Our Mission
The VCU School of Medicine's Office of Research Administration provides support to all departments and centers with active research within the school as well as represents the school's research administration interests within the university community. We strive to conduct business in an efficient and professional manner, working to improve research administration infrastructure in order to most effectively support the research mission of the university.
How We Can Help
The Office of Research Administration partners with School of Medicine departments, centers and institutes to establish efficient and effective administrative operations
The Office of Research Administration partners with departments, centers and institutes to establish efficient and effective administrative operations, develop best practices for managing research portfolios and provide training and technical support to administrative staff and faculty. We work to ensure compliance with federal, state, university and sponsor policies and regulations pertaining to appropriate administrative and financial management of research projects throughout the award life cycle. Our Office is also responsible for monitoring sponsored programs activity at the school level and assisting departments, centers and institutes to address any compliance concerns.
Learn more about specific areas for providing support:
Clinical Research Administration
Provide central oversight and support for the activation and administrative management of Clinical Research performed in the School of Medicine. Provide administrative approval for all SOM clinical research activated in VCU’s OnCore system. Provide centralized support for clinical research administration: coverage analysis, budget development, and budget negotiation as required at both activation and at amendment.
Business Operations
CT Finance: Provide centralized support for clinical research financial management: central receipt and verification of clinical study billing, sponsor invoicing, sponsor payment reconciliation
Centers/Institutes: Oversee Business Operations/Administration for the following SOM Centers/Institutes: CMI, IWH, VCU Johnson Center, Weil Institute, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics.
SOM Research Administration Services
The SOM Research Administration Services group (SOMRAS) partners with faculty and staff in School of Medicine departments, centers and institutes in the administrative and financial management of research.
Our mission is to support research and scholarly activity in the School of Medicine by working as a strategic partner with faculty and staff to ensure sound administrative and financial management of research. SOMRAS strives to provide exceptional customer service to departments, centers and institutes in the pre- and post-award administration of research.
Our goals are to...
- Assist PI's in every step of the proposal process, adhering to School of medicine SOPs and VCU policies;
- Monitor active awards for potential post-award action items on a regular basis;
- Ensure expenses are being applied appropriately and compliantly to all active awards;
- Share with and learn from our peers.
Contacts
The School of Medicine Office of Research Administration is located in Sanger Hall, room 1-043, and in the McGuire Annex, 1st Floor.
Looking for a research administrator in one of the SOM departments, centers, or institutes? Download the Research Administrator Contact List.
Need guidance on obtaining review and signature from the SOM Office of Research Administration? Download our guide to gathering signatures.
- Questions related to proposal submissions: SOMPROPOSALS@vcuhealth.org
- Questions related to clinical research administration: SOMCT@vcuhealth.org
- General research administration questions: SOMRESADMIN@vcuhealth.org
Quick Links and RA Systems
Quick links for research administration resources
- Obtaining Review and Signature in the SOM Office of Research Administration
- SOM Standard Operating Procedures
- Guide for New Research Administrators
- Frequently Used Forms
- Using the Research Dashboard
- RAMS-SPOT Get Started Guides
- Sign up for trainings and meetings (search "Medicine" as sponsor)
- Department Guidance for Submitting Fixed Price Closeouts
- SOM Evaluation of Fixed Price Closeout Requests
Proposal Submission Process
VCU School of Medicine proposal submission process for conducting research
Administrators: to request department-wide access to the RAMS-SPOT proposal submission system, please have your Department Administrator email SOMPROPOSALS@vcuhealth.org and include the Fiscally Administering Unit for which you are requesting access.
Once you decide you want to apply for external funding, the first thing you should do is notify your department or center. Next, make sure you are eligible to serve as Principal Investigator on a sponsored award at VCU.
PI Eligibility Review VCU's policy on PI eligibility and discuss questions with your administrator or department chair/center director. To request an exception for PI eligibility, see SOM Guidance for PI Eligibility Exception Requests for more information.
Note: A pre- or post-doctoral scholar may also serve as PI on a training grant when required by the sponsor. An exception must be requested when a prospective PI does not meet the above defined eligibility criteria. See Guide to Obtaining Review and Signature in the SOM Office of Research Administration for more information.
If the proposal qualifies as Clinical Research or Clinical Trial, please visit the SOM Clinical Research Administration site to learn more about the submission and planning process.
You and your department's research administrator should then develop a submission timeline, ensuring that you will meet both the SOM and the Office of Sponsored Programs internal deadlines:
- VCU's web-based portal system, RAMS SPOT, will automatically calculate an internal submission deadline five (5) working days prior to sponsor submission deadline. This allows the Office of Sponsored Programs to thoroughly review the proposal.
- The School of Medicine Dean's Office requires two (2) working days to complete review of a proposal prior to routing it to OSP in RAMS-SPOT.
- This means the submission should be routed at least seven (7) working days prior to the sponsor deadline. At this time, draft science portions of the proposal are allowable.
- OSP requires three (3) working days prior to the submission deadline to review the final science portions of the proposal (i.e., research strategy, specific aims)
Click here for more information about the Office of Sponsored Programs proposal submission deadlines.
Review SOM Standard Operating Procedures for more guidance on internal SOM proposal submission deadlines.
The principal investigator and RA should carefully read the solicitation or funding announcement. There are many different kinds of sponsors and funding programs, each with their own set of proposal requirements. It is extremely important to be aware of your particular proposal guidelines and communicate with your RA on any issues early on in the proposal process.
Other steps in planning the project:
- Develop content
- Discuss cost share options, if applicable, with your department chair. If cost share is required, complete the Cost Share Budget in RAMS SPOT (see RAMS SPOT Get Started Guide - Cost Share Budget and Cost Sharing Demo for more information). This includes NIH over-the-cap salary cost sharing.
- If this is a limited submission proposal, contact the Office of Sponsored Programs well in advance of deadline
- Identify key personnel
- If you are including a subaward to another institution in your proposal, gather the following documents, at minimum, from the subawardee. These material will be uploaded to the Funding Proposal in RAMS-SPOT:
- Sign AOR Authorization (on cover page or consortium letter)
- Signed VCU Entity Form for non-FDP Expanded Clearinghouse Subrecipients (only when applicable)
- Copy of subrecipient's negotiated rate agreement (only when applicable)
- Scope/statement of work
- Line item budget (if using SF-424 forms, please see the RAMS-SPOT Get Started Guide – Importing Subawards and Importing Subawards Demo)
- Budget justification, and
- CV/biosketch for key personnel
The PI or RA should create a new proposal in RAMS SPOT. Refer to the RAMS SPOT training guides for assistance. RAMS SPOT allows you to select a funding opportunity. The system will then import required SF-424 forms, as well as optional forms (see Get Started Guide - Creating an SF-424 Package). Use these to create your proposal based on the solicitation requirements.
The RA should prepare a budget with the PI's input. If applying to NIH, determine whether you will be using an R&R detailed budget or a modular budget. The following documents may assist you in developing the proposal package.
- Internal budget projection worksheet
- Current fringe benefit and facilities and administration rates
- What F&A rate do I use?
- Percent of time and effort to person months interactive conversion table
- NIH salary cap summary
- Postdoctoral benefits
- Postdoctoral salary guidelines
You may find using the federal government's per diem rates to be a helpful tool when budgeting for travel costs:
The PI and RA together update and/or collect biosketches and any current and pending documents (if applicable). Be aware that NIH has issued a new biosketch format effective May 25, 2015.
Note: All individuals on the project designated as COI investigators must use the new financial conflict of interest reporting system, Activity and Interest Reporting System (AIRS), to report their financial interests. Office of Sponsored Programs will not submit the proposal until all COI investigators have completed this task. The Office of Research has posted instructions on how to use the VCU AIRS. You can log in to AIRS with your VCU eID and password.
The PI should prepare the scientific portions of the proposal.
- All final science documents need to be completed and uploaded to RAMS SPOT three working days in advance of the proposal deadline. Once OSP has locked down the proposal, the reviewer will request final science from the PI. If final documents are prepared before OSP requests them, PI may request upload permission from the appropriate OSP team. OSP will no longer switch out documents, but will provide access for PI to do so.
Data management plan: NSF requires that all proposals include a supplementary document of no more than two pages labeled Data Management Plan. Instructions can be found on NSF's website. Examples can be found on various universities' websites, such as University of California, San Diego.
The PI should prepare and/or submit their Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or Institutional Review Board protocols for review. Depending on your sponsor, you may need to obtain approval or submit the IACUC and/or IRB protocol forms prior to your proposal submission.
RAMS SPOT will first send your proposal to your school or center director for review.
Refer to the RAMS-SPOT guide on Routing for Approval for instructions on how to start the proposal routing process. Be sure that you select both Medicine and the schools of any budgeted personnel who have appointments outside of the School of Medicine.
The Office of Sponsored Programs cannot submit the proposal without approval from the schools of all budgeted personnel.
NOTE: Please allow at least two (2) business days turn-around time for the School of Medicine to review and approve the proposal prior to routing to Office of Sponsored Programs to meet their five (5) business day in advance of sponsor deadline submission requirement.
It is expected that the principal investigator in conjunction with their department chair/administration has reviewed or completed the following items accurately and completely prior to routing the proposal for School of Medicine review.
PI has:
- Coordinated financial reporting by all designated COI investigators on a proposal.
- Completed any required training for systems submission and/or requested user ID if required by sponsor.
- Basic review of scientific/technical considerations has occurred at the department level.
RA or PI has:
- Completed required VCU subrecipient commitment form and included them with the uploaded subaward package in RAMS-SPOT for all proposed subawardees.
- Requested internal subaccounts in RAMS-SPOT as applicable/agreed upon by participating departments and schools (some departments require that a subaccount be requested when their personnel are budgeted on a proposal).
- Prepared proposal in accordance with sponsor application terms and conditions as well as sponsoring agencies rules and regulations.
- Ensured the entire proposal meets the administrative requirements outlined in the application instructions.
- If VCU Health System employees are involved in the project, included a completed Approval Form.
- Confirmed that a current, fully-executed MOU exists for faculty conducting sponsored research that have a joint appointment with a veterans affairs medical center. See SOM Guidance for Joint Appointment MOUs. Investigators and administrators are encouraged to utilize the VA MOU Template.
If submitting a proposal that involves clinical research or a clinical trial, PI or RA has included, at minimum:
- Coverage Analysis Screening form
- As appropriate, this documentation will be annotated to be in draft form, to be finalized at the time of award or IRB submission.
ONLY the Principal Investigator may route the proposal for approval. Submitting incomplete or inaccurate proposals for review will result in delays in review, return of the materials for correction, and could jeopardize timely submission to the Office of Sponsored Programs for approval and submission to the sponsor.
At this stage, the PI, RA and their Office of Sponsored Programs team work together in RAMS SPOT to ensure that the proposal follows the guidelines set forth in the solicitation. If any documents need to be updated prior to final submission, the PI will provide these documents to the RA to be replaced in RAMS-SPOT.
The RA will provide a PDF copy of the final proposal to the PI for confirmation that everything is ready to submit. Then, the RA notifies the Office of Sponsored Programs team that the proposal is ready to submit to the sponsor.
In RAMS SPOT, under General Proposal Information, question # 4, indicate how the forms proposal will be submitted to the sponsor. Please select "electronic via Grants.gov" if the proposal will be submitted to a federal agency using the SF424 form set via Grants.gov. Please select "Other" for all non-Grants.gov applications. For multi-project submissions submitted through NIH ASSIST or applications submitted to NSF via Fastlane select "Other."
Only the Office of Sponsored Programs team can submit Federal proposals to Grants.gov or through FastLane. Office of Sponsored Programs will provide updates and confirmation in RAMS-SPOT as the proposal is submitted to the sponsor.
Contacts
The School of Medicine Office of Research Administration is located in Sanger Hall, suite 1-043, and in the McGuire Annex, 1st Floor.
Looking for a research administrator in one of the SOM departments, centers, or institutes? Download the Research Administrator Contact List.
Need guidance on obtaining review and signature from the SOM Office of Research Administration? Download our guide to gathering signatures.
- Questions related to proposal submissions: SOMPROPOSALS@vcuhealth.org
- Questions related to clinical research administration: SOMCT@vcuhealth.org
- General research administration questions: SOMRESADMIN@vcuhealth.org
Staff
Tricia Gibson, MS, CRA, CCRP
Executive Director for Research Administration
Tricia Gibson, MS, CRA, CCRP
Executive Director for Research Administration
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 828-9275
Fax: (804) 828-7628
Email: tricia.gibson@vcuhealth.org
Cindy Naret
Assoc. Dir. for Clinical Research Admin. & Ops.
Cindy Naret
Assoc. Dir. for Clinical Research Admin. & Ops.
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-3010
Email: cindy.naret@vcuhealth.org
Margaret Phillips, MBA, CRA, CCRP
Associate Director for Business Operations
Margaret Phillips, MBA, CRA, CCRP
Associate Director for Business Operations
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-6285
Candice Weber, MA, CRA
Assoc. Dir. for Research Administration & Training
Candice Weber, MA, CRA
Assoc. Dir. for Research Administration & Training
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-0065
Email: Candice.Weber@vcuhealth.org
Elham Almousa
Mgr of Clinical Research Administration
Elham Almousa
Mgr of Clinical Research Administration
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 827-3913
Email: elham.almousa@vcuhealth.org
Terrence Banks
Clinical Research Budget Analyst
Terrence Banks
Clinical Research Budget Analyst
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-5989
Email: Terrence.Banks@vcuhealth.org
Katie Cappuccio
Fiscal & Admin Coordinator
Katie Cappuccio
Fiscal & Admin Coordinator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 827-0518
Jason Elswick
Clinical Research Activation
Jason Elswick
Clinical Research Activation
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 828-1902
Email: Jason.Elswick@vcuhealth.org
Carolyn Frey, CCRP
Clinical Research Activation Coordinator
Carolyn Frey, CCRP
Clinical Research Activation Coordinator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 828-6602
Email: Carolyn.Frey@vcuhealth.org
Cristy Hendren
Financial Specialist
Cristy Hendren
Financial Specialist
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 827-1638
Email: cristy.hendren@vcuhealth.org
Angela Hernandez
CT Financial Analyst
Angela Hernandez
CT Financial Analyst
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-3441
Cindy Kinney
Senior Research Administrator
Cindy Kinney
Senior Research Administrator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-4513
Email: cindy.kinney@vcuhealth.org
Kate Leonard, MA, CRA
Research Administrator
Kate Leonard, MA, CRA
Research Administrator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-1088
Kaye Mangus, MBA, CRA
Research Administrator
Kaye Mangus, MBA, CRA
Research Administrator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-4159
Email: kaye.mangus@vcuhealth.org
Sara Moggio
Business Manager
Sara Moggio
Business Manager
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 828-5155
Email: Sara.Moggio@vcuhealth.org
Chuck Redden
Business Manager
Chuck Redden
Business Manager
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 827-0510
Email: charles.redden@vcuhealth.org
Letitia Rivers, CCRP, OnCore Certified
Protocol and Regulatory Coordinator
Letitia Rivers, CCRP, OnCore Certified
Protocol and Regulatory Coordinator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-3272
Email: letitia.rivers@vcuhealth.org
Eric Szandzik
CT Financial Analyst
Eric Szandzik
CT Financial Analyst
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 827-0633
Email: Eric.Szandzik@vcuhealth.org
John Thrift
Senior Clinical Research Analyst
John Thrift
Senior Clinical Research Analyst
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 628-4769
Email: john.thrift@vcuhealth.org
Julie Tremblay
Research Administrator
Julie Tremblay
Research Administrator
Office of Research Administration
Phone: (804) 828-5937
Email: julie.tremblay@vcuhealth.org