The Big Tent

CTSI 2016 NIH Renewal Proposal Launchpad

"Speed-Networking" to Drive Novel Translational Research Connections

ISSUE

Investigators lack opportunities for novel interactions with partners with whom they do not ordinarily collaborate, either because they haven’t had the opportunity to meet each other by virtue of operating in different disciplines or locations, or because there has been neither a straight-forward mechanism nor incentive to look outside one’s usual circle of  partners.

 

GOAL 

  1. Provide an opportunity for scientists to meet  research, community, and/or community partners outside their usual circle of collaborators in order to foster a broader network  partnership through a designated networking event;
  2. Provide seed-funding for up to three collaborative projects per event in the amount of approximately $5,000 each for feasibility pilot studies that encourage new collaborations, new methods, and/or innovative interdisciplinary research approaches to outstanding translational healthcare issues; and
  3. Aide in the transition of funded projects to further larger, enabling projects.

 

PROPOSAL

In an effort to encourage collaborations across disciplinary, geographical, or institutional boundaries, the Research Development Office (RDO) will facilitate a series of interactive events that will bring targeted investigators and community, affiliate, and/or commercial partners together and incentivize innovative collaborations.

 

 

These “Speed-Networking” events will provide a structured environment in which each researcher will have an opportunity to meet potential outside collaborators in a prescribed format.    Additional social interaction time will then allow interested parties an opportunity to continue specific threads of inquiry.   Potential partners will ultimately complete a card indicating their interest in speaking further with one or more of the participants.  The RDO will manage the follow-up from these events.

 

The particular focus area for any single event could be selected strategically to support larger campus initiatives or be uniquely chosen to “test the waters” for new areas of potential strategic importance.

 

 

PREPARATION

Initially, ten separate Speed-Networking events will be planned over the course of a year.  The RDO will work with CTSI leadership to identify both the specific focus of an event and the cadre of participant researchers and outside partners.  The number of participants will be capped at 30 to ensure adequate interaction time.  The RDO will manage all the logistics, including invitations, securing meeting space, arranging food and beverage as needed, and setting-up the event space and materials.  The RDO will also lead participants through the event and manage all follow-up.

 

EVENT AGENDA

  • “Slush” Time (20 min.):  the success of this event in part depends on all attendees being punctual; light refreshments, therefore, will be available during this time to allow for casual conversation and serve as “slush” time for stragglers to arrive
  • Introduction (5 min.):  the RDO team leader will introduce the program, focusing on the intent, format, and financial incentive
  • Rotations (1 hr.):  four-minute rotations between each set of attendees, allowing all investigators to meet  all potential partners around a short set of pre-designed questions (e.g., who, what, what if, and how might we)
  • Free Association (20 min.):  people are able to reconnect with a partner with whom there is a “spark” and pursue their shared interest a bit more, potentially developing a more concrete vision of a collaborative project
  • Next Steps (10 min.):  each attendee will fill out a card identifying her/his top three choices for collaboration; the RDO  team leader will close the event by informing participants of next steps and timeline

 

FOLLOW-UP

After the event, “matches” will be identified by the RDO team based on participants’ mutual identification.  The RDO will reach out to these partners, inviting each “match” to prepare a simple, two-page proposal describing their feasibility or pilot project and associated budget needs of up to $5,000.  The target goal would be to have these due within three weeks of the event, if possible.   CTSI leadership, with the assistance of the RDO, will make the final funding decision, based on both the likelihood of project success and a fit with CTSI strategic goals.  The goal is to make these funding decisions within about five weeks of the event, if possible.  For projects not outlined or funded as a result of this event, it is important to note the tremendous value in the networking component for potential future collaborations and faculty satisfaction.  For funded projects and where appropriate, the RDO will collaborate with the Office of Innovation, Technology and Alliances (ITA), as well as the appropriate UCSF community engagement office, to foster success in the translation  of the idea.

 

OUTCOMES 

There are three specific returns on investment of the Speed-Networking event that will be measured:  1) the number of researchers that participate in a networking event will be counted; 2) the direct benefit to future  collaboration activity made possible by supporting the generation of preliminary data and providing evidence of prior collaboration; this will be measured by following funded projects and capturing the percentage that go on to receive related funding from extramural sources, initiate new contracts, or otherwise move to further the collaboration; and 3) the participant satisfaction value, which will be measured through a short survey instrument sent at the end of each event.  The RDO will track and report these measures.

 

PROPOSED PROGRAM BUDGET

In the first year, we plan to facilitate ten speed networking events.  Each event will target 30 participants, leading to the funding of two or three $5,000 pilot proposals.  While the RDO will leverage resources from its Building Teams for Innovative Research (BTIR) program personnel for this Speed-Networking program, additional resources will be needed to facilitate the program at a rate of approximately one FTE per three events.  We also plan to minimize the logistical event costs by utilizing freely available facilities on campus wherever possible.  The anticipated costs are presented in Table 1 below.

 

Item

Cost for 3 Events

Costs for 10 Events

Event logistics, including beverages, food, paper goods, copying (assuming ~$500 per event)

$1,500

$5,000

Pilot Proposal Award, assuming 30 awards per event, at $5,000 per award

$15,000

$150,000

Two FTEs, at $80,000 each

0

$160,000

Total Annual Proposed Budget

$16,500

$315,000

Comments

OVERVIEW FOR CTSI RETREAT DISCUSSION


The Big Tent:  CTSI 2016 NIH Renewal Proposal Launchpad

“Speed-Networking” to Drive Novel Translational Research Connections

Submitted by: Gail Fisher & Gretchen Kiser

1. Summarize the problem being addressed.  Please make sure this is NOT disease-specific.

  • Investigators lack opportunities for novel interactions with partners with whom they do not ordinarily collaborate, either because they haven’t had the opportunity to meet each other by virtue of operating in different disciplines or locations, or because there has been neither a straight-forward mechanism nor incentive to look outside one’s usual circle of  partners.

 

2.    Summarize the solution being proposed.  Please make sure this is NOT disease-specific, although you can provide examples of specific test cases.

  • Provide an opportunity for scientists to meet research, commercial, and/or community partners outside their usual circle of collaborators in order to foster a broader network of partners through a designated networking event;
  • Provide seed-funding for up to three collaborative projects per event in the amount of approximately $5,000 each for feasibility/pilot studies that encourage new collaborations, novel ideas, new methods, and/or innovative interdisciplinary research approaches to outstanding translational healthcare issues;
  • Aide in the transition of funded projects to further larger, enabling projects.

 3.    What partners are involved in the solution?

  • Internal:  1)  Research Development Office; 2)  CTSI; and 3)  ITA               
  • External:  1)  Commercial entities; 2) other research institutions; and 3) community groups

 4.    What is the potential impact?

  • Increase in new partnerships/collaborations between UCSF researchers and industry partners/community groups/partner institution researchers;
  • Development of innovative solutions and approaches to research questions, as well as to critical issues of translational importance, such as biomedical research-associated ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI), healthcare delivery or health policy.

 

  1. 1.     How do we maximize impact and broad applicability of the proposal?

 

Identify a theme (a plane or axis, to focus the potential collaboration) for each event to draw a variety of participants who may have some things in common but would not normally work together.

 

Select venue for events that will optimize the experience for participants

 

Use networking tools, i.e., UCSF Profiles, to identify possible matches and participants for each event

 

Ask participants to record a short video/pitch that can link to profile -  “Mission in a minute” – who are you, what do you do, and why does it matter.  Record pitches, add to profile short videos.

Look for ways to create unanticipated connections between people

Structure so that potential collaborators interact with each other for 10 minutes (as their speed date) suggested to establish rapport, exchange ideas.

Experiment, start small, try different approaches (and measure success), i.e., “fishbowl” approach, where experts are gathered to apply their expertise to a particular problem of question.

Get some high profile champions to draw a crowd

Think of examples of successful collaborations, get testimonials.

Follow up – send contact list to all participants

Think about expanding budget to hire trained facilitators to ensure success of events

Develop UCSF Profiles – expand to include wish list/magic want/interests – make this function searchable to help identify collaborators

 

 

 

 

  1. 2.     What foundation exists on campus already that will ensure success of the initiative?

 

Can draw upon existing examples in postdoc office, alumni relations, identify other places where examples of this type of event already exists, study what has been effective.

 

 

 

  1. 3.     What creative and/or innovative partnerships could be leveraged to ensure success?

Include participants from a broad array, national labs, VA, SFGH, CHORI, Galdstone, LBNL, UC BRAID

Systemwide committee on research – end up writing a grant together.

Question 3 –

Try partnering with industry, hold events at their locations

Partner with industry,hold some events there – Genentech, or Onyx?

 

Other Notes (group ran out of time):

  • Need a way to create a kind of venn diagram of their own interests; so people aren’t too far way from each other
  • Gail: first event; invite very particular people
  • Target around specific problems – ideas would be up to participants
  • How do you select participants
  • Order of events
  • How to match people
  • Broad categories
  • Can profiles be used for this – use profiles to extend the circle; 50 names who are in  my outer circle;  what degree of separation do you want
  • People do speed dating; unpredicatability is crucial;
  • We wouldn’t math ourselves; but we would have [people involved who would be willing to give it a try
  • How would we maximize the impact of this; how to broaden beyond ucsf.
  • What sort of groups would be appropriate
  • Mission in a minute – who you are and why you do what do matters; distribute them in other ways and inlcue in Profile
  • Everyone records pitches; this could extend the reach
  • Need to think out of the box; mix people would not normally interact;
  • Maybe 4 minutes during initial exchange – or 10 minutes;
  • Way to connect afterwards
  • What kind of way to bring people together; how to categorize people; fundamental mechanisms; disease;   need to focus on translations aspects
  • Difficult to do unless across a disease; set up; how do you identify who would be an appopriate voice from community
  • E.g., diabetes; nurses; community people; lack of access to care; nutritionists; economists; scientists; is there any unifying single theme;
  • Public health problems – impacting population health; vested interest from different groups
  • Free form list of words
  • Theme could be community health – could come up with terms that are not necessarily a disease
  • Agree on a taxonomy for each event
  • Fishbowl – bring 3-4 people in different disciplines in middle of room; have expertise in dealing with the topic; people on outside in diff areas; what did you learn in approaching the problem; moderator; people on outside can ask questions; what are the lessons from your discipline bring to tis problem; very engaging start;
  • The answer could be in another industry
  • Diffusion expert; meteorology;
  • What would be the incentive for them to follow through: how do you foster continuing collaboration
  • Seed money $5000 to support subsequent team meetings
  • Univer Community partnership projects - $2500 given to 10 different partnerships
  • Any match would write a proposal – keith and Gretchen would decide or RAP would;
  • Criteria would ave to be clear
  • This is future looking; not past accomplishments; profiles now has “interests”
  • Where would you do this event
  • How do you insure that the right people in the room
  • What about a person’s home? An alum; would make it more intimate; chancellor’s residence;
  • What partnerships could be leveraged?
  • Would it be a good idea to have this facilitated? Could train people from UCSF to facilitate
  • Partner with Genentech or Onyx pharmaceuticals?
  • Could hire professional facilitators – need to be sure it is done professionally
  • There will be early adopters; get some high profile champions;
  • Need one example of how it works; have 3-4 collaborators about how they got together
  • Different ways to assess the quality of the event; diff ways to student this event;
  • All 4 schools and grad division included
  • How to go beyond ucsf; community groups; alumni; donors; populations = like patients and citizens
  • Start small and increase as we succeed
  • Include national labs, foundations, VA, SFGH, Childrens hospital of oak; lbnl; gladstone; UCBRAID;
  • Need to be specific about composition group
  • Alternate between MB and Parnassus
  • Chancellor dinners (Bishop) brought people
  • Could make groups based on their geography
  • Persuade alum to host meeting; they pay for it; and then
  • Opportunity to get $; prestige to get invited; social mingling; personal invitation; should be a host – a prestigious person;
  • Community health go to each dean; name people to participate;
  • Ice breaker part to prompt conversation
  • What could you leverage; Canadian medical anthropology;  already amazing openness to be part of this; people even outside of medical fields who are interested in this; 

Some thoughts from CTSI Retreat / Leadership panel with UCSF Deans:

 

Infrastructure is needed to facilitate faculty collaboration.   Can we find more efficient ways of connecting; are there are ways that UCSF Profiles could be leveraged to use data analytics to facilitate networking between the four schools and the graduate division.  One option is to promote lunches where guidance and potential funding opportunities could be presented.  Another suggestion was made to propose a research field and invite researchers from across the campus to attend focused meetings.  CTSI could help by facilitating collaborations, and recommending leading questions for interactions.  

Expanding Profiles to be a more active networking tool would be helpful.  A good example is Research Gate (http://www.researchgate.net) - this service automatically notifies an investigator (on a preset schedule) when a peer and published and when one of their articles is cited.  I find this very helpful to keep up with what my peers are doing and develop new collaborations (as well as have fun and enlightened conversations when we meet at events).   

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