Letter from the President
Dear ACTS members,
It’s that time again! It’s time to both submit Translational Science session proposals (due September 14, 2026) and it’s time to begin drafting nominations for TS27 Awards (opening later this fall). Please consider how to leverage these proposals to highlight novel science and impactful members of our community.
As you may already know, SIGs are the primary venue through which ACTS members stay connected with the society. SIGS meet virtually throughout the year, culminating in an in person meeting at Translational Science. Note that it can be important to consider this when booking your travel for April; SIGS primarily meet the day before the opening keynote.
Our current SIGs can be joined from the ACTS Tradewing Community. Here’s a list for those who may be interested:
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD)
- Clinical Research Professional Taskforce (CRPT)
- Coaching Programs
- Evaluation
- Informatics
- Partners for the Advancement of Community Engaged Research (PACER)
- Regulatory Science
- Research Operations and Administration (ROA)
- Scholar
- Team Science Professionals (TSP)
- Translational & Integrative Engagement in Research (TIER)
- Training Research Education Administrators in Translational Science (TREATS)
In translational community,
Felicity T. Enders, PhD, MPH
ACTS Updates
Translational Science 2027 Call for Proposals Now Open
ACTS is now accepting your proposals for posters and scientific sessions at Translational Science 2027! Do you have ground breaking research or innovative ideas to share? Submit to be part of our educational programming next April. The portal for scientific session proposals closes on Monday, September 14, 2026. Submissions for poster abstracts will remain open until Monday, October 19, 2026. Visit our website for the full set of accepted topics and submission requirements.
Translational Science 2027 will be held in Washington, DC from April 20-23, 2027. Keep checking back here for more updates about the meeting, including registration, awards, and keynote speakers, as they become available!
Submit Your Proposal
NIH Seeking Input on Effective Approaches for Measuring and Rewarding Scientific Impact
NIH is seeking feedback from stakeholders to assist in defining specific, measurable indicators and incentives that reflect the collaborative, rigorous, and mission-driven nature of modern biomedical science.
NIH is particularly interested in comments that include specific examples of measurable indicators, implementation approaches, potential benefits or unintended consequences, and considerations for feasibility across career stages, disciplines, and institution types.
Comments must be received no later than August 19, 2026, and must be submitted through the online comment portal found here.
Questions about any of the above information may be sent to SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov
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Partner News
News from the Hill
With an eye toward the November elections, the House decided to adjourn a week early for the annual August congressional recess on July 24, but not before passing a series of partisan bills. Just ahead of leaving DC, the House opted to advance the annual National Defense Authorization Act, a third budget reconciliation framework focused on military spending and support for farmers, and a pre-emptive FY 2027 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (CR) to keep the government open and operating until December 4 (past the start of the fiscal year and the mid-term elections).
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"News from the Hill" briefings are generously provided by our advocacy partners from the Health and Medicine Counsel
Stories from our Members
UW study identifies genetic changes tied to more severe cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia
Schizophrenia affects approximately 23 million people worldwide, with onset usually occurring during a person’s late adolescence to their 20s. Impairments associated with schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking and behavior.
Now, researchers at the University of Washington are investigating how genetic changes impact the severity of schizophrenia symptoms. A new study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, supports the idea that deletions in genes that regulate early brain and neuron development are associated with more severe features of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, particularly lower cognitive abilities.
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OHSU study identifies link between caregiver-child relationship, ADHD symptoms
Research from Oregon Health & Science University’s Center for Mental Health Innovation provides new evidence that the way caregivers interact with children when they’re very young can protect against the negative effects of inflammation during pregnancy, including increased attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, symptoms in children.
Existing research has linked increased maternal inflammation during pregnancy - caused by factors like infection, impaired metabolic state, smoking and stress - with increased risk for ADHD in children. However, few studies have examined how the postnatal environment, including parenting approaches, may modify these prenatal effects.
Read More
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Engage with ACTS
Special Interest Groups
ACTS offers its members the opportunity to participate in Special Interest Groups (SIGs) related to the field of clinical research and translational science. SIGs connect individuals who share similar goals and interests, providing a channel to network and participate in knowledge and resource sharing among peers.
Career Center
We're excited to announce a quality of use upgrade for the ACTS Career Center! We have added a dual single sign on option for our Career Center. Your current membership login credentials now allow you to log directly into our Career Center. Try it out here.
Don't forget ACTS members get a 50% discount on job postings - just use code ACTSMEMBER to save!