MICHR Letter of Support template detailing resources for trainees and mentors
Complete template and email to MICHRLetter@umich.edu; a signed PDF on letterhead will be returned via
email within 7 business days
Please call the MICHR Research Navigator at 998-7474 with any questions or concerns
Date
[Addressee’s full campus address]
Dear [preferred form of address]As Director of the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) and Associate Dean for Clinical
and Translational Research in the Medical School, it gives me great pleasure to write this letter of support for
[project title]. This project… [brief project description]. I believe MICHR is an important component of the
excellent research environment here at the University of Michigan (U-M), which will foster the success of your
endeavors. In addition to services such as regulatory support, biostatistical analysis, outpatient and mobile
nursing services, specimen storage and analysis in our biorepository, and biomedical informatics, MICHR
houses a robust Education and Mentoring Program and Pilot Grant Program. This provides myriad resources
for trainees, early career faculty, and mentors.
For faculty, fellows, students, and staff conducting research, MICHR offers a broad array of workshops and
webinars focusing on career development topics, team science, regulatory issues, responsible conduct of
research, grant writing and the grant review process, and more. For example, Navigating the Regulatory
Environment at U-M is a short series of online video modules introducing early- and mid-career faculty new to
U-M to crucial partners in the research process. To meet the responsible conduct of research requirement
established by the National Institutes of Health, MICHR has also created a workshop series, RCR4K, that
provides 8 hours of face-to-face, project-based RCR education. The Research Basics for Study Coordinators
workshop series introduces new research staff to the fundamentals of study development and clinical research
language and culture, good clinical practice, recruitment and retention, and informed consent.
For faculty and staff interested in intensive research training programs, two options are available. First, MICHR
offers the Practice-Oriented Research Training (PORT) program, a combination of didactic and experiential
education on research methods. Using a team-based learning approach, the PORT program teaches the
fundamental skills of research design, grant preparation, research conduct, and dissemination of results.
Second, in partnership with the Program in Biomedical Sciences, MICHR supports the Translational Research
Education Certificate (TREC) Program, a 12 credit hour graduate certificate designed for basic scientists that
provides an overview of concepts in translational science. Faculty and staff may request permission to enroll in
or audit any of the courses, particularly in the gateway course and journal club course. Students may be
interested in MICHR’s Summer Immersion Program in Clinical Research and Health Disparities, a 10-week
hands-on learning experience. In addition, students in professional degree programs may also explore the
Master of Science in Clinical Research, a one-year program housed in the School of Public Health.
For postdoctoral investigators, our Postdoctoral Translational Scholars Program (PTSP) is a competitive,
multidisciplinary career development award designed to prepare individuals with a PhD in a biomedical science
or social science discipline for independent careers in translational research. The PTSP accomplishes this by
selecting 10 scholars each year to conduct a two-year immersion in a clinical research setting, preparing them
to bridge the worlds of basic and clinical science. PSTP could provide an ideal fit for PhD-trained candidates
seeking to contribute to translational research.
For early career faculty, our Mentored Clinical Scientists Career Development (MICHR K) award is a
competitive two-year award to provide protected time for a clinician scientist to focus on conducting clinical
research and is supported by a combination of funds from MICHR and the candidate's base department. This
program is an excellent vehicle for junior faculty and promising emerging trainees to solidify their knowledge
base and track record for a productive academic career in clinical and translational research.
In support of mentoring, MICHR offers a variety of resources, including a mentor-mentee agreement intended
to provide a framework for career development, talks and workshops focusing on mentoring, and an annual
Distinguished Mentor Award. Mentoring is an integral component of all MICHR programs.
Finally, MICHR houses a robust Pilot Grant Program, which can be a crucial source of research support and
career advancement for trainees. The program has awarded more than $17 million since its inception in 2006,
in conjunction with more than 100 partnering departments, colleges, schools, and centers. Approximately 30
grants are funded each year, ranging from $5,000 to $75,000 per award. The program has been very
successful, issuing more than 400 awards and leading to more than $114 million in external funding. The
program is aimed particularly at junior faculty and includes a detailed and supportive review process. To further
help faculty succeed in building their research careers, MICHR offers a Research Development Core (RDC),
providing free consultations on study design, biostatistics, and research directions. RDC also offers grant
editing assistance.
I believe our rich educational offerings are a demonstration of the overall commitment of U-M to build a thriving
clinical and translational research enterprise. MICHR is a crucial component of the infrastructure and
environment in which proposals such as yours can succeed. Congratulations on your exciting proposal, and I
wish you much success with the application. All of us here at MICHR look forward to working with you in the
coming years.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Shanley, M.D.
Ferrantino Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases
Director, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research
Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research, Medical School