VTPP Science Friday conversations continue to be stimulating and helping develop more interactions. All faculty are encouraged to attend these important VTPP 
research- and mission-focused discussions. The next Science Friday discussions are scheduled via Zoom for Thursday 8:30AM, December 3 and December 17. Faculty are encouraged to step up and initiate similar interactions and discussions. If you have specific interests in leading any Science Friday discussion/topic or have specific aims to outline or develop, just let Dr. Suva know and come present and stimulate the conversation.
VTPP Seminar Series
The Fall seminar series is here and Dr. Clement has assembled some terrific speakers. There two scientific VTPP Seminars scheduled for Friday December 4 (Dr. Mutuchamy, Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University) and Friday December 11 (Dr. Khasawneh, Pharmaceutical Sciences Texas A&M University) as well as Dr. Suva’s annual State of the Department seminar on Monday December 14. Seminars will be held via Zoom, 2-3 PM. As always, please push, encourage and direct and cajole your graduate students and trainees to attend VTPP seminar.
Research in the COVID19 era at Texas A&M University
Much is still happening with ongoing research. With research activities nearing full swing, protective measures remain essential. Please continue to monitor the VPR website regarding the latest information available regarding changes to research related to dynamic COVID-19 conditions. https://vpr.tamu.edu/covid-19
Please remember to wear masks in all TAMU locations and minimize occupancy of elevators in all buildings, including all of the research buildings.
Upcoming NIH Grant Deadlines and Opportunities
December 8: New, renewal, resubmission F Series Fellowships (including F31 Diversity – NOT-OD-17-029)
For more details and upcoming submission dates go to:
Upcoming NSF Grant Deadlines and Opportunities
January 1-January 19, 2021: Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)
For more details and upcoming submission dates go to:
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_list.jsp?org=NSF&ord=date&page=4
VTPP Research Infrastructure
VTPP continues collecting details of the major equipment and technical capabilities that exist in VTPP research laboratories. This effort will develop a framework to support VTPP investigators identify skills and equipment resources in VTPP. By identifying VTPP resources these can be leveraged multi-investigator grant applications, but also help identify where we may lack important equipment. Current resources information is available on our VTPP website. If you have not done so, please send DH your most recent grant resources page so we can continue to compile the information.
https://physiology.tamu.edu/vtpp-research-resources/
Colleagues, I encourage you to register and attend a series virtual workshop on “Validation of Animal Models and Tools for Biomedical Research”. The workshop is being organized by ORIP in 
collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and will be held as a series of virtual sessions from December 1, 2020 to December 10, 2020. The series will provide a venue to discuss the status and needs regarding the validation and rigor/reproducibility of animal models used in biomedical research. Registration information available at:
https://www.scgcorp.com/validationseries2021/Registration
Texas A&M Research Cores
VTPP Success provides links to TAMU research core that may help VTPP researchers and identify research resources in VTPP and across the Texas A&M system.
This month we highlight Research Development Services (RDS). RDS supports the Texas A&M research community in the pursuit of external and internal research funding by providing a full-array of proposal development and consulting services, proposal resources and templates. RDS also facilitates proposal development with a spectrum of training opportunities at no cost for faculty. In addition, RDS supports and administers internal and international grant programs. (contact: Jorja Kimball, Ph.D., Executive Director, [email protected]; Ph (979) 845-1811). Details of the available services can be found at: https://vpr.tamu.edu/division-units/research-development-services