Pilot Funding

Pilot Funding

Mission

This program provides a mechanism for soliciting and awarding clinical, translational, and community engagement projects, from concept to competitiveness for external funding. The primary goal of the pilot funding mechanism is to increase the number of clinical and translational investigators who are positioned to secure extramural funded investigations.

Summary

The Pilot Grant Program encompasses: peer review; the mentoring of junior investigators; IRB/ACUC compliance; the development of novel concepts, approaches, and development of innovative methodologies; disclosures of intellectual property; new technology transfers; and access to resources and scientific expertise.

This program enhances our nationally competitive clinical and translational investigator base and establishes a wider breadth of clinical and translational research.

The program will provide RFAs to support clinical and translational pilot investigations to enhance research relevant to targeted health disparities. Pilot projects must align with issues relevant to health and health care disparities in West Virginia and Appalachia in support of the broader clinical and translational research themes.

Collaboration

The Pilot Grants Program supports preliminary investigations to nurture collaborative research partnerships and outreach programs. Completion of this will result in the development of intra- and interstate research partnerships to develop projects with the long-term potential of raising the health status of West Virginians/Appalachians.

Mentoring

The pilot program will help pair established basic scientists with young clinicians (as well as established clinicians who desire to engage in clinical research). Mentors will be incentivized through financial support and recognition during the promotion and tenure process to support this critical activity.