CCInfo: Electronic news bulletin of The Cochrane Collaboration 30 October 2008 Contents: A. Cochrane Opportunities Fund B. Strategic Review update C. Cochrane Schizophrenia Group moved D. Invitation to submit reviews for co-publication E. New Cochrane entity newsletters F. 7th Canadian Cochrane Symposium – last call for abstracts G. Nominations for the SCT/ImpACT Clinical Trial of the Year H. PhD Studentship available – Oral Health I. Job ad – Systematic reviewer EPOC J. Job ad – Senior statistician K. Job ad - Statistician L. Next Issue of CCInfo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A. Sender: Lucie Jones [LJones@cochrane.org] Subject: Cochrane Opportunities Fund Following its meeting in Freiburg in October 2008, the Steering Group (CCSG) is happy to announce that the Opportunities Fund will be opened for a third round in 2009. The CCSG is currently finalising the requirements for proposals, and will release guidelines and a deadline for applications in due course, but intends to keep the Fund true to its original aim of favouring proposals that address the Collaboration's Strategic Plan (http://www.cochrane.org/admin/stratplan.htm). Should you be considering submitting an application to the Opportunities Fund and have any questions, please contact Lucie Jones (ljones@cochrane.org; Tel: +44 (0)1865 310138) at the Secretariat. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX B. Sender: Lucie Jones [LJones@cochrane.org] Subject: Strategic Review update On behalf of the Strategic Review team: Welcome back from Freiburg! A huge thanks to all those who contributed to the Strategic Review at the Colloquium by attending our booth at the Konzerthaus, participating in Jeremy Grimshaw's presentations at the various meetings, and completing the comment and voting cards that were circulated. Visit 'WHAT'S NEW WITH THE REVIEW' at the Review's website http://www.cochrane.org/ccsg/review to read about our findings at Freiburg. If you didn't have time to contribute at the Colloquium, or you were not able to attend, you still have time to participate in the Strategic Review by emailing ccreview@ottawa.ca with your ideas, or visiting the website to download some 'takeaway questions'. You can also complete our online survey at www3.cochrane.org/surveys/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=n4LJ9nm. We look forward to your input! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX C. Sender: Bethany York [Bethany.York@nottingham.ac.uk] Subject: Cochrane Schizophrenia Group moved Please note that the editorial base of the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group has moved. Our new contact details are: Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Gateway Building University of Nottingham Innovation Park Triumph Road Nottingham NG7 2TU Phone: +44 115 82 31286 Email: Bethany.York@nottingham.ac.uk Website: http://szg.cochrane.org/en/index.html XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX D. Sender: MaryEllen Schaafsma [mschaafs@uottawa.ca] Subject: Invitation to submit reviews for co-publication The Canadian Cochrane Network and Centre has reached a co-publishing agreement with the Canadian Medical Association Journal for shortened versions of Cochrane reviews. CMAJ is accepting submissions of versions of Cochrane Reviews for simultaneous publication with the release of each issue of the Cochrane Library. These versions should be about 3000 words and will give full reference to the original review published in The Cochrane Library. We encourage authors from all Review Groups to submit reviews of interest to general practitioners for consideration for publication. Please contact Paul Hebert, Editor in Chief, CMAJ or Jeremy Grimshaw, Director CCNC with the topic and timelines for your review. www.cmaj.ca XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX E. Sender: Cheryl Arratoon [cochrane@uottawa.ca] Subject: New Cochrane entity newsletters We invite you to read the latest issues of the following entity newsletters, now posted on cochrane.org: Acute Respiratory Infections Review Group http://www.cochrane.org/newslett/AcuteRespiratorySep2008.pdf Lung Cancer Review Group http://www.cochrane.org/newslett/LungCancerRGOct2008.pdf Oral Health Review Group http://www.cochrane.org/newslett/OralHealthRGOct2008.pdf XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX F. Sender: Lisa McGovern [lmcgover@uottawa.ca] Subject: 7th Canadian Cochrane Symposium – last call for abstracts Event: 7th Canadian Cochrane Symposium Wave to the Future - Navigating the health connection among systematic reviews, policies and practices Host: Nova Scotia Research Foundation Date: 11-12 March 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Details: Pre-symposium workshops include author training, RevMan 5 and consumer training. The deadline for abstracts (English or French) has been extended to 12:00 a.m. Atlantic Time November 3, 2008. Please note that those whose abstracts that are accepted are required to register and pay for the conference. There is no financial assistance available for registration, travel or any other costs associated with attending or presenting. However, stipends will be available to support the attendance of consumers from patient groups. Contact: Please visit www.wavetothefuture.ca. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX G. Sender: Dave Sackett [sackett@bmts.com] Subject: Nominations for the SCT/ImpACT Clinical Trial of the Year The Society for Clinical Trials welcomes nominations for the SCT/ImpACT Clinical Trial of the Year. The award will be presented (during our 2009 annual meeting) to an outstanding trial presented/published in 2008. Nominations are now open for any trial from any country that fulfills some or all of the following standards: • It improves the lot of mankind. • It provides the basis for a substantial, beneficial change in health care. • It reflects expertise in subject matter, excellence in methodology, and concern for study participants. • It overcomes obstacles in implementation. • The presentation of its design, execution, and results is a model of clarity and intellectual soundness. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2009. Please go to the Society's web site and complete a nomination form, or (if that site is still under construction) send your nomination, literature citation, trial summary, and message of support to the selection committee C/o Dave Sackett: sackett@bmts.com XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX H. Sender: Philip Riley [Philip.Riley-2@manchester.ac.uk] Subject: PhD Studentship available – Oral Health The School of Dentistry, University of Manchester, invites applications for a prestigious PhD studentship commencing in October 2009. Funding will provide full support for the UK/EU tuition fee and a tax-free annual stipend of £13, 290. An investigation of the effectiveness of interventions to treat temporomandibular disorder in adults The successful candidate will work with existing Cochrane review authors to develop a framework for undertaking systematic reviews on the treatment of TMD. Existing reviews and protocols will be restructured according to the framework. Application deadline: Friday 28 November 2008. Application details: www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/funding/facultystudentships/ Contact: Dr Tanya Walsh at tanya.walsh@manchester.ac.uk Website: http://www.dentistry.manchester.ac.uk/ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX I. Sender: Nicola McDowell [NMcDowell@cochrane.co.uk] Subject: Job ad – Systematic Reviewer EPOC Position: Systematic Reviewer Organisation: NIHR EPOC Cochrane Programme, Newcastle University Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Application deadline: 7 November 2008 Website: Full details regarding this post and how to apply can be found at: www.jobs.ac.uk/jobs/JT051/Research_Associate/. Please quote reference number A219R(IHS). XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX J. Sender: Jayne Tierney [jt@ctu.mrc.ac.uk] Subject: Job ad – Senior Statistician Position: Senior Medical Statistician, Meta-analysis Methodology Organisation: MRC Clinical Trials Unit Location: London, Euston Road Application deadline: 24 November 2008 Details: The MRC Clinical Trials Unit recently became host to the London Hub for Trials Methodology Research. This is part of a national network of seven Hubs established by the MRC to develop new and improved methods to design, conduct and analyse clinical trials (and related studies). This is an opportunity for an experienced medical statistician arising from this new development. We are looking for an individual who will lead methodology research projects relating to systematic reviews and meta-analysis and their research will benefit from access to individual patient data. They will also be encouraged to develop their own research interests relevant to the work of the Unit and will give support and advice on systematic review and meta-analysis methodology. Contact: Jayne Tierney at j.tierney@ctu.mrc.ac.uk. Website: For the full job description, person specification and to apply online, visit http://jobs.mrc.ac.uk using reference CTU08/616. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX K. Sender: Jayne Tierney [jt@ctu.mrc.ac.uk] Subject: Job ad - Statistician Position: Medical Statistician, Clinical Trials Methodology Organisation: MRC Clinical Trials Unit Location: London, Euston Road Application deadline: 24 November 2008 Details: The MRC Clinical Trials Unit recently became host to the London Hub for Trials Methodology Research. This is part of a national network of seven Hubs established by the MRC to develop new and improved methods to design, conduct and analyse clinical trials (and related studies). This is an opportunity for an experienced medical statistician arising from this new development. We are looking for an individual who will support and perform methodological research relating to the design and analysis of clinical trials, with a strong interest in implementing new statistical methods in a computer package (STATA). They will also act as a resource for the CTU in statistical methodology related to trials, and be encouraged to develop their own research interests relevant to the work of the Unit. Contact: Patrick Royston at p.royston@ctu.mrc.ac.uk. Website: For the full job description, person specification and to apply online, visit http://jobs.mrc.ac.uk using reference CTU08/615. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX L. Sender: Cheryl Arratoon [cochrane@uottawa.ca] Subject: Next Issue of CCInfo The next issue of CCInfo will be published 13 November 2008. Please submit your items to cochrane@uottawa.ca and include "CCInfo" in the subject line. Unless you request otherwise, your submissions to the CCInfo may be duplicated in other regular Cochrane Collaboration news channels such as Cochrane News and the Cochrane Collaboration web site, at the discretion of the editors. Best regards, Cheryl Arratoon Knowledge Broker Canadian Cochrane Network and Centre 1 Stewart St, 2nd Floor Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5 Email: cochrane@uottawa.ca Web: www.ccnc.cochrane.org XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX To subscribe to or unsubscribe from the CCInfo list, please go to http://lists.cochrane.org/mailman/listinfo/ccinfo, or contact the Editor at cochrane@uottawa.ca.