The UCSF Department of Medicine is committed to our faculty members’ and trainees’ success. We provide research support programs and internal grants to aid in career development, spark new research projects, and foster community.
INTERNAL AWARDS
- Cohort Enhancement Grant
- DiBS (Diversity in Bench Science)
RESEARCH COMMUNITY
Programs & Initiatives
iRAPS: Financial support for Associate Professors in the In-Residence series
Launched in July 2016, the In-Residence Associate Professor Support (iRAPS) program aims to increase retention of faculty researchers by supporting them at a critical time in their careers. Department of Medicine faculty members promoted to Associate Professor in the In-Residence series receive $50,000 of salary support for up to six years. No application is necessary. Details (including exceptions) are explained in the iRAPS policy.

NIH+: Financial support for Professors
The NIH+ program provides Professors and Associate Professors in any series with a primary appointment in the Department of Medicine 15-20% of their capped salary support, excluding benefits. Funding is unrestricted and can be used for any mission-related purpose, just like other UC discretionary funds. Monies are distributed at the beginning of each fiscal year. No application is necessary. Current year iRAPS recipients are excluded as are recall and visiting faculty.

PIVOT: Principal InVestigator Organizational management Training for Early Stage Investigators [ESI]
PIVOT (Principal InVestigator Organizational management Training for Early Stage Investigators [ESI]) is an interactive course to help early stage investigators understand the research ecosystems, organizational management, Human Resources and finance so they can thrive sooner in their careers.
PREPARE: Pre-submission grant proposal review program
The primary mission of PREPARE (PRE-Proposal Application REview) is to improve funding success through pre-submission grant proposal review for faculty submitting R-level NIH or foundation grant proposals. Applicants who wish to seek review of a proposal in progress can request a concept sheet review or full proposal review and will be matched with appropriate reviewers who will provide feedback at no cost to the applicant.
Internal Awards
Cohort Enhancement Grant: Funding to support new or expanded patient cohorts
Started in 2013, the Department of Medicine offers grants of up to $100,000 to initiate new patient cohorts or expand the use of existing cohorts into new areas. The goal is to develop cohorts that are widely used by both clinical and bench investigators and have high potential for sustained future funding.
Learn more here
DiBS: Financial support for fellows in order to support diversity in bench science
The Diversity in Bench Science (DiBS) program provides three years of guaranteed salary support (from the division) plus $20,000 per year of research funding (from the DOM) to support individuals pursuing laboratory-based careers as physician-scientists who share and enhance UCSF's and the DOM's commitment to diversity. Candidates can be nominated by the Molecular Medicine Residency Director and by DOM Fellowship Directors.
Learn more here
Research Community
Newsletter
The Department of Medicine’s Associate Chairs for Research compile a monthly newsletter of important announcements, recent K-awards, and other news relevant to the research community. Stay up-to-date about events, initiatives, and recognition. If you are not currently receiving the newsletter, but would like to, subscribe using the button below.
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See previous newsletters:
2021
College of Bench Scientists
The Department of Medicine’s College of Bench Scientists is a community for researchers that helps promote career development and collaboration. It includes students, residents, and fellows who are interested in a career in bench science, and faculty members at all career levels. Membership is free and automatic. The College provides two opportunities for networking and career development support:
- College of Bench Scientists Annual Dinner—The annual dinner is a rare opportunity for bench scientists in the department to connect in person in one place. Hosted by the Associate Chair for Biomedical Research, typically in mid- October, members are encouraged to network with their colleagues and meet trainees who are interested in a career in bench research. The invitation is updated each year to include any new faculty members, students, residents, and fellows in the field. If you or a colleague have not received an invitation, please contact Alyssa Tecklenburg to be added.
- Pre-independent bench scientists group—This group is for fellows and junior faculty who are doing bench research. The vision is to provide a connection to peers and resources and hold workshops or panel discussions on topics such as K-writing, non-NIH grant writing, navigating the transition into lab, navigating the path to independence, negotiating job offers, and other timely and relevant topics specifically geared towards pre-independent bench scientists. To join this group, please contact Renuka Nayak, Assistant Professor.
CRC Connect: Centralized CRC Sharing & Sourcing Dashboard
The CRC Connect Dashboard is a web-based Smartsheet dashboard designed to address the critical need for part-time Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) support across the DOM. This user-friendly platform allows research Principal Investigators (PIs) to either request additional CRC effort or offer underutilized CRC resources. By facilitating early direct contact between PIs, this tool provides a streamlined process for PIs to connect and collaborate. The dashboard is continuously refined through ongoing user feedback to enhance both CRC and PI experiences. Whether supporting growing research programs or fostering new collaborations, this dashboard is here to support your evolving needs.
Meet the Team
Associate Chairs for Research

David Erle, MD is the DOM Associate Chair for Biomedical Research and a Professor of Medicine in the Lung Biology Center at ZSFG. In his Associate Chair role, he supports the department’s research enterprise by advocating for its faculty members and implementing new initiatives as well as stewarding its wet lab space. As a member of the Parnassus Research Programming Task Force, he represents the department and the new CoLabs initiative.

Diane Havlir, MD is the DOM Associate Chair for Clinical Research and a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of HIV, ID, and Global Medicine at ZSFG. In her role as Associate Chair, she is focused on improving the clinical trials infrastructure and improving researchers’ experience and retention in the department. She is actively involved in the development and planning for the new Research building at ZSFG.
Administration

Danielle Mizuiri is the Program Manager of Space, Facilities, & Research Initiatives in the Department of Medicine, who works with the Associate Chairs for Research, operationalizing initiatives to support the research enterprise, managing facilities projects, and overseeing the Department’s space portfolio.
DOM Central Research Administration
The Research Administration Unit of the Department of Medicine supports 39 academic divisions by partnering with faculty, university administration, sponsors, and internal and external collaborators to:
- Contribute to proposal strategies to maintain stature as the highest NIH-funded department of medicine
- Act as responsible stewards of research funds
- Provide high quality customer service to our research community