MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2025
Dear Colleagues,
This month’s update highlights new funding and experiential opportunities to support your research and advance your innovations toward real-world impact. These programs are designed to foster discovery, enable external funding, commercialize and translate research, and create ventures.
You will also find updates on federal funding policies, research administration guidance, and opportunities for recognition and engagement.
Your dedication to advancing research, scholarship and innovation, and your many diverse accomplishments are inspirational. Thank you for all you do for USC.
Warm regards, Ishwar K. Puri
Senior Vice President, Research & Innovation and Professor
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION STRATEGY:
We are pleased to announce that the Office of Research Strategy and Development and the Office of Research Initiatives and Infrastructure have merged to form the new Office of Research and Innovation Strategy (RIS). This unified structure enhances efficiency, collaboration, and impact across USC’s research and innovation enterprise, creating a single hub that connects research strategy, infrastructure, and commercialization.
RIS also serves as the liaison between the USC research community and the USC Innovation Ecosystem, providing streamlined access to resources that advance discovery and translation. Faculty can expect the same trusted services, now delivered through a more coordinated, efficient model that supports the entire research lifecycle.
FEDERAL FUNDING UPDATES
The RIS team is continuing to monitor changes during the shutdown and are also continuing access to our services and assisting faculty with proposals/application submission.
NIH is no longer posting Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) in the NIH Guide for Grants & Contracts. Instead, all NIH NOFOs will be published and managed solely via Grants.gov.
NIH will now require institutions to implement a written policy and conduct training for all Senior/Key Personnel on the obligation to disclose all research resources, whether monetary or inkind, domestic or foreign, whether at the home institution or elsewhere, under the “Other Support” framework.
NIH has issued a new notice in regard to grant applications and reviews during the government shutdown.
OORI RESEARCH CATALYST PROGRAM
We are excited to announce the launch of the new Research Catalyst Program, designed to support faculty-led, interdisciplinary projects that drive discovery and innovation across USC. This reimagined program offers streamlined requirements and greater flexibility, empowering faculty to pursue bold ideas and external funding opportunities.
The program welcomes proposals across a broad range of topic areas, including health and life sciences, engineering and technology, social and behavioral sciences, creative practice, and sustainability.
Proposals are due November 16th. Learn more, view an informational video, and apply here. We have also added additional information to the Q&A section of the RFP, click here to download the RFP. For questions, contact researchsupport@usc.edu.
OORI INNOVATION CATALYST PROGRAM
We are also thrilled to introduce the Innovation Catalyst Program, designed to give USC innovators tangible support at critical early stages of translation and venture formation. This program provides a range of initiatives, including:
- Seed-funding to advance breakthrough ideas, cover legal/incorporation expenses, or enable student-faculty or alumni-founded ventures.
- Proof-of-concept support to validate technologies, bridge the gap toward commercialization or licensing, and reduce early-stage risk.
- Startup launch resources to help founders incorporate entities, protect intellectual property, secure foundational legal services, and lay the groundwork for growth.
- Hands-on experiential opportunities for early-career innovators and students to work with USC-affiliated startups and gain real-world entrepreneurship exposure.
Due dates vary by initiative, with the next deadline on November 14. Full proposal details and an informational video are available here. For questions, contact researchsupport@usc.edu.
OORI will also host an informational webinar on November 5—register here to learn more about the program.
USC AND TECHSTARS PROGRAM
The application window for the USC and Techstars Accelerator is closing soon, with the final deadline on November 19. This 13-week in-person program offers intensive mentorship, access to USC’s innovation resources, and a $220K equity investment for pre-seed and seed-stage companies with at least one USC-affiliated founder.
If you’ve been considering applying, now is the time—the opportunity will not reopen until next year. Learn more and apply here.
Don’t Miss the USC and Techstars University Catalyst Virtual Pitch Day Showcase. Join us on Thursday, November 13 from 12:00–2:00 p.m. PT for the Virtual Pitch Day Showcase, featuring early-stage ventures led by faculty, staff, alumni and students who participated in the University Catalyst. These founders will demonstrate innovations ranging from gut-health monitoring devices to AI-powered digital audio tools for creative production.
Registration is free and open to the USC community — see here.
USC ASSOCIATES AWARD – CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
We are seeking nominations for the USC Associates Award for Creativity in Research and Scholarship. The award is the university’s highest honor, bestowed on its members for distinguished achievements. The nomination deadline is 5 PM PST, November 14. Click here for more information.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow the Office of Research and Innovation on LinkedIn and X to stay up to date on funding opportunities, programs, and initiatives—including the new Research Catalyst and Innovation Catalyst programs, upcoming webinars, and other resources supporting USC’s research and innovation community.
DEPARTMENT OF CONTRACTS & GRANTS: The National Institutes of Health recently released Notice NOT-OD-25-155 and updated their website with an announcement outlining a significant change in how international collaborations will be handled at both the proposal and award stage. NIH will no longer accept applications that include foreign components through the traditional subaward or consortium structure. Instead, NIH is introducing a new multi-component application framework using the PF5 and UF5 activity codes.
This shift has direct implications for how USC researchers prepare proposals and manage awards involving foreign collaborators. To help researchers understand this new process and its impact on proposal and award processes for international collaborations, the Department of Contracts and Grants has produced a concise microlearning video that walks you through the information contained in NOT-OD-25-155 and explains the changes in simple, actionable terms.
Recent Microlearning’s:
- Subawards Made Simple: How to Avoid Delays
- Understanding the New NIH Structure for International Collaborations
- Single IRB at USC: What Every PI Needs to Know
The Microlearning’s provides bi-weekly training designed to deliver concise, focused sessions on core research administration topics. Please check out our complete listing of training on our DCG training website.
STEVENS CENTER FOR INNOVATION: We’re pleased to announce a new copyright
licensing agreement with Mapi Research Trust (MRT) to support the distribution of clinical outcome assessments (COAs). This partnership provides USC innovators and clinicians with access to MRT’s global platform for distributing questionnaires and patient assessment tools, as well as services for creating online versions and validated translations. Existing Mapi Research Trust partners include the University of Michigan, Springer Nature, and Wiley. Royalties received from licensing of copyright assets are distributed to inventors, departments, and schools in accordance with the USC IP Policy.
Our first COA distributed through MRT will be the 3MS (Modified Mini Mental State)
Examination, a cognitive screening tool developed by Dr. Helena Chui, Dr. Evelyn Teng, and Dr. Tara Rose. Researchers and clinicians who have developed COAs or other patient assessment tools are encouraged to contact USC Stevens for more information about how MRT can help make their COAs more widely available. Please reach out to the licensing team (licensing@stevens.usc.edu) with your questions anytime.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL RESOURCES:
Updates on changes in the animal facility: Shoe Covers, new equipment in HNB, and special requests.
DAR has responded to concerns about cost and has flexed the significant challenges of contracting research with still rising operating costs. Thus, the removal of shoe covers, upgrading equipment due to an aged cage washing machine, and implementing the request for certain rodent services has shown to be effective in increasing efficiency. DAR remains communicative with how these changes are being executed and received. All of these were announced in notifications, meetings, and signage around the facility. We appreciate the faculty’s support in making these changes since we must stay flexible with shifting census and demand.
Mark your calendars and share with staff for the following Lunch and Learns by:
Jax: Transgenic Mouse Services and Colony Management
11/5 11am G24 sign up here
Transnetyx : Automated Genotyping and Microbiome Testing
Note: 2 sessions on both campuses
11am DOH 172
2pm RRI Lecture Hall 101 QR code sign-up coming soon!
DAR understands these are challenging times and will continue to partner with vendors to facilitate programs that provide education on how to continue research during leaner times. Rederiving and preserving valuable strains is more cost effective and aligns with the 3Rs than breeding in house or importing. Check Dar.usc.edu under news for upcoming events.
Rederivation and Cryopreservation Program- DAR is gradually moving towards implementing a program where rodent strains will be rederived or sent directly from a vendor, instead of importing and quarantine from other institutions. There are many reasons for this shift including guaranteeing a pathogen free status, minimizing the rise of future costs, and ensuring you have young healthy animals for your studies. More communications, opportunities for feedback, and data will be provided in the upcoming months. DAR vet staff are happy to come to speak to your lab or lab group about this program in person as well. Simply send a request to daradm@med.usc.edu.
Charles River Laboratories and The Jackson Laboratory has partnered with DAR to provide special discount prices with these vendors for these services. Specifically, CR will honor a whopping 45% discount for all rederivation services and 50% for cryopreservation until the end of this year! And Jax has 20% off their already affordable services. So now is the time to cryobank your precious stocks if breeding is not necessary or if you want to breed up a strain quickly.
Did you Know: DAR Veterinarians are available for consultation for animal health or welfare concern/question? We encourage labs to seek out our guidance whenever there is a question regarding the care and use of the currently housed USC lab animals. We also encourage expert consultation for the following, which can be requested as a fee for service:
- Performing a new technique, procedure, or surgery
- New planning of a project
- Importing a new species or strain
- Need new housing requirements
- Troubleshooting a project or adverse event
- Any animal health or welfare question
Our vision is to inspire investigators to strive for the best science through quality animal care, veterinary medicine, and research support. Thus, reaching out and requesting our consultations services on AOPs.usc.edu will give you specialized attention and ACLAM board certified expert recommendations on how to care for and use your animals in research.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY:
October is Biosafety Month!
Join us as we celebrate Biosafety Month October 2025! Biosafety Month reaffirms our collective commitment to best biosafety practices as we pursue innovative and important research at USC. For more information about our month-long celebration and how you can participate, visit our Biosafety Month 2025 page.
Workplace Violence Prevention
USC faculty and staff received email notifications earlier this month to complete Workplace Violence Prevention training on Trojan Learn. All employees, supervisors, and managers are required to complete the annual training. Please remind your teams to complete the training that takes about 15 minutes and is due 30 calendar days after launching. If you have any questions, please reach out to Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@usc.edu. For more information, please visit the Workplace Violence Prevention page.
USC Community Partnership
EH&S works together with the USC community to create a safe, healthy, and sustainable work and learning environment as well as assist USC in meeting its state and federal obligations. If you have any safety concerns, EH&S is here to help. Contact us at (323) 442-2200 or EHS@usc.edu.