to work towards compliance for Biographical Sketches, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplements. Among other things, investigators are required have an ORCID ID, use SciENcv to develop their forms and link their ORCID to their eraCommons profile.

View the notice from the NIH

The NIH Public Access Policy, effective July 1, 2025, requires that manuscripts funded with NIH support and accepted for publication be immediately available in PubMed Central upon acceptance. This is a change from a 12-month embargo to immediate public availability on the official date of publication. Please see the original notice and April revision for complete details. Authors Alliance offers details and some guidance on the topic.

The IDeA-CTR Network is offering FREE Clinical and Translational Research Focused NIH Structured Grant Writing Workshops focused on the K and R levels. The sessions will be facilitated by the AtKisson Training Group (ATG), a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in grant writing among other things. Registration is required using the 2026 AtKisson Grant Writing Workshop registration form.

On Friday, April 24, Dr. Laura Major will discuss funding opportunities for early career researchers, application tips and recent updates from the NIH/NIA. This will occur in the Buffett Cancer Center Conference Room, LVL Ground 0–12103 at 10 a.m. RSVP by April 16 to tammy.odonnell@unmc.edu. 

Join us at the Fourth Annual Center for Heart and Vascular Research Retreat on Saturday, April 18, 7:30 am to 4 pm, at the Scott Conference Center (6450 Pine Street, Omaha, NE 68106). RSVP is required at CHVR Annual Retreat Registration.

Hosted April 20-23 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, WI, by The Association for Clinical and Translational Science. Some opportunities will require pre-registration.

View registration and additional information.

The April 21 event will be held at UNMC’s Omaha campus in the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education, Truhlsen Events Center (649 S. 42nd St Omaha, NE) from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. This conference will explore ways AI can transform education, power new research and improve clinical outcomes. The free conference also will build readiness to engage in AI technologies and highlight innovation and expertise in AI applications through poster presentations, plus a keynote speaker.

Register here by April 14 to attend.

Hosted at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha Downtown Old Market (555 S 10th St, Omaha, NE, 68102), this two-day symposium highlights the health and well-being of transplant recipients, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise to enhance the holistic care of individuals with end-stage organ disease and solid organ transplants.

Sessions will cover cardiovascular health, fertility and reproductive care, mental health, transitions across the lifespan, immunosuppression management, graft monitoring, malignancy screening, post-transplant life, and patient and donor perspectives.

Register here by May 8 to attend.

The 10th Biennial National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE), held in person at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland, from June 14 to 17. This national conference showcases the scientific and training achievements of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) IDeA program. The IDeA program supports centers of excellence and trains biomedical scientists in IDeA-eligible states. 

Register here.

The Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference is a leading international forum for advancing lymphoma research, clinical practice and patient care. PPLC brings together a diverse, multidisciplinary community of medical professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals living with lymphoma. The deadline for online registration is June 19. The conference is held July 20-24 at Fairmont Orchid, Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawai'i (1 North Kaniku Drive, Waimea, HI 96743), with online options. View more information.

This six-week hybrid course serves as an introduction to the 48-week course. From the course summary, this class "will provide a focused introduction to how artificial intelligence and machine learning are used, evaluated, and governed in academic health systems The emphasis is on conceptual clarity, critical appraisal, and translational relevance rather than coding or model development."

Dates are to be determined. View the course description.

Nebraska INBRE and the Center for Biomedical Informatics Research and Innovation (CBIRI) are offering a free online bioinformatics course. The Introduction to Bioinformatics course is a self-paced, comprehensive program covering seven key topics in the field of bioinformatics. Participants from nonprofit organizations in Nebraska are eligible to enroll at no cost. To get started, please complete the registration approval form using your official institutional email.

• The NIH extended its 'leniency' period regarding the adoption of Common Forms thru May 2026. NIH encourages all applicants and recipients to begin using the Common Forms as soon as feasible, however, NIH will continue to accept the NIH Biosketch and NIH Other Support format pages through the duration of this extended leniency period. Please continue to work towards compliance for Biographical Sketches, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplements. Among other things, investigators are required have an ORCID ID, use SciENcv to develop their forms and link their ORCID to their eraCommons profile View the notice from the NIH

• The Nebraska Center for Virology (NCV) will host its 34th Annual Virology Retreat on March 16. Students, faculty, and staff will present posters and/or give oral presentations throughout the day, and Dr. Sara Sawyer, University of Colorado Boulder, is the keynote speaker. Conference registration and poster/talk title submissions are due March 2 via this link.

• The Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum (MSBRF) provides an exceptional platform for emerging researchers in the health sciences, as well as graduate, internship, and residency programs across the Midwest, to showcase their work in the biomedical sciences. The 2026 Forum will be held March 7 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Learn more and register

• McGoogan Sessions Seminar: Research Data Lifecycle - Understanding the research data lifecycle can help you save time, protect your work and make a bigger impact in your field. Starting with your data management and sharing plan (DMP/DMSP), the library can support you through the stages of organizing, preserving, and sharing your data. View more information and register for Research Data Lifecycle, April 9, 1 to 2 pm

  The Nebraska DHHS allots a maximum of five applicants per institution. This requires the VCR to review applicant projects internally before applicants can submit their full applications. The internal UNMC application for this opportunity is due April 3 by 12 pm and must include a one-page project description, Budget Sheet and Biosketch (as a single, combined PDF) through NuRamp. The competition is titled "NE DHHS 2026 Stem Cell Research Project (LB 606) UNMC Internal Competition." If approved by the initial internal review, applicants will be notified April 6 to send full applications to SPAdmin April 21 by 5 pm. If you are selected by the initial review committee, here is the full application. Additional questions? Email Dr. Tess Kuenstling

• March 25, 2026 Research Town Hall, 12:30-1:30 pm, In-Person: Durham Research Center, Auditorium (Room 1002). Get more information and the Zoom link.

• Journal Article Publishing Considerations in an AI and NIH Changing World March 26, 12-1 pm. Hosted by McGoogan Library. Journal article publishing has been disrupted due to the use of generative AI and the changes to the NIH Public Access policy. In this session, learn about these changes, how they affect you, and what may be on the horizon. View more information.

• UNO's 18th Annual Student Research & Creative Activity Fair: The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Student Research and Creative Activity Fair (RCAF) is an annual, student-centered showcase of scholastic endeavors and achievements. This year's event will be held on March 27. Learn more and get involved.

• 2026 Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference: Call for Abstracts: The Pan Pacific Lymphoma Conference is a leading international forum for advancing lymphoma research, clinical practice and patient care. PPLC brings together a diverse, multidisciplinary community of medical professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals living with lymphoma. The deadline for abstract submission is March 27. The conference is held July 20-24 at Fairmont Orchid, Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawai'i (1 North Kaniku Drive, Waimea, HI 96743), with online options. View more information.

• Annual CoNDA Center Colloquium: Presented at Durham Research Center, Auditorium (Room 1002), on April 1, 9 am to 1 pm, join us at the annual CoNDA Center Colloquium to hear presentation from CoNDA-funded investigators, a poster session with labs studying within the CoNDA scope, and a keynote address by Dr. Thomas Kilduff of SRI International. View more information

• “Hyaluronic acid-based microgels loaded with fluticasone furoate for bleomycin-induced acute lung injury treatment” in Materials Today was selected as the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine publication of the quarter for quarter four 2025.  Bo Liu, PhD, instructor in the UNMC Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, is the lead author. This award recognizes the quality of the science and the impact of the authors' work. In addition to Dr. Liu, authors are Michael Lush, Mollie R. Nielsen, Brady J. Sillman, Mena Asha Krishnan, Benson J. Edagwa, Kristina Bailey, Bin Duan and Han-Jun Wang. Read the publication