MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2026

Dear Colleagues,

This month’s newsletter highlights developments across USC’s research and innovation enterprise. Inside, you will find updates on the federal funding landscape, news from OORI’s core research and innovation programs, and progress across key institutional partnerships that continue to strengthen USC’s innovation ecosystem. We also share important operational updates, resources, and reminders from campus partners to support your research and scholarly activities.

Thank you, as always, for your continued engagement and for all you do to advance USC’s vibrant research community.

Ishwar K. Puri

Senior Vice President, Research & Innovation and Professor

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION STRATEGY (RIS):

FEDERAL FUNDING UPDATES

DOE GENESIS Program Opportunity

USC received an exceptional response to the Department of Energy’s GENESIS program—an initiative supporting large-scale, team-based science to advance national priorities—with strong interest across a diverse set focus areas, each limited to a single institutional submission. We sincerely thank all teams for their enthusiasm and engagement. OORI will be in touch with selected teams to provide targeted support as proposals move forward.

SBIR/STTR Reauthorization:

Congress has advanced legislation to reauthorize the SBIR and STTR programs after their recent lapse, with a proposed extension through 2031. If enacted, this would restore a critical source of non-dilutive federal funding for early-stage, use-inspired research and commercialization. USC researchers interested in translating their work through startup or small business partnerships should monitor this closely, as agencies are expected to resume and expand SBIR/STTR funding opportunities.

Anticipated Timing Shifts in Awards:

As agencies finalize FY26 funding allocations, some NIH and NSF award timelines are progressing more slowly than typical. These delays reflect slower release and processing of appropriated funds rather than reductions in overall funding levels, and are expected to be temporary as agencies move toward full funding execution.

Research Funding Stabilized but Flat:

Congress recently finalized FY26 appropriations, largely rejecting proposed cuts to federal research agencies and maintaining near-level funding for NIH and NSF. While this preserves core programs, flat funding is expected to sustain a highly competitive funding environment.

OORI RESEARCH CATALYST PROGRAM

All awardees selected for the first round of OORI’s Research Catalyst Program (Fall 2025 deadline) have now been notified—congratulations to this outstanding group of USC faculty! The selected projects reflect a dynamic and diverse set of ideas spanning multiple topic areas and schools, and we are excited to see the impact they will drive. We also extend our sincere thanks to all USC faculty who applied for the Spring 2026 deadline—we received an enthusiastic response across all topic areas, and proposals are currently under review.

OORI INNOVATION CATALYST PROGRAM

Congratulations to the recent Innovation Catalyst Program awardees—this cohort of USC innovators reflects the strength and momentum of our growing innovation ecosystem! We are excited to support these teams as they advance their ideas toward real-world impact and commercialization. The next ICP deadline will be Fall 2026; however, proposals for Startup Launch support may be submitted at any time (see program details here).

USC TECHSTARS PARTNERSHIP

The 2026 USC Techstars Accelerator cohort has officially launched—an exciting milestone for

OORI’s flagship partnership with Techstars! This year’s cohort features a standout group of USC-affiliated startups across AI, health, and emerging technologies (see full cohort announcement), highlighting the strength of USC’s growing innovation pipeline. The program kicked off with a welcome session with OORI leadership, followed by “Mentor Madness”—an intensive two-week sprint where founders engage in rapid-fire meetings with mentors to sharpen their strategy, product, and growth plans. These efforts will culminate in a Demo Day this June, and we look forward to sharing details soon for those interested in joining.

SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS

Stay updated on the latest OORI stories by visiting the USC Innovation Ecosystem news page.

AMI Makes Exciting Investment in Innata Bio

 The Alfred E. Mann Institute (AMI) has announced a new investment in Innata Bio, supporting the advancement of a promising biotechnology platform with potential for significant clinical and commercial impact. 

USC/OORI-Funded App Corresi Shows Promising Success

Corresi, a mobile application supported through OORI funding, is demonstrating strong early outcomes, highlighting the potential of USC-backed innovations to translate into real-world impact. 

OORI Unlocks Microsoft for Startups Resources for USC Entrepreneurs

OORI has expanded access to the Microsoft for Startups, enabling USC entrepreneurs to leverage powerful tools and resources to accelerate venture development. Through this initiative, eligible founders can access Azure credits, advanced AI capabilities, and go-to-market support— helping translate innovative ideas into scalable companies. USC faculty, students, and alumni founders are encouraged to apply and take advantage of these resources to advance their ventures.

DEPARTMENT OF CONTRACTS & GRANTS (DCG): The Department of Contracts and

Grants has implemented automated notifications to help ensure timely submission of final reports and successful award closeout. Reminders will now be sent to both Principal Investigators and Research Administrators 30 days before a report due date and 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after the due date until all reports are received, and the award is closed in Cayuse.

Report reminders to Research Administrators are already active through Cayuse. Beginning March 9, 2026, Principal Investigators will also receive reminders through Workday. These notifications are separate from financial report reminders issued by Sponsored Projects Accounting (SPA).

Users can continue to monitor reporting requirements through the Workday Grants Management Dashboard (Cayuse tab) and submit final reports through the Final Report Submission Portal, which helps expedite closeout.

For questions about closeout or notifications, please contact Lisa Villaflores.

Microlearning Series:

Our Microlearning series delivers brief, bi-weekly sessions on key research administration topics. Explore the full lineup on the DCG Training website. 

Recent Microlearnings include:

• ClinicalTrials.gov at USC: Registration, Reporting & Responsibilities.
• Navigating USC’s 2026 Intellectual Property Policy
• Gifts vs. Grants: Understanding the Difference
• Subawards Made Simple: How to Avoid Delays

STEVENS CENTER FOR INNOVATION: USC has moved to the 39th spot for the National Academy of Inventors’ (NAI) 2025 Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents list, an impressive jump from the 50th spot in 2024! Their annual ranking highlights and celebrates academic institutions that play a significant role in advancing innovation through the critical step of securing their intellectual property through patents. You can view the Top 100 list here.

We’re excited to be the host institution for the NAI Conference from June 1-4, 2026, at the Loews Hollywood Hotel and celebrate the world’s top innovators. This year, USC has 16 new inductees, including three Fellows and 13 Senior Members, which is one of our largest induction classes. In addition, we will be welcoming attendees every day and have several USC speakers and panelists throughout the conference:

• June 1st: President Beong-Soo Kim will be a speaker at the official Welcome Reception.
• June 2nd: Dr. Ishwar Puri will officially welcome all conference attendees on the first day and moderate a fireside chat with Mark Stevens.
• June 3rd: Dr. Steve Moldin will join a panel titled “The Missing Middle: Funding IP from Discovery to Impact.”
• June 4th: Dr. David Agus will serve as the luncheon keynote speaker.

The full conference agenda can be found here. Congrats to all our NAI inductees this year!

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL RESOURCES (DAR): Look out for March Memo Safe

Research Practices which will be sent out to those with active IACUC protocols. This is an important reminder, so please inform your staff and all those working with animal models to read it thoroughly. DAR and EHS are working closely to offer assistance to labs for the purpose of minimizing risk and promoting safe research practices.

Preparing for the 2026 AAALAC Site Visit: We will be expecting the Site Visitors this fall to assess our Animal Care Program. This is a voluntary peer-review process that ensures we maintain our accreditation for another 3 years. They will be walking through every animal facility, procedure room, and randomly chosen laboratory spaces. 

It is our goal to communicate this important event that ensures that your research can continue at USC. DAR, with other partnering departments, will be facilitating this Site Visit, but the outcome of the assessment is up to you, the researcher. 

To help ensure a successful visit:

• Remind lab staff to follow veterinary recommendations when it comes to animal health cases
• Confirm that all animal activities align with current IACUC-approved protocols
• Review lab procedures and documentation for accuracy and completeness with lab staff
• Respond promptly to DAR inquiries related to census or facility information
• Reach out to DAR veterinary staff or an Animal Research Integrity Specialist if additional training or guidance would be helpful.

Our goal is to make this process collaborative and well-supported. DAR is here to assist you every step of the way, and we appreciate your partnership in maintaining USC’s strong accreditation record.

Did You Know: Culture of Care is a shared commitment to creating research environments where strong science, animal welfare, human wellbeing, and openness/communication are woven together. This approach supports both scientific rigor and compassionate, responsible research, ensuring that animals, people, and science thrive. Find out how this important concept can be better understood in Culture of Care in animal research.

HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTIONS AND RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY: Ask an

Analyst: Effective May 1^st, the Ask an Analyst office hours will change to be on Wednesdays at 10am. Ask an Analyst is an opportunity for researchers seeking guidance on preparing or submitting protocols for IRB review to engage with an IRB analyst. 

Study Completeness: The IRB has noted an increase in submissions that lack sufficient detail to permit meaningful ethical review. Complete study proposals are essential to the IRB’s ability to assess risk, evaluate participant protections, and meet regulatory obligations under 45 CFR 46. In particular, submissions should reflect appropriate scientific and methodological development, as well as active engagement from faculty advisors in the case of student-led research. The IRB relies on this foundational work to conduct its review and cannot substitute for it during the review process.

Investigators are encouraged to utilize available institutional resources and mentorship structures prior to submission to ensure proposals are complete, coherent, and ready for IRB review.

INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE & USE COMMITTEE (IACUC):

We are pleased to announce two significant enhancements to iStar-IACUC!  

Faster Protocol Termination: We’re pleased to introduce the new “Request for Termination” feature in iStar—designed to streamline and accelerate the protocol termination process. Principal Investigators (PIs) can now initiate a termination request directly from the main protocol page. Simply select “Request for Termination” and complete two quick prompts. After confirmation that no animals remain on protocol, the IACUC Office will proceed with official termination. This enhancement reduces administrative steps and helps ensure a more efficient closeout process. AALAS Learning Library Integration IACUC training completed through the AALAS Learning Library now automatically syncs with iStar and is refreshed nightly. To view your training records in iStar by selecting “My Profile – Training Certification – IACUC Certification” to view your animal training records. With this enhancement, training completions are automatically recorded—users no longer need to submit certificates to the IACUC Office, ensuring a more streamlined and up-to-date experience.

 Log in to iStar to try the new features today!

Monthly updates are archived here.