Research Support & Development Faculty Physician-Scientist Collective Physician-Scientist Pathways Certificate Clinical Trialist Training Program Physician-Scientist Training Program NIH Resubmission Program Incentive Programs & Pilot Programs Residents & Fellows Postdocs & Career Scientists NIH Boot Camp Graduate & Medical Students Undergraduates Grant & Funding Services Guidance, Training & Resources Active Training Grants Funding Opportunities NIH Resources Timeline of Funding and Training Opportunities UCI Health Data Research Resources Webinars & Recordings Guidance for Proposal Submissions Biostatistical Resources NIH K and F Submissions Guide Training Grant Support FAQ Contact Us Contact Us Office of Research — Research Support & Development Home Research Office of Research Office of Research: Research Support & Development Office of Research: Research Support & Development > Contact Us General Inquiries For all inquiries, please contact the School of Medicine Research Development Unit (RDU) by sending an email to somrd@hs.uci.edu. Email Us Administrative Team Mary Frances Ypma-Wong, PhD — Director, Research Development Unit Mary Frances and her team work with School of Medicine researchers pursuing basic, translational and clinical research, helping them develop a strategic approach and submit competitive proposals. The RDU also supports the UC Irvine NIH Boot Camp and several physician-scientist training programs. Mary Frances earned a PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics with an emphasis in virology and fungal genetics. Her professional experience includes basic laboratory research, teaching a wide range of college-level biology courses, academic administration and project development. Kristine Thai, CRA — Research Development Program Coordinator Kristine manages strategic initiatives that advance the School of Medicine's research enterprise, including school-wide funding analytics, complex federal grant applications, physician-scientist career development, and faculty education and outreach. As a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) with over 10 years of expertise, she supports the school's research infrastructure and faculty development. Lina Swartzendruber, MA — Research Development Analyst Lina supports numerous School of Medicine grant development activities. Her work includes assisting with proposal preparation, creating and organizing grant resources, and contributing to efforts and programs that enhance the quality and competitiveness of funding applications. She also specializes in providing guidance to graduate students as they optimize their fellowship applications. Sadaf E. Pustchi, PhD — Research Development Analyst Sadaf partners with faculty to strengthen the competitiveness of grant applications by coordinating proposal development efforts, conducting funding analyses and supporting strategic research initiatives. Sadaf earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on cancer cell biology and biomarker development. Her professional background includes leadership roles in biotechnology and translational diagnostics, where she directed assay development, validation studies and regulatory-aligned research initiatives.