Pilot Grants Program

The Cardiorenal and Metabolic Disease Research Center (CMDRC) at UMMC offers pilot project grants through the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). These pilot grants are intended to assist new investigators in generating sufficient data to be competitive for extramural funding. A focus on obesity, cardiorenal or metabolic diseases is required. Please refer to the description of the overall program on the homepage.

Pilot grants will be awarded at $40,000 for 1 year with potential for renewal, depending on progress. Eligible applicants cannot currently be principal investigator or previously have been Principal Investigator on a P01 or R01 type NIH grant or an equivalent NSF grant.

Investigators who receive support through this program are expected to publish their pilot project research in a peer-reviewed journal and to submit a research proposal for extramural funding. Supported investigators will also be expected to participate in CMDRC meetings and research symposia and will have full access to CMDRC-supported research cores.

Each Pilot Grants awardee will have at least two mentors - one basic scientist and one clinical scientist. Center project investigators and mentors generally meet regularly to review research progress and discuss other issues related to career development. Research progress will also be assessed through multiple mechanisms including CMDRC research seminars and meetings with center investigators and internal and external advisory boards. Both the mentors and the pilot grant investigators will be required to submit (separately) a formative evaluation of the mentoring relationship and research progress to the center director 6 months after pilot grant is awarded. A final summative report of research findings and plans for submission of an application for extramural funding will be required 30 days following the end of the funding period.

Application forms and instructions are available at COBRE Pilot Grants Program containing links to the various forms that are needed to apply. 

IRB or IACUC approvals are required to submit a pilot grant application.