COVID-19 Information and Updates for Bioscience Postdocs

COVID-19 Information and Updates for Bioscience Postdocs

Postdoc and PhD Research Trainees

  • In accordance with new guidance from the UCLA Vice Chancellor for Research, we are ramping down research activities that will not cause irreparable harm to the research project and minimizing in-lab activities. For details, click here.
  • In context of this directive, the guiding principle of the following guidelines is to follow the public health imperatives needed to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 while keeping trainees (graduate students and postdocs) actively engaged in the research process. Note that trainees (including graduate students and postdoctoral scholars) are not mandated to serve as essential personnel. The decision to report to campus lies with the trainee, not their research mentor.
  • The Dean’s Office, joined by an infectious disease expert, hosted a virtual town hall for the research community on March 18. Watch the recorded session and Q&As.
  • If you have specific concerns or questions related to your training situation or program requirements, please reach out to your mentor. If your mentor is unavailable or you need to escalate above your mentor, please contact Greg Payne or Lynn Talton.

Guidelines for remote research and training activities

  • Both UC Path and Graduate Division are fully functional and processing payments as usual now and it is expected this will continue in the future.
  • Undergraduate students should not be in the lab but should engage remotely.
  • For graduate students and postdocs, productive remote activities could include fellowship/grant proposals, manuscript preparation, performing data analysis, catching up with the literature, writing a review article, preparing for thesis committee meetings and exams, learning programming or new computational methods (Collaboratory workshops).
  • Lab meetings and journal clubs should be moved to a virtual format.
  • For graduate student thesis committee meetings, the goal should be to maintain progress towards degree.
    1. Graduate Council has relaxed the policy for remote participation.
    2. Thesis Defense, Oral Qualifying Exam and annual committee meetings should be arranged as completely virtual meetings at the normal time rather than delaying until an in-person meeting is possible. Ramping down of research activities provides additional time to prepare for these meetings with the thesis committee.
  • First year students doing rotations should engage with the lab they have selected for their 3rd rotation.
    1. Rotation students should not be involved in any in-lab activities but should contact their rotation adviser to develop a plan to work remotely.
    2. Specific activities for rotation students could include writing a research proposal based on research topics in the lab (F31 or NSF format), reporting on current literature relevant to lab research, writing a review article, analyzing data from lab, using preliminary data from the lab to prepare a report in the form of a manuscript.
    3. During the rotation, students should be in regular contact with the rotation adviser and if appropriate a direct supervisor.
    4. Rotation students should also participate remotely in lab meetings and journal clubs, and meet other lab members to learn about projects in the lab.
    5. Depending on the pandemic situation, if in-lab research becomes possible during the Spring quarter or in the summer, GPB will provide student funding to allow a rotation student to continue in the lab for a period to be determined, likely between 5 and 10 weeks.
  • As we move forward, contact your mentor, department leadership, Greg Payne or Lynn Talton if you have questions or issues.

General Updates from the School of Medicine

  • We have implemented a provisional emergency telecommuting protocol. Students, trainees, staff and faculty have been directed to work/study remotely to the extent operationally feasible.
  • Educational content is being delivered remotely.
  • All nonessential university-related international and domestic travel is suspended for staff and faculty.
  • All nonessential events of any size are suspended through the end of spring quarter.
  • We are ramping down research activities that will not cause irreparable harm to the research project and minimizing in-lab activities.
  • For clinical research, the policy on human research visits at UCLA campuses has been updated to limit/suspend in-person research visits (specifics online).

Access to DGSOM buildings

  • Effective Wednesday, March 18: perimeter doors of DGSOM buildings – including Geffen Hall and the entire CHS complex, Reed, Gonda, MRL, NRB, BSRB/OHRC, Factor, and Ueberroth – will require badge entry until further notice.
    • If you already have after-hours access, you will be able to enter the buildings using your BruinCard/UCLA Health ID badge. If you do not already have after-hours access and you will continue to require access to our buildings, please contact DGSOMBuildOps@mednet.ucla.edu.
    • If you have any additional questions, please email Erin Quinn, Director, DGSOM Safety.

Wellness

Recommendations from the Healthy Campus Initiative and AVP Wendelin Slusser

    • Take care of your body. Eating healthy meals, exercising, getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, and limiting your alcohol consumption can help your immune system. Even while maintaining a safe distance from other people, you can still go outside! Regular exercise can reduce anxiety. Just be sure to protect yourself and others by following these guidelines for managing anxiety and stress.
    • Learn and share. Learn best practices from trusted resources on how to limit your exposure to, and the spread of, COVID-19, and share that information with others. UCLA is providing information relevant to our specific roles as students, faculty and staff. The WHO website details actions for health care workers, team leaders, caretakers of children, older adults and people in isolation. The CDC website lists common warning signs of emotional stress responses (including problems with sleep and concentration, and increased drug or alcohol use) and some ideas for how to cope.
    • Do things that give you purpose and meaning. Helping others is a gift, and it is good for your own well-being. Many in our community are more vulnerable to the impact of the novel coronavirus. You can help others by offering reassurance and emotional support, for instance.
    • Take care of basic needs (including food security). The CPO Food Closet is open today through Thursday, March 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Friday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The food closet will open again on Monday, March 23, and on Tuesday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but will close for the remainder of Spring Break. These hours are subject to change, so please check the CPO Facebook page for up-to-date hours of operation. Lastly, the Economic Crisis Response Team will have its meal voucher program distribution four times during finals week. Please see the team’s most up-to-date meal voucher distribution schedule (PDF) for times and locations.
    • Take care of your mind. Constant searching, scrolling or consumption of coronavirus news will only make us feel more afraid and powerless. Take breaks from media coverage and use UCLA’s COVID-19 website and Bruins Safe Online for updates rather than checking unreliable sites. For many of us, maintaining routines will help keep us positive, balanced and mentally well.
    • Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Reach out to others and offer support, empathy, information and, if possible, tangible help. Stay connected using technology such as video chat, Zoom group calls, and cellphone texting and conversations. Personal relationships are crucial in maintaining perspective and elevating mood.
    • Increase your feel-good activities. Whether it’s mindfulness, talking to your friends and family members, going for walks, taking part in sports, journaling, or watching Netflix, now is the time to increase positive experiences in your daily schedule. For a quick stress reliever, UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center offers free guided meditations in English and Spanish.
    • Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Let’s work together to address xenophobic sentiments that perpetuate stigma toward people from the countries most affected by COVID-19. Members of our community are experiencing additional fear right now because of the increased suspicion and racism from others who wrongly attach COVID-19 to an ethnicity or nationality. Language like COVID-19 “victims” or “the diseased” is stigmatizing and harmful. Instead, we can say “people who are being treated for or recovering from COVID-19.”
    • Pay attention to how you’re feeling. Fear, worry and dread are normal reactions during this unprecedented time. People who have pre-existing mental health concerns are more vulnerable and face a higher risk of worsening mental health as the virus spreads. If you have a history of mental health concerns, form a plan such as how to access health workers, counselors and prescriptions. Resources for students are available at Counseling & Psychological Services and for staff at the Staff and Faculty Counseling Center.

    We also recommend the World Health Organization (PDF) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites, resources that offer trusted information about mental health considerations.

For daily reliable updates on UCLA's response to COVID-19, visit

DGSOM’s Coronavirus Information Website and UCLA Campus’ Bruins Safe Online