2. Support for Scholarship and Research through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement

Internal Grants Program

The Internal Grants Program of the University of Massachusetts Amherst provides funds annually for the purpose of stimulating and developing research and scholarly activities. These monies are made available through multiple peer-reviewed competitions throughout the year. Programs include the Faculty Research Grants, Samuel F. Conti Fellowship, the Healey Endowment Grant, the Public Service Endowment Grant, and the Armstrong Fund for Science. Additional funding is available through the MSP union, and from special programs including fellowships through the Center for Research on Families (CRF), Institute for Social Sciences Research (ISSR), and Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS). https://www.umass.edu/research/proposals/find-funding/internal-funding-opportunities

University Support for Grant and Contracts

The university offers support for pursuing and administering grants, contracts, and related commercial ventures through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement, as noted below.

Research Administration & Compliance

The Office of Pre-Award Services (OPAS) reviews and submits all proposals to funding agencies for externally sponsored programs in research, instruction, and other public service programs as authorized in the university’s Trustee Policy T94-034. OPAS supports and advances the university's mission by providing leadership and expertise in the area of pre-award research administration. Once the grant is awarded, the Office of Post-Award Management (OPAM) supports the administration of the project, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, reviewing and negotiating award terms, and executing awards and sub-awards on behalf of the university. Research Compliance oversees all compliance requirements related to research under one coordinated unit; areas of oversight include animal use and care, human subject protection, biological and chemical safety, export control, responsible conduct of research, conflict of interest, research misconduct and data security and facility access. https://www.umass.edu/research/about

University Institutional Review Boards

The University has established a series of committees to ensure the proper handling of hazardous materials and to guide faculty through other regulatory processes. These committees include the Radioisotope Use Committee, which oversees the use of radioactive materials as required by the federal government; the Chemical Hazards Committee; the Biological Hazards Committee; and the Recombinant DNA Biosafety Committee. http://ehs.umass.edu/environmental-and-hazardous-materials-management-services

There is also a review board to oversee Human Subjects’ research. All relevant federal guidelines for the protection of human subjects are strictly enforced at the University. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Human Subjects Research Review includes faculty, staff, and external members. https://www.umass.edu/research/compliance/human-subjects-irb

An additional review board oversees Animal Research. The Director of Animal Care and Campus Veterinarian is responsible for ensuring compliance with all federal and state regulations covering the use of laboratory animals. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) includes faculty, staff, and external members. https://www.umass.edu/research/compliance/animal-subjects

Core Facilities

To facilitate research success, the university offers many facilities as shared services. The Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS) offers clinical investigation resources, including bone densitometry, room calorimetry, sleep monitoring, biosensor evaluations in a built home environment including kitchen and living space, and whole-body imaging. Cell culture facilities, animal imaging, and transgenic and gene targeting services are also available through IALS. Details about core facilities, and price structures for the use of IALS facilities, are available online. http://www.umass.edu/ials/core-facilities

High performance computing facilities are also available through the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center. http://www.mghpcc.org/