Attention Health Sciences Researchers: NIH announces new application structure for NIH-funded international collaborations

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new application and award structure last week for applications that request funding for international component organizations. Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2026, competing applications must be in response to a funding opportunity using a new grant type when requesting NIH funding for one or more foreign components. The NIH will continue to fund foreign components, as long as they are structured as independent subprojects, but will no longer support traditional foreign subawards. Visit the NIH website to learn more about this change and get the official NIH notice (NOT-OD-25-155), which includes detailed application instructions.

For important information on how this change will affect future proposals and awards already received by USC researchers that were proposed before this new guidance, check out the Office of Sponsored Awards Management website.

 

Faculty: Encourage your undergraduate students to apply for grant funding

Application deadlines for grant funding through the Office of Undergraduate Research are coming up in October. Now is the time for undergraduates and mentors to review available grants to determine eligibility.

Magellan Scholar proposals are due in USCeRA by Wednesday, October 8, at 5:00 p.m. Undergraduate Research Mini-Grant applications are due by Tuesday, October 21 at 5:00pm. Grants associated with Living Learning Communities on the Columbia campus have been reenvisioned and streamlined; these grants are now called the Undergraduate Research Campus Partner Grant and have a deadline of Tuesday, October 21 at 5:00pm.

Encourage your students to contact OUR to discuss eligibility and application questions: our@sc.edu or 803-777-1141.

 

Call for Abstracts from Big Data Health Science Center

The University of South Carolina Big Data Health Science Center invites you to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations at the 7th National Big Data Health Science Conference, to be held February 12-13th, 2026, in Columbia, SC. The submission deadline is Friday, November 14, 2025. See here for more details.

 

Articles featuring the Vice President for Research

USC Vice President for Research Julius Fridriksson has been making headlines. Check out two recent stories on his exciting work in the areas of brain health and artificial intelligence.

• Fridriksson has launched new artificial intelligence program Allt.Ai, that focuses on building on Dr. Fridriksson’s work with aphasia. Click here to read more about the company and the venture.
• USC is seeking partnerships to help run the new Brain Health Center worth $30 million. The center is scheduled to open in downtown Columbia in March of 2026. Click here to learn more about this venture.

 

Research Security Spotlight: What is the best way to get up to speed on research security?

At a Carnegie tier-one research institution like USC, faculty juggle many responsibilities. It can be difficult for busy researchers to keep up with the ever-evolving research security landscape and make sure they have completed all the training required by federal agencies that fund their work. Fortunately, the Office of Research Security has recently begun to offer streamlined security training through the CITI Program platform, allowing covered researchers to complete required annual research security training in about one hour. Here is everything you need to know to make sure you are up to speed with research security training:

• Faculty, students, postdocs, staff and affiliate scholars who are considered covered individuals on a federally funded research project must complete the one-hour Research Security Training course on the CITI Program platform. Check out the Research Security Training page to determine if you are considered a covered individual, and to access the CITI-based Research Security Training course.
• Some covered individuals are required to take additional web-based training courses related to research security, all of which are available through the Research Security Training page:
  • University personnel supporting federal contracts/awards with access to regulated data (controlled unclassified information, HIPAA, genomic, etc.) must complete Controlled Unclassified Information Training.
  • Personnel involved in export-controlled research are required to complete Export Control Compliance Training.
  • University personnel working on a federal project requiring Operations Security (OPSEC) training must complete OPSEC training.
  • Personnel working on some select Department of Defense projects are required to complete Insider Threat Awareness training.
  • Once you have completed required research security training, don’t forget to confirm completion by submitting your certificate(s) using the form on the Research Security Training page.

For more information about research security at USC, visit the Office of Research Security website.

 

Research reminders from the CGI Hub

• Stay updated on the Research Training Calendar — New trainings have been added!
• Check out the Limited Submissions Page for funding opportunities.
• Attention Graduate Students: The SPARC Graduate Research Grant is now accepting applications (due Wed., Nov. 12).
  • NEW!: The recording of the SPARC Grant Q&A session from Mon., Sept. 22^nd is now available at the link above.