pilot grant program

The Pilot Grant Program is a program fully integrated within the CTSA that will strategically match CTSA Pilot Grant resources, new technologies and emerging methods with projects and investigators of extraordinary potential, and then assist the investigators to maximize the impact of their research and the impact of our Pilot Grant resources.

Effective translational and clinical research requires collaborations amongst multiple disciplines. The scope of such translational and clinical studies is large. Hence, a mechanism that will allow the rapid acquisition of proof-of-principle data to proceed with full-scale investigations is necessary. However, the very nature of such a mechanism poses challenges. Traditionally, pilot funds are limited in both amount and duration. Furthermore, these studies often involve human subjects or human tissues, and so the time to obtain IRB approval can be equal to or longer than the duration of funding. The overall goal of this Pilot Grants Program, therefore, is to function within the CTSA to facilitate pilot and collaborative studies on new research methodologies and new technologies, which will in turn accelerate the process and progress in translational and clinical research based on the potential to positively impact the research enterprise in our institutions.

Leadership
Mission
  • To facilitate a broad array of innovative pilot multidisciplinary collaborative projects in translational and clinical investigation, with an emphasis on development or utilization of novel methodologies and advanced technologies
  • To ensure rapid peer review followed by efficient allocation of funds and rapid start-up of projects
  • To prioritize pilot projects that:
    • directly address the research agenda of the Research Methodologies and Technologies Program
    • develop or utilize new technologies and concepts
    • are multidisciplinary, involving at least two investigators from different fields
    • include translational and clinical research trainees
  • To provide mentorship for junior investigators through the period of pilot project funding to ensure the new investigators are well prepared for continued success in clinical and translational research; and
  • To define and track metrics of success that reflect the impact of this program, including faculty promotion and retention, papers, impact at the clinical level, new research/educational programs, manuscripts, national rankings, and extramural funding.
How we support Investigators
  • Provide input and advice early in the pilot project application preparation to assist in consideration of additional expertise, resources or technologies that might be considered;
  • Facilitate access to the translational technologies knowledge base for the spectrum of clinical and translational science including all types and sizes of studies in specialty areas
  • Contact faculty members who have expertise in other new technologies
  • Be a point of contact for partnerships with the medical device or pharmaceutical industry and potential interested regulatory agencies, foundations, and community physicians
How to Contact Us
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