Session 2: Practical AI Tools for Medical Researchers: No-Code to Pro-Code
2025-09-15 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Presenters: Peter Leese, MSPH & Josh Fuchs, PhD
Date and Time: September 15, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Zoom Registration: https://go.unc.edu/AI-Tools
This session will introduce a variety of practical AI tools utilized in research, ranging from non-technical ChatGPT-like interfaces to advanced coding support.

Navigating RFPs with Confidence: Best Practices and Pitfalls at UNC (A Post-NCURA Webinar Discussion for SOM Research Administrators)
2025-09-18 16:30 - 17:00
UNC Zoom Registration (4:30-5 pm): https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aqg6bHRqSta6KQBv21Y8qA
NCURA Webinar Registration (2-3:30 pm): https://onlinelearning.ncura.edu/p/250918RFPXL

Lessons Learned, Readiness Earned: Audits A Post NCURA Webinar Presentation for SOM Research Administrators
2025-09-29 16:30 - 17:00
UNC Webinar Registration (4:30-5 pm): https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mDigMZHSSKSlaGxixShz4Q
NCURA Webinar Registration (2-3:30 pm); https://onlinelearning.ncura.edu/p/250929auditsXL

Research Compliance at UNC: From Proposal to Closeout (A Post NCURA Webinar Presentation for SOM Research Administrators)
2025-10-15 14:00 - 14:30
Wednesday, October 15th – UNC Webinar Registration (2:00 – 2:30 pm ET):https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bwLHlStvTgaWN7u3pkjNIw
Tuesday, October 14th – NCURA Webinar Registration (2-3:30 pm ET): https://onlinelearning.ncura.edu/p/251014ResearchComplianceXL

UNC School of Medicine Research Week
2025-10-20 08:00 - 2025-10-24 17:00

School of Medicine Art in Science Competition Winners Display
2025-10-20 08:00 - 2025-10-24 17:00
From 10/20 through 10/24, images submitted by this year’s winners of the School of Medicine Art in Science Competition will be on display in the first floor lobby of Bondurant Hall.

Hettleman Talks
2025-10-20 12:00 - 13:00
Enjoy presentations by this year’s recipients of the Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Scholarly Achievement. The talks will provide an engaging look into these distinguished early career scholars’ work. The late Phillip Hettleman, a member of the Carolina class of 1921, and his wife Ruth established their prestigious named award in 1986 to recognize the achievements of outstanding junior faculty.
2025 Hettleman Winners
Sarah Cohen, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
Cohen is creating a better understanding of brain health by studying the interactions of organelles — subcellular structures like nuclei and mitochondria that perform specific jobs in cells. Her work focuses on organelle dynamics and fatty acid trafficking in and between cells, particularly in the context of the central nervous system.
Her lab uses cutting-edge multispectral imaging and computational tools to visualize and quantify these interactions in real time, revealing how disruptions in lipid trafficking contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. To do this work, Cohen and her team developed a versatile fluorescent toolkit that allows researchers to visualize dynamic membrane contact sites between organelles. These tools have been widely adopted by labs around the world, accelerating discoveries in cell biology.

Core Facility Technology Talks
2025-10-20 13:00 - 16:00
UNC Chapel Hill core facilities provide centralized access to expertise, technology, and instrumentation. New services and equipment are added every year. These technology talks, held during the 2025 UNC Research Week, will highlight some of the new capabilities of our core facilities- from AI analysis capabilities to mixed method study design to biomarker analysis, proteomics, to new RNA extraction techniques there is sure to be a talk here for you!

Hybrid Event:
In-Person: Mary Ellen Jones 3112
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fw4h3C41TwWHdj4zt5jVzg#/registration

Jefferson-Pilot Fellowships in Academic Medicine and James W. Woods Junior Faculty Awards Seminar
2025-10-21 10:30 - 11:30
The Jefferson-Pilot Fellowships in Academic Medicine and James W. Woods Junior Faculty Awards are amongst the most prestigious awards given to School of Medicine junior faculty members. Both awards recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the recipients and bestow a monetary award that the awardees can use at their discretion to further their research programs.
The 2025-26 recipients of the Jefferson-Pilot Fellowships in Academic Medicine are Bianca Allison, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, and J. Justin Milner, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology.
The winners of the James W. Woods Junior Faculty Award are Matthew Vogt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology, and Leon Coleman, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology. This year’s winners are highly deserving of these awards.
Don’t miss a seminar honoring Drs. Allison, Milner, Vogt, and Coleman held on Tuesday, October 21 at 10:30 – 11:30 AM in MBRB G-202 during UNC Research Week! If you have any questions, please email Dr. Janelle Cross (Janelle_Cross@med.unc.edu).
Congratulations again to this year’s recipients!

Introducing BioSTAR
2025-10-22 10:30 - 12:00
Highlighting the work of the Office of Biomedical Science Training and Research (BioSTAR) supporting graduate and postdoctoral training in the School of Medicine. See our new logo, learn about our programs, meet the staff, and win prizes! This is an in-person event.
Roper Hall Room 1101

Research & Discovery Fair
2025-10-22 11:00 - 14:00
FPG Carolina Student Union, Great Hall The fair will feature over 25 research labs and projects, including three SOM-affiliated labs:
Closed Loop Engineering for Advanced Rehabilitation (CLEAR) Core, BME Applied Biomechanics Lab, and the Frohlich Lab.
Research & Discovery Fair – University Research Week

Session 3: From Keywords to Conclusions: AI’s Role in Literature Reviews
2025-10-27 11:00 - 12:00
Presenters: Beth Moreton, MLS & Luke Barron, MSLS
Date and Time: October 27, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Zoom Registration: https://go.unc.edu/AI-HSL
This session will cover ethical considerations, practical caveats, and findings from the Health Science Library’s recent evaluation of generative AI tools like Elicit, Consensus, and Undermind. We will also explore tools for data analysis and visualization and discuss the application of AI in systematic reviews.

SHIRE 101: Introducing UNC’s New Platform for Data-Driven Clinical Research
2025-12-11 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for the fourth session in our AI in Research series as Emily Pfaff,
Paul Kovach, and JP Powers, present an in-depth look at SHIRE. As of
November 3, the Secure Health Informatics Research Environment
(SHIRE) will be the default environment for data-driven research using
UNC Health’s electronic health record data. In this webinar, we’ll
demonstrate everything you need to know to get started, from logging in
and finding your data, to starting analysis, to budgeting for your next
project. We’ll also touch on more advanced features, such as deploying
large language models to leverage AI tools in your research.

Register: https://go.unc.edu/SHIRE-webinar

Overview of 2026 NIH Requirements: Biosketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support
2026-01-12 11:30 - 12:30
Hosted by RAISE for SOM faculty and administrators.
Presented by Health Sciences Librarian, Katherine Howell.
Webinar Registration – Zoom

Informational Zoom Webinar: THE CLINICAL RESEARCH ALLIANCE AT UNC
2026-01-20 10:00 - 11:00
Join Dr. David Peden, Director & Chief Research Officer, and Michael Sledge, Vice President & Chief Business Officer, to discuss the UNC Clinical Research Alliance. The Clinical Research Alliance unites leading investigators, expert operations teams, and dedicated staff to drive innovative clinical research. Through collaboration across departments and disciplines, we provide the oversight, resources, and expertise needed for efficient, high-quality studies. Our mission: translate discovery into better care, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health in North Carolina and beyond.
Register at: https://go.unc.edu/CRA-webinar

Conversation Around Authorship Disputes
2026-02-16 12:00 - 13:00
“Conversation Around Authorship Disputes”
RAISE is excited to host Eric Everett, Director of Research Integrity, Ethics and Education in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research for a conversation around how to avoid and navigate authorship disputes at UNC.
Monday, February 16th from 12 PM-1 PM.
Register here
Contact Allison George with any questions
Please see the attached flyer.

Deerfield Town Hall
2026-02-26 12:30 - 13:30
Deerfield Town Hall
February 26, 2026
12:30 – 1:30 pm
MBRB G-202

In-person event only

10th Annual Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium Featuring Dr. Jennifer Doudna
2026-03-26 15:00 - 16:30 | Medical Biomolecular Research Building (MBRB) Room 2204, 111 Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
The 10th Annual UNC Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium is excited to feature Dr. Jennifer Doudna, the 2020 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, as this year’s distinguished speaker. Dr. Doudna is renowned for her groundbreaking work in characterizing and developing the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, a revolutionary technology transforming fields ranging from agriculture to medicine. She is currently a Distinguished HHMI Investigator at UC Berkeley, a director at the Innovative Genomics Institute, and a co-founder of Mammoth Biosciences, which develops CRISPR-based diagnostics and therapeutics.
The Oliver Smithies Nobel Laureate Symposium is an annual event which invites prominent Nobel Laureates to share their stories, groundbreaking work, and highlight the experiences and driving forces that led to their success. This year, Dr. Doudna will present her talk titled “CRISPR-powered gene editing for human and planet health.”
This event is free and open to the public!
Event Details:

Date: March 26th, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (Doors will open at 2:30 pm)
Location: UNC Medical Biomolecular Research Building (MBRB), Room 2204

This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the leading scientists of our time and learn about cutting-edge research that is shaping the future of healthcare and beyond. Join us for an inspiring lecture with Dr. Doudna as she shares her remarkable journey to the Nobel Prize! There will be a meet-and-greet to follow.
This event is proudly supported by: UNC School of Medicine, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, The American Society of Gene + Cell Therapy, UNC Chapel Hill’s Chapter of Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Honor Society, BioSTAR, Retired Faculty and Professionals Association, Carolina Seminars, and UNC Department of Chemistry.

For more information about the Oliver Smithies Nobel Symposium, please visit: https://go.unc.edu/Oliver-Smithies
