TRANSCEND

Welcome to the Translational Science Engaging North Dakota program.

What is TRANSCEND? 

The goal of TRANSCEND is to bring together researchers and clinicians with diverse experience from across the region to develop unique and innovative means of combating disease and other health issues in North Dakota.

We believe advances in disease treatment will come from broad approaches by collective groups of clinical and basic researchers who are focused on conducting clinical/translational research.

TRANSCEND is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 1P20GM155890-02.

For more information, reach out to transcend@und.edu.

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TRANSCEND News

 

New Getting Started Page

There is a new TRANSCEND Getting Started page under the Health Research Core dropdown. It includes a For Your Information Sections, a Frequently Asked Questions section, and a section with a variety of informational videos. 

Getting Started Page

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Power Analysis Made Manageable (July 21, 2026)

Dr. Mark Williamson presented Power Analysis Made Manageable. In this virtual talk, he explained the importance of power analysis, described the information needed for a power analysis, walked through a power analysis for several common statistical designs, and developed strategies for more complicated statistical designs.

DIDACTIC TRAINING VIDEO 14

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Year 3 Grant Request for Applications

The Translational Science Engaging North Dakota (TRANSCEND) Health Research Core is soliciting applications for Pilot Projects and Developmental Projects. The Pilot Projects Grant is intended to provide support to allow researchers to pursue novel hypotheses. We anticipate supporting 4-5 new Pilot Project awards at an amount of $75,000 total costs (direct + indirect) for one year with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027. The Developmental Projects Grant is intended for projects with existing significant preliminary data in support of a novel hypothesis. Specifically, Developmental Projects are targeted toward current and prior Pilot Grant awardees and toward individuals who may already have significant pilot data. We anticipate supporting 1-2 new Developmental Projects awards at an amount of $100,000 total costs (direct + indirect) per year, for two years, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2027.

Application Documents:

• Pilot Projects
• Developmental Projects

Information Session:

TRANSCEND RFA 2026 Info Session

Due Dates:

• Letter of Intent due: June 19, 2026
• Selected preliminary applications due: August 21, 2026
• Revised application SPA approval due: November 20, 2026
• Final submission to NIH: January 15, 2027
• Anticipated award start date: July 1, 2027

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Mental Health in Rural America (June 23, 2026)

Dr. Stephen Wonderlich presented Mental Health in Rural America. In this virtual talk, he provided participants with an overview of mental health and mental disorder concepts and examples. The session also examined data on mental disorders in our region and considered challenges in the pursuit of mental health promotion.

DIDACTIC TRAINING VIDEO 13

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2026 Annual TRANSCEND Symposium

Overview:

The Translational Science Engaging North Dakota (TRANSCEND) symposium took place on Wednesday, May 20th at the Memorial Union of North Dakota State University. See more details at the symposium page.

Schedule:

(includes links to video recordings)

 

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Oral Medications Prescribed for Flea and Tick Control in Dogs Have Potential to Augment Malaria Control (TRANSCEND Seminar Series)

The fourth TRANSCEND Seminar Series, recorded on March 19th, 2026, featuring Dr. Jefferson Vaughan. In this talk, he presented a potential translational project to combating malaria and dengue in humans.

SEMINAR SERIES VIDEO #4

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Identifying Legitimate Research Journals and Key Considerations Before Submission (March 10, 2026)

Sara Westall and Sandi Bates presented a session designed to help investigators recognize the common characteristics and warning signs of predatory journals, including misleading claims, lack of peer review, and aggressive solicitation practices. They also taught how to evaluate journal credibility by researching editorial board members, publication policies, and indexing status in reputable databases.

DIDACTIC TRAINING VIDEO 12

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Writing Scientific Grants (February 10, 2026)

Dr. Lee Baugh presented Writing Scientific Grants, a session focused on understanding the key components of a translational science grant, including Specific Aims, Significance, Innovation, and Approach. Dr. Baugh shared strategies for developing a clear and compelling translational research narrative and aligning grant proposals with funding priorities and reviewer expectations. The session also covered incorporating strong study design, methodological rigor, and team science, as well as how to effectively communicate innovation, feasibility, and impact.

DIDACTIC TRAINING VIDEO 11

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Effective Scientific Writing (January 13, 2026)

Dr. Daniel Kenzie presented Effective Scientific Writing, a session focused on using and adapting the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) structure for research manuscripts, identifying effective writing and editing strategies, identifying the uses and pitfalls of artificial intelligence tools, and strategizing how to write for specific journals.

DIDACTIC TRAINING VIDEO 10

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TRANSCEND Resources

Enroll in the Pathfinder Web Portal to Find Collaborators

Our Partners

• University of North Dakota
• North Dakota State University
• Sanford Health

What is Clinical Translational Research?

Clinical/translational research (CTR) focuses on translating findings from basic research into clinical applications with the overall goal of improving the health of the community.

Types of Translational Research