Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Research Administration Unit do?

The Research Administration Unit (RAU) is responsible for providing comprehensive pre- and post-award support for the Cancer Center Support Grant, P30CA016042, which supports the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCLA Health JCCC). Additionally, we offer extensive pre-award support for administrative supplements and team-science grants. Beyond proposal development, the RAU manages several key processes, including UCLA Health JCCC's membership, the UCLA Health JCCC Intramural Awards Program, Effort Reporting for UCLA Health JCCC Members, and Investigator Publication Review. We also assist with reviewing and updating NIH Biosketches and NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support documents. 

For questions about our services or to request support from our team, please contact Amanda Tan via email.

What pre-award services are offered?

The RAU offers pre-award support for NIH supplements and NCI diversity supplements under our P30 grant (P30CA016042), as well as cancer-relevant team science grants. We also offer support for smaller NIH grants including R grants and foundation grants as capacity allows. Our services are custom-tailored to meet your needs as a Principal Investigator, ensuring the development of a strong application. Please visit Grant Development Resources for more information.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please visit Contact Us for more information.

What is an NIH Biosketch and who needs one?

A biographical sketch (also referred to as biosketch) is a document that describes an individual's qualifications and experience for a specific role in a project. NIH requires submission of a biosketch for each proposed senior/key personnel and other significant contributor on a grant application and for any new senior/key personnel on progress reports. Some funding opportunities or programs may also request biosketches for additional personnel. 

For the latest information, please visit grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm.

What is the difference between the non-fellowship Biosketch and fellowship Biosketch?

The non-fellowship Biosketch is for applications and progress reports for all applications and awards, except fellowships. The fellowship Biosketch is for applications and progress reports for fellowship applications and awards. 

What is sciENcv and do I need to use it to create my biosketch?

SciENcv is a feature in My NCBI that creates biosketches. Education, employment, research activities, publications, honors, research grants, and other professional contributions can be included in “profiles.” eRA Commons and ORCID account holders who have linked their accounts to My NCBI can have their SciENcv profiles automatically populated with the information stored in their biographical records. My NCBI users can create multiple SciENcv biosketches and can opt to allow for public viewing of select biosketches. 

Note that SciENcv is currently not required for creating a NIH biosketch; see Common Forms below for more information. 

What are the Common Forms?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is adopting the Biographical Sketch Common Form and the Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) submitted on or after May 2025.  The Common Forms represent a collaborative effort between Federal research agencies to ensure standard disclosure requirements across agencies, and to provide clarity regarding disclosure requirements. For more information, please visit the NIH's Updates for the Common Forms webpage.

What is Effort Reporting?

Effort reporting is the method of certifying to granting agencies that the effort required as a condition of the award has actually been completed. Federal regulations require that any individual committing effort on a federal or federal flow-through contract or grant certify that the salary charged or cost shared by the institution is reasonable in relation to the effort expended on that project.

Effort is the proportion of time spent on any single professional activity and is reflected as a percentage of the total professional activity for which an individual is employed by an institution. Total professional activity at UCLA includes teaching, clinical practice, research, preparing proposals, administrative responsibilities or any other duties performed for UCLA.

Why am I receiving notifications from the UCLA Health JCCC to certify?

We are reaching out because you receive salary support from UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center's Support Grant (CCSG), P30CA016042. This percent of effort on the CCSG is already checked by our finance team. If this is the only grant you have then effort on these are good to be certified. Since reports open at set times during the year, we usually send notifications out quarterly. Please check effort prior to certification. 

How to certify?

You can log onto ers.it.ucla.edu/EffortReporting/enterERS.do using your UCLA logon and certify your reports. If you are paid off the CCSG, then that portion of your effort has already been validated by our finance department. If you have effort on any other grants, please work with your fund managers to check prior to certification.

Any report not flagged under preliminary review can be certified. 

Who do I contact regarding Effort Reports?

Please contact Sarah Anwar via email if you have any questions.

For more information on effort reports, please visit efm.research.ucla.edu/ers-faq/. 

When is the next Seed Grant deadline?

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center's Seed Grant program accepts applications twice a year, with deadlines falling in the spring and the fall. The official deadline will be announced approximately two months before the deadline.

How do I apply for a Seed Grant?

Apply via the UCLA Health JCCC Intramural Awards Program Funding Portal (InfoReady).

What is the criteria to apply for a collaborative Seed Grant?

You may only apply for a UCLA Health JCCC collaborative seed grant if the collaboration is between two PIs who have no history of collaboration, this includes collaborative publications.

Will I receive feedback on my application?

Applications submitted to the UCLA Health JCCC Seed Grant Program will always receive feedback regardless of the funding decision at the end of each cycle. However, due to the nature of the review process, the other funding programs do not guarantee feedback at the end of the funding cycle.

Can I request a no-cost-extension?

UCLA Health JCCC Seed Grants are limited to one year of funding, it is expected that recipients will fully expend all funds within that time frame. A one year no-cost-extensions can be granted if a formal request with an explanation detailing the project delays and a detailed plan to complete the project during the NCE period is submitted to Melissa Neligan via email. Please note, NCEs are not guaranteed. You may also contact the JCCC Intramural Awards team via email.

My seed grant is partially funded by the UCLA Health JCCC CCSG, what does this mean?

If your award letter and terms and conditions state that your seed grant has been partially funded by UCLA Health JCCC Support Grant funds, this means that your grant is partially funded by P30CA016042. For all resulting grants, publications and references to your seed grant please reference P30CA016042 as a source of support. When referring to the P30, please use this structure: “UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA016042).”

How do I list a seed grant on my Other Support?

Please see Other Support below. for an example on how to add your seed grant to your other support.

Do I need to provide a scientific/financial progress report?

Yes, sixty (60) days after the project end date you are required to submit two reports. The JCCC Intramural Awards team (via [email protected]) will reach out and provide templates for:

1. Detailed scientific progress report
2. Final financial summary reflecting expenditures in accordance with the approved budget

Why am I receiving yearly requests to submit Return-on-Investment data?

The UCLA Health JCCC is required to report to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on an annual basis the return-on-investment (ROI) on all intramural grants awarded. Therefore, the UCLA Health JCCC will reach out to you once annually for up to five-years to collect information on grants, publications, and/or other notable achievements resulting from your award.

Where can I find External Funding Opportunities?

Please visit External Funding Opportunities. 

What are Limited Submission Opportunities (LSOs)?

Limited Submission Opportunities (LSOs) are cancer-relevant funding opportunities in which UCLA is invited to submit a selected nominee for the full application. Pre-applications are compiled by the JCCC and run through an internal review process. For more information, please see Limited Submission Opportunities below. 

What funding opportunities are distributed through the UCLA Health JCCC?

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center sends out cancer-relevant funding opportunities as well as cancer-relevant Limited Submission Opportunities (LSOs) to members via email. Depending on the research topic, JCCC leadership may sometimes reach out to specific members to assess interest in applying.

How can I apply to NIH Supplements that fall under the UCLA Health JCCC Support Grant (CCSG)?

Announcements for NIH Supplements under the UCLA Health JCCC CCSG are typically sent via email to members as Limited Submission Opportunities and will go through an internal selection process before a nominee is selected to move forward with submitting the full application. Depending on the research topic, UCLA Health JCCC leadership may instead reach out to specific members to assess interest in applying. 

In either case, proposal development for NIH Supplements under the UCLA Health JCCC CCSG are always supported by the Research Administration Unit. 

Who Do I Notify If I Just Received a New Cancer Relevant Grant?

Please notify the following individuals.

Denise Heady 
Science Communications and Media Relations Manager 
Email Denise

Amanda Tan
Director of Research Administration, Operations, and Strategy 
Email Amanda

Melissa Neligan
UCLA JCCC, Chief Administrative Officer 
Email Melissa

Dr. Michael Teitell
Director, UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Email Dr. Teitell

What are LSOs and who manages them at UCLA?

LSOs are Limited Submission Opportunities in which an institution is invited to submit a selected nominee for the full application. The UCLA Health JCCC manages all LSOs that are cancer-relevant for UCLA. We typically compile the pre-application for cancer relevant opportunities and our review committee then chooses the strongest application to move forward with the full application. 

All non-cancer LSOs are managed by the central LSO office. Please see here for more information: https://www3.research.ucla.edu/reo/lso.

What is the review and selection process?

Interested applicants send in pre-application materials to the UCLA Health JCCC for review. After the materials from the call are compiled, they are sent to a review committee for review of the pre-applications and selection of a nominee. Typically, the materials needed are up-to-date biosketches of all involved PIs and a one-page research summary.

How can I be notified?

The UCLA Health JCCC sends out cancer-relevant LSOs to all of our members via email. 

Are CCSG Supplements LSOs?

Most of the UCLA Health JCCC Support Grant supplements go through an LSO selection process. Announcements for NIH Supplements under the UCLA Health JCCC CCSG are typically sent via email to members as Limited Submission Opportunities and will go through an internal selection process before a nominee is selected to move forward with submitting the full application. Depending on the research topic, JCCC leadership may instead reach out to specific members to assess interest in applying. 

In either case, proposal development for NIH Supplements under the CCSG are always supported by the UCLA Health JCCC Research Administration Unit. 

Can I receive feedback for my LSO Application?

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the review session we cannot provide feedback.

How can I apply?

Please review membership guidelines and application. Applications are received year-round. The typical turnaround time is one to two weeks. For more information, please visit Become a Member.

Can everyone become a member?

Any UCLA faculty or Caltech affiliate with cancer-focused research is welcome to apply. If your primary appointment is outside of UCLA or Caltech, unfortunately the UCLA Health JCCC cannot approve membership.

How can I update my member profile?

For specific UCLA Health JCCC member profile updates please contact Sarah Anwar via email.

Please note that UCLA Provider Profiles are separate from UCLA Health JCCC profiles and need to be updated through UCLA Health. 

For more information on how to update your member profiles, please visit How to Update Your Member Profile.

What is IPR?

Investigator Publication Review (IPR) allows UCLA Health JCCC members to self-identify the use of any UCLA Health JCCC Shared Resources for their publications without the need to log into a website. Investigators are automatically notified once a year in the summer via email to accept or reject publications using a secure link, and their response window is usually open for 4 to 6 weeks. We rely on these responses for reassurance on authorship and for information on shared resource metrics related to publications.

For additional questions, please contact William Osorio via email.

How do I obtain a PMCID number?

PubMed Central (PMC) ID numbers are required per the NIH Public Access Policy for all publications that have resulted from the use of UCLA Health JCCC Shared Resources or from UCLA Health JCCC Intramural Awards funded through the UCLA Health JCCC Support Grant, P30CA016042. PMCID’s are assigned when Final Approval is obtained in the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system, and when the article has been matched to a PubMed record for final publication date. See the following resources for more information. 

• NIHMS System Overview
• NIHMS Tutorial

What is an ORCID and who needs one?

An ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a free, 16-digit identifier that researchers can use to permanently connect their names to their work. At this time, ORCIDs are required for trainees, scholars, and participants supported by NIH institutional research training, career development, and research education awards that require appointments through the xTrain system (T03, T15, T32, T34, T35, T37, T42, T90/R90, TL1, TL4, TU2, K12/KL2, R25, R38, RL5, RL9). ORCIDs are also required for individuals applying for NIH fellowship and career development awards at the time of application (F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F37, F38, F99/K00, FI2, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K38, K43, K76, K99/R00). Other researchers are encouraged to obtain an ORCID and some journals currently require the ORCID as well.

For more information, visit the UCLA Library Guide on ORCIDs guides.library.ucla.edu/orcid webpage and the ORCID website at orcid.org/.

For help with ORCID and questions about the UCLA implementation, contact [email protected].

How do I register for a new ORCID?

Register via their website at orcid.org/register.  

What is eRA Commons and who needs an eRA Commons ID/Username?

eRA Commons (public.era.nih.gov/commons/) is an online interface where grant applicants, recipients, and federal staff at NIH and grantor agencies can access and share administrative information relating to research grants. The functions available to a user in Commons are based on the ‘role’ associated with their eRA Commons account. 

All Senior/Key Personnel and Other Significant Contributors listed on an NIH application are required to have active eRA Commons IDs. In addition, all project director/principal investigators (PD/PIs) and personnel with the Undergraduate, Graduate Student, or Postdoctoral roles who participate on an award for at least one person month require eRA Commons IDs for progress reporting. Trainees appointed to institutional training grants also require eRA Commons IDs. Lastly, any administrative officials involved in grant application preparation, review, and approval require eRA Commons IDs.

How do I request a new eRA Commons Account at UCLA?

Contact OCGA eRA Help via email and provide the following information:

• First Name
• Middle Name/Initial (if applicable)
• Last Name
• E-mail address: (NOTE: this email is used for account information retrieval. For scientific roles, NIH recommends using an email address that the user will have continuous access to, regardless of institutional affiliation, such as a personal Gmail account.)
• Other organizations/institutions that you’ve been affiliated with as a PI, post-doc, graduate student, undergrad, trainee.
• Review the NIH Commons roles and indicate the role(s) needed.

My existing eRA Commons Account is associated with a previous institution. How do I change the affiliation to UCLA

To have your current eRA Commons account affiliated with UCLA, contact OCGA eRA Help via email and provide your eRA Commons user ID.

Is there a UCLA Health JCCC template available for Other Support?

Yes, the UCLA Health JCCC Research Administration Unit maintains a library of tools and resources to assist members, which includes an Other Support template. Members can access our full library of grant resources through the members’ intranet portal. 

How do I list the UCLA Health JCCC CCSG (P30CA016042) on my Other Support?

The UCLA Health JCCC CCSG should only be added to your other support if you are senior/key personnel on the grant.

Here is an example of how to add the pending CCSG Renewal to your other support:

Here is an example of how to add the active CCSG Renewal to your other support:

For additional questions regarding how to add the P30 or verifying effort and total costs, please contact Genevieve Ortega-Alves via email.

How do I list a seed grant on my Other Support?

Here is an example of how to add a seed grant to your Other Support:

Do I need to use DocuSign to finalize my Other Support?

Yes, it is required to use DocuSign to sign and finalize an NIH Other Support.

Are there resources available to help me draft my NIH Other Support?

NIH Resources:

• NIH Other Support
• NIH Other Support FAQ

UCLA Resources:

• UCLA Research Administration – Current and Pending Other Support
• UCLA CTSI – Other Support