Grant-funded Research Research Articles

International collaborative research, systems leadership and education: reflections from academic biomedical researchers in Africa

ScopeAcademic biomedical researchers and educators in African countries navigate complex local, national, and international systems to conduct grant-funded research. To secure funding, collaboration with researchers from high-income countries is often necessary. Existing literature highlights that these global health initiatives are commonly fraught with unequal power dynamics and lead by the foreign partners. Despite these inequalities, African faculty can benefit from these collaborations, fostering the development of their labs and careers. This study delves into reflections on lived experiences from academic biomedical researchers in Africa to better understand the impact of foreign collaborations.MethodsWe designed a qualitative study using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method and used Self-determination and Complex Systems Leadership theories to frame this study. Ten academic biomedical researchers in Africa consented to join this study. The participants submitted a four-week series of reflective journals through an online data management platform. Subsequently, IPA methods were employed to analyze the collected journals.ResultsParticipants’ reflections yielded six thematic key findings, encompassing their experiences in international collaborative research. The findings included: foreign dominance within the international macrosystem; resource challenges in their local microsystems; mesosystem dependency from collaborations; scholarly identity within research relationships; collaborative leadership; and the impact of the foreign perspective. From these findings, three implications were drawn suggesting that participants were (1) motivated by scholarly identity found in collaborations; (2) depended on collaborations that were colonialist but beneficial; and (3) created change through leadership at the microsystem level.ImplicationsForeign collaborators and funders in global health education and research should critically consider how implications of this study relate to their collaborative work. Based on our analysis, recommendations for foreign collaborators and funders include prioritizing local leadership and perspectives in education initiatives and research grants; reviewing and leveraging collective leadership; engaging in bidirectional training, and mentoring opportunities; participating in power assessments; and removing publication barriers for researchers in Africa (and low-and middle-income countries). Insights from this study could impact global health research and education in multiple ways including new initiatives in mentorship and training in international collaborations along with increased awareness and correction of colonialism within these collaborations.

Sea Grant Research Funding: Advancing the Scientific Discourse by Addressing Local Research Priorities

Scientific research is often supported by public funds for the public good, and there is a trend toward using public funds to support actionable science that can be integrated into policy or practice. Funding agencies can set research priorities through the focus and timing of their research calls and funding decisions. There is a need to study funding models to better understand the relationship between agency priorities and scientific discourse. We present a case study of the National Sea Grant College Program’s research funding. Sea Grant is a federally funded network of 34 state- or territory-​based programs that fund research and perform education and outreach work on coastal environmental and natural resource issues. Individual Sea Grant programs set research priorities based on local needs, often focusing on actionable science. To assess the contributions of Sea Grant-funded research, we analyzed available citations and abstracts from Web of Science and examined patterns in article authors, journals, citations, keywords, and abstracts. The study shows that Sea Grant has significantly contributed to the scientific literature while being effective on cost-per-​publication and cost-per-citation bases. The results illustrated how targeted funding can address important local issues while substantially contributing to the broader scientific literature.

Sorting a sticky situation: Engaging students in sorting and identifying microfossils from La Brea Tar Pit

Although they do not garner the attention of larger, charismatic fossils, small (1 mm – 1 cm) plant and animal remains are invaluable resources for palaeontologists. These “microfossil” taxa are gener- ally confined to their local habitat and therefore provide insight on the nature of past environments and long-term ecosystem change. For decades, the La Brea Tar Pits (LBTP) in Los Angeles, Califor- nia, USA, has incorporated volunteer sorting of microfossils in their daily research agendas to sup- port scientific discovery in their onsite Fossil Lab. A recent grant-funded research project provided an opportunity to study the Rancho La Brea (RLB) microfossils while extending this “community science” activity beyond the walls of the museum and into local classrooms. From 2018 to 2020, nearly 1500 students contributed by sorting matrix into distinct categories: “plant”, “bone”, “shell”, and “other”. We evaluate the success of this project both in terms of producing usable scientific data and in its impact on the students. We found enjoyment was high among students who completed the ac- tivity. Overall, the level of accuracy of student work was less than that of trained volunteers. However, students were consistent in identifying fossils that were most likely to be valuable for research, and predictable errors provided insight into potential improvements. These data can inform planning for future research needs, lab workflows and opportunities for educational outreach at LBTP and other institutions worldwide.

Mentoring underrepresented racially minoritized undergraduate students in an education research apprenticeship program: strategies for success

PurposeThis study examined the characteristics of research mentors that successfully support underrepresented racially minoritized undergraduate (URMU) students in education research.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory case study approach was employed to gain insight into the characteristics. The data sources used to inform this study included surveys and artifacts from eight URMU students who participated in a national grant-funded research apprenticeship fellowship program.FindingsResults revealed three key findings about the characteristics that research mentors need to possess to successfully support URMU students in education research. These characteristics include a willingness to (1) invest time and effort in the mentor–mentee relationship, (2) share relevant knowledge and expertise about education research and (3) serve as sponsors to support and promote their mentees' educational research goals and endeavors.Practical implicationsThe results have the potential to improve the quality of successful research mentorship opportunities for URMU students in education research by demonstrating the qualities and importance of these mentoring relationships. Higher quality mentoring relationships have the power to encourage URMU students to persist into graduate school and/or the education research profession via knowledge sharing, support and social capital. This is particularly important as education research – which still largely privileges Eurocentric research perspectives and methods – continues to take much needed steps toward racial and cultural diversity.Originality/valueMost undergraduate research mentorship literature – and especially that literature highlighting the needs of URMU students – focuses on students in STEM, leaving gaps in knowledge related to students in education research. By focusing on the latter, this study seeks to extend our knowledge of the research mentorship needs of URMU students in education research.

„Marka”w krzyżowy ogniu dyskursu prawnego i ekonomicznego. „Marka” jako dobro osobiste

This paper is a small glimpse of a study whose objective is to ascertain the relationship between the legal and economic notions of a brand. It also seeks to establish whether a brand can lawfully be regarded as a “personal interest” distinct from products covered by an intellectual property (IP) regime under Polish law. This pilot article is the outcome of an initial investigation conducted to launch grant-funded research. Strong brands are said to improve customer relationships, reduce price sensitivity, and boost the value of organisations, all of which are desirable outcomes for firms, according to marketing and economics studies. As a result, knowledge in branding and brand man-agement is an essential yet underappreciated element of business success. Regarding the legal perspective, while some judgements appear to use the term ‘brand’ as an entrepreneurship , the great majority of rulings appear to view a brand as a good name or reputation.

Dedicated Research Seed Funding to Support High-Priority Clinician-Led Research: A Survey of Clinician-Researchers.

Developing research capacity and supporting research engagement among health professionals are essential parts of bridging the evidence-to-practice gap. The objective of this study was to describe and assess the impact of research seed funding in promoting the engagement of nursing and allied health professionals in leading practice-based research studies within a health care organization. An impact assessment survey was administered to health professional grant recipients (n = 30) to collect self-reported observations of changes related to clinical practice, patient care, and organizational priorities as a result of the funded research projects. The electronic survey was developed in collaboration with an interprofessional advisory committee and contained 23 closed- and open-ended questions. Survey data were analyzed descriptively, and responses to open-ended survey questions were used to characterize the funded research activities and the perceived successes and challenges experienced by the research teams. A large proportion of health professional grant recipients reported observing impact from their research studies on clinical practice, organizational priorities, and external networks. The grant funds were used to carry out knowledge dissemination activities such as conference presentations, publications, and sharing findings at professional meetings and networks. The majority of grant expenditures were used for research personnel, and the most common challenge to conducting research was related to the need for protected research time. Most grant recipients were interested in participating in another grant-funded research project in the future. Organizational funding and support for research led by health professionals have potential impact on clinical practice, patient care, and organizational priorities. This study provides evidence to support the value of investing in continued and expanded research funding programs for health professionals.

Predictors of societal and professional impact of Endodontology research articles: A multivariate scientometric analysis.

To identify factors that are predictive of short-term professional and societal impact of research within the specialty of Endodontology and to identify the top-10 articles that achieved the greatest societal impact and describe their characteristics. Research articles in the field of Endodontology published in 2019 were eligible for inclusion, with the sample identified using Medline. Following screening of titles and abstracts, bibliometric data of the identified articles were exported into a spreadsheet, where further data related to continental origin, type of article, type of journal (endodontic or non-endodontic) and grant-funding were collated, with additional data concerning presence of journal impact factor, citations, news mentions and Altmetric-tracked-mentions and scores compiled using Clarivate, Scopus, ProQuest and Altmetric Explorer, respectively. Data analysis comprised descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, cross-tabulations and un/adjusted negative binomial regression models (p<.05). The search retrieved 30443 articles; 951 were included for analysis. Most articles originated from Asia (43.2%) with over 51.5% of articles published in endodontic journals and 80% published in a journal with an impact factor. Over three-quarters of articles were primary research, 141 were grant-funded, 165 had a news mention, 338 achieved an Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) and 808 were cited. The five-highest ranked articles were mentioned in general news bulletins, five of the top-10 articles were primary research and six of the top-10 were published in endodontic journals. The highest AAS and citation count were 100 and 87, respectively. Adjusted models demonstrated that the type of article, publication in a journal with an impact factor, absence of grant-funding and coverage within general news bulletins predicted the AAS 's (p<.001). Article type, publication in an impact-factor journal and presence of an AAS were predictive of citations (p<.001). Article type and publication in a journal with an impact factor were significant predictors of both societal and professional impact of research articles within Endodontology in the short-term. Non grant-funded research and coverage in general news bulletins achieved greater societal impact, whereas an article achieving an AAS was also strongly related to professional impact.

Diversifying and Transforming a Public University’s Children’s Book Collection: Librarian and Teacher Education Faculty Collaboration on Grants, Research, and Collection Development

An education librarian and faculty member collaborated on research grants to study teacher education student’s experiences with diverse books and to develop library collections. This study explores the development of internally grant-funded linguistically and culturally sustaining children’s book collections and assesses the impact of the grants with a model that analyzes research guide use, library instruction sessions, and reflection on grant-funded research, among other components. Intentional collection practices, including grant-funded collection development; faculty partnership; nontraditional bibliographic tools; and alternative forms of access, discovery, and shelving led to a vital and linguistically and culturally sustaining collection which reflects education student’s diverse identities.

Using Social Media to Engage Communities with Research: SMART Social Media—Planning for Success

This new 6-page publication of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication focuses on developing social media plans. The intended audience is individuals (e.g., scientists wishing to share their research), organizations, or people who work on grant-funded research projects. In this article, we provide evidence-based strategies for designing, developing, and implementing social media plans to share science research with others inside and outside of the professional scientific community. While the design, development, and implementation of social media may vary, we provide general strategies that are applicable across contexts. Written by Lisa Lundgren, Kathryn A. Stofer, Kirsten Hecht, and Tyus D. Williams. This is part of a multi-part series on social media titled Using Social Media to Engage Communities with Research.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc362

Publisher's Comment.

Welcome to the Journal of Biocommunication issue 43-2. The issue represents our second issue of 2019 and our seventh issue designed for our new mixed publishing format that offers our authors traditional publishing as well as open access options. Our Journal is dedicated to the dissemination of high-quality research, and we accept manuscripts, which are of interest to the broader bioscience community. We welcome authors reporting on their high-impact discoveries, cutting-edge research, and new imaging methodologies. Our professional organizations and the Journal are critical for generating open access content of scholarly, intellectual, and creative merit.

Register in variationist linguistics

Abstract Benedikt Szmrecsanyi, Professor of Linguistics in the Quantitative Lexicology and Variational Linguistics research group at the Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, writes this article exploring the connections between register and variationist linguistics. He is involved with various large-scale research projects in areas such as probabilistic grammar, variationist sociolinguistic research, linguistic complexity, and dialectology/dialectometry. Szmrecsanyi’s books include Grammatical Variation in British English Dialects: A Study in Corpus-based Dialectometry (2013, Cambridge) and Aggregating Dialectology, Typology, and Register Analysis: Linguistic Variation in Text and Speech (Szmrecsanyi &amp; Wälchli 2014, Mouton de Gruyter). He is currently a principal investigator on a major grant-funded research project titled ‘The register-specificity of probabilistic grammatical knowledge in English and Dutch’, a project aimed at exploring the question of whether register differences lead to differences in the processes of making linguistic choices. In sharp contrast to the status quo in variationist linguistics, where register is often ignored entirely, much of Szmrecsanyi’s variationist research treats register as a variable of primary importance. The findings from these studies have led Benedikt Szmrecsanyi to state that “we need more empirical/variationist work to explore the differences that register makes” (Szmrecsanyi 2017: 696).

Toward a Better Data Management Plan: The Impact of DMPs on Grant Funded Research Practices

Toward a Better Data Management Plan: The Impact of DMPs on Grant Funded Research Practices

2214. Chronic Hepatitis C: Closing the Gap Towards Eradication—Screening Young Adults vs. Baby Boomers

BackgroundIncreasing rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are directly linked to the opioid and intravenous drug (IVD) epidemic. White and rural young adults have been affected disproportionately and most are unaware of their status. However, the CDC recommends HCV screening in persons born between 1945 and 1965 (baby boomers) with screening on others only based on exposures, behaviors, or comorbid conditions. Increased identification of affected individuals is the first step toward eradication of HCV infectionMethodsA prospective, observational study design was employed. We evaluated data collected between May 2016 to December 2017 from adults seen in the primary care, hospital, and emergency department settings at a large urban-based healthcare organization, located in an area with a high prevalence of intravenous (IV) drug use. Descriptive analyses followed by multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors associations amongst age groups (1. general adult population, ages 18–52 years; 2. baby boomers ages 53–73 years; and 3. elderly age >74 years) were performed.ResultsA total of 59,563 patients were evaluated with a screening antibody. Unadjusted, the general adult population was more likely to have an AB positive screen (7.2% vs. 3.5% and 3.6% respective, P < 0.001), be RNA positive (4.9% vs. 1.7% and 1.5% respective, P < 0.001), and be Hispanic (3.3% vs. 1.1% and 0.8% respective, P < 0.001), while less likely to be a male (16.2% vs. 43.2% and 47.4%, P < 0.001). Adjusted (for pregnancy, gender, race and ethnicity) the general adult population is at increased odds of having an RNA positive test (OR = 4.4, 95% CI 3.7–5.0, P < 0.001) and an AB positive (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 2.2–3.9, P < 0.001), when compared with baby boomersConclusionEfforts should be targeted to increase screening in younger cohorts as HCV is more prevalent in that group age. In areas affected by the opioid epidemic, revision of policies will decrease the gap toward elimination of HCV and universal screening will help to de-stigmatize this infection. Further, cost-efficiency studies will help inform policy makers of the best strategies to reduce transmission and increase linkage to care as next steps toward closing the gap in elimination of HCV infectionDisclosures M. Rose, Gilead: Project Manager for Grant Funded Research, Norton received a grant from Gilead. The grant covers the salary. C. Espinosa, Gilead: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient; AstraZeneca: Investigator and Speaker’s Bureau, Research grant and Speaker honorarium; Cempra: Investigator, Research grant; The Medicines Company/ Melinta Therapeutics: Investigator, Research grant; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Investigator, Research grant; Merck: Investigator, Research grant; Astellas pharma Europe B.V (APEB): Investigator, Research grant; Cubist pharmaceutical: Investigator, Research grant; Rempex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Investigator, Research grant; Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals: Investigator, Research grant; Multiple Industry Sponsors: Investigator, Research grant.

32 and you – genetic testing for dental disorders

Genetic testing for serious illness and disease is becoming increasingly embedded in NHS healthcare. It can confirm a clinical diagnosis or guide therapy. Genetic testing for dental developmental disorders has moved beyond the realms of rarified grant-funded research groups and is now sufficiently rapid and affordable to be offered as part of a clinical service in some dental teaching hospitals. The first presentation of some genetic diseases may be in the dental surgery, so the family dentist should hone their diagnostic skills to identify patients who would benefit from referral to a genetics service. While diagnosis may sometimes guide treatment, there are now examples where it can even lead to cure. This article aims to describe some concepts and issues that a dentist should consider when referring for testing for a genetic dental disorder, and proposes that this subject area should be expanded in the dental undergraduate and postgraduate curricula in the UK.

A qualitative study of clinic and community member perspectives on intervention toolkits: \u201cUnless the toolkit is used it won\u2019t help solve the problem\u201d

BackgroundIntervention toolkits are common products of grant-funded research in public health and primary care settings. Toolkits are designed to address the knowledge translation gap by speeding implementation and dissemination of research into practice. However, few studies describe characteristics of effective intervention toolkits and their implementation. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore what clinic and community-based users want in intervention toolkits and to identify the factors that support application in practice.MethodsIn this qualitative descriptive study we conducted focus groups and interviews with a purposive sample of community health coalition members, public health experts, and primary care professionals between November 2010 and January 2012. The transdisciplinary research team used thematic analysis to identify themes and a cross-case comparative analysis to explore variation by participant role and toolkit experience.ResultsNinety six participants representing primary care (n = 54, 56%) and community settings (n = 42, 44%) participated in 18 sessions (13 focus groups, five key informant interviews). Participants ranged from those naïve through expert in toolkit development; many reported limited application of toolkits in actual practice. Participants wanted toolkits targeted at the right audience and demonstrated to be effective. Well organized toolkits, often with a quick start guide, with tools that were easy to tailor and apply were desired. Irrespective of perceived quality, participants experienced with practice change emphasized that leadership, staff buy-in, and facilitative support was essential for intervention toolkits to be translated into changes in clinic or public -health practice.ConclusionsGiven the emphasis on toolkits in supporting implementation and dissemination of research and clinical guidelines, studies are warranted to determine when and how toolkits are used. Funders, policy makers, researchers, and leaders in primary care and public health are encouraged to allocate resources to foster both toolkit development and implementation. Support, through practice facilitation and organizational leadership, are critical for translating knowledge from intervention toolkits into practice.

Transforming Roles: Canadian Academic Librarians Embedded in Faculty Research Projects

Academic librarians have always played an important role in providing research services and research-skills development to faculty in higher education. But that role is evolving to include the academic librarian as a unique and necessary research partner, practitioner, and participant in collaborative, grant-funded research projects. This article describes how a selected sample of Canadian academic librarians became embedded in faculty research projects and describes their experiences of participating in research teams. Conducted as a series of semistructured interviews, this qualitative study illustrates the emerging opportunities and challenges of the librarian-researcher role and how it is transforming the Canadian university library.

Transforming Roles: Canadian Academic Librarians Embedded in Faculty Research Projects

Academic librarians have always played an important role in providing research services and research-skills development to faculty in higher education. But that role is evolving to include the academic librarian as a unique and necessary research partner, practitioner, and participant in collaborative, grant-funded research projects. This article describes how a selected sample of Canadian academic librarians became embedded in faculty research projects and describes their experiences of participating in research teams. Conducted as a series of semistructured interviews, this qualitative study illustrates the emerging opportunities and challenges of the librarian-researcher role and how it is transforming the Canadian university library.

App Factory: A flexible approach to rehabilitation engineering in an era of rapid technology advancement

ABSTRACTThis article describes a flexible and effective approach to research and development in an era of rapid technological advancement. The approach relies on secondary dispersal of grant funds to commercial developers through a competitive selection process. This “App Factory” model balances the practical reliance on multi-year funding needed to sustain a rehabilitation engineering research center (RERC), with the need for agility and adaptability of development efforts undertaken in a rapidly changing technology environment. This approach also allows us to take advantage of technical expertise needed to accomplish a particular development task, and provides incentives to deliver successful products in a cost-effective manner. In this article, we describe the App Factory structure, process, and results achieved to date; and we discuss the lessons learned and the potential relevance of this approach for other grant-funded research and development efforts. Data presented on the direct costs and number of downloads of the 16 app development projects funded in the App Factory’s first 3 years show that it can be an effective means for supporting focused, short-term assistive technology development projects.

The Northwest Participant and Clinical Interactions Network: Increasing opportunities for patients to participate in research across the Northwestern United States.

The Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) promotes and supports translational research collaboration between clinicians, communities, and investigators across the five-state Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI) region. The ITHS has developed a collaborative regional clinical research network, the Northwest Participant & Clinical Interactions Network (NW PCI), involving 12 diverse clinical health systems and academic institutions. This descriptive article details NW PCI's development, infrastructure and governance, tools, characteristics, and initial outcomes. Regional NW PCI sites are conducting largely industry-sponsored studies; they are interested in including more grant-funded research. Regional NW PCI sites had over 1,240 open studies involving over 6700 patients in 2016. NW PCI trials are largely industry-sponsored; NW PCI sites are interested in including more grant-funded research. In its first three years, the NW PCI Coordinating Center facilitated regional sites' participation in 34 new grant and contract applications across diverse topics. The NW PCI model supports the goals of the developing CTSA Trial Innovation Network by increasing access to cutting-edge research across the Northwestern U.S., by supporting investigators seeking diverse populations, including those with rare diseases, for their research studies, and by providing settings to test implementation and dissemination of effective interventions.

Penn Center for Community Health Workers: Step-by-Step Approach to Sustain an Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Intervention at an Academic Medical Center.

Community-engaged researchers who work with low-income communities can be reliant on grant funding. We use the illustrative case of the Penn Center for Community Health Workers (PCCHW) to describe a step-by-step framework for achieving financial sustainability for community-engaged research interventions. PCCHW began as a small grant-funded research project but followed an 8-step framework to engage both low-income patients and funders, determine outcomes, and calculate return on investment. PCCHW is now fully funded by Penn Medicine and delivers the Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets (IMPaCT) community health worker intervention to 2000 patients annually.