Recruitment is one of the most critical—and challenging—parts of research. Many studies struggle to meet enrollment goals, and understanding why can make all the difference. This session provides a foundational overview of recruitment, covering common challenges, barriers and facilitators, and the impact of participant perceptions on retention.

Attendees will also explore practical strategies to strengthen recruitment efforts, including active vs. passive methods, campus-specific resources, communication tactics, and ways to engage participants effectively. This session lays the groundwork for more advanced techniques covered in subsequent talks, including AI-assisted recruitment and audience-centered design.

Presenter:
Summer Choudhury, MPH
Program Manager, Recruitment & Retention Program
NC TraCS Institute

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The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

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This seminar is a 2-hour introduction to NIH and Foundation career development awards (CDAs). Learn how to read and interpret the instructions for a CDA, along with strategies for identifying mentors and developing your research and training plans. This session will cover both NIH CDAs and selected non-NIH examples, giving you a broad foundation to support your funding journey. Whether you're new to the CDA process or looking to sharpen your approach, this seminar offers valuable guidance to help you take the next step in your research career.

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Developing Data-Driven and Personalized Strategies to Improve Influenza Immunity Across the Lifespan

Influenza vaccination is our best defense against seasonal epidemics, yet vaccine effectiveness can dramatically vary between individuals. Age, exposure history, genetic background, and socio-environmental factors all shape immune responses, but current vaccine recommendations rarely account for this diversity. Using longitudinal serological and clinical data from thousands of individuals spanning infancy to old age, we apply computational modeling and causal inference to map how immunity evolves across the human lifespan. These analyses reveal modifiable drivers of vaccine response in distinct age groups and highlight strategies for personalized, adaptive vaccination. This work lays the groundwork for integrating individualized predictions into clinical practice and public health policy to improve influenza protection for all.

This seminar series is organized by the Multiscale Immune Systems Modeling (MISM) Center of Excellence, funded by NIAID/NIH (U54AI191253).

Speaker:
Tal Einav, PhD
The Bodman Family Assistant Professor
Laboratory for Computational Immunology
Center for Vaccine Innovation
La Jolla Institute for Immunology
University of California San Diego

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register