Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core

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The primary goal of the Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) is to facilitate the development of innovative and rigorous research that will enhance our understanding of the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of multifactorial geriatric conditions (the focus of the Yale OAIC), leading ultimately to the development of efficacious and cost-effective interventions to increase or maintain the independence of older Americans. The Leader of the PESC, Dr. Albert Shaw, is nationally recognized for his research on aging of the human immune system. He holds a K24 award from the NIA focused on translational immunology, and he is PI of the Infectious Diseases T32 training grant at Yale. Since 2004, Dr. Shaw has also led the highly successful Biology of Aging seminar series and, as a result, he has an exceptional overview of aging research at Yale. Dr. Shaw will work closely with the Co-Leader of the PESC, Dr. Terri Fried, a leader in research on clinical decision-making in older adults with multiple conditions. The Specific Aims of the PESC are to: (1) solicit and select the most meritorious research proposals for pilot funding; (2) provide investigators of Pilot / Exploratory Studies (PESs) with access to resources from the Operations (RC1) and Biostatistics (RC2) Cores; (3) identify potential opportunities for collaboration among PESC investigators; (4) monitor the progress of PESs; (5) provide assistance so that the PESs can be successfully developed into independently funded grant applications; and (6) ensure the safety and protection of human subjects and vertebrate animals enrolled in PESs. In addition to traditional one-year PESs, we will continue an Expedited Pilot Program (EXPI), which will fund small grants capped at a maximum of $5000 that are awarded within 4 weeks of application. These grants are intended for research activities in which a rapid infusion of a relatively small amount of funds will facilitate a successful extramural grant application. PESs and EXPI awards will take full advantage of the resources and expertise available from the OAIC’s two Resource Cores. Priority for PESC funding will be given to junior investigators as well as to accomplished mid-career and senior investigators who wish to redirect or expand their research to the study of multifactorial geriatric conditions. By facilitating access to the OAIC research infrastructure, these mechanisms will continue to foster the development of external grants that will advance our understanding of multifactorial geriatric conditions. During the current funding cycle, the PESC invested $625,000 (total costs) that has resulted, to date, in 31 publications and $13.5 million in extramural funding (total costs) to OAIC investigators. During Year 1 of the next cycle, three new PESs will be supported from junior and senior investigators: PES-1—Molecular Underpinnings of Social Disparities (PI, Morgan Levine, Ph.D.); PES-2—Dissecting the Mechanisms of Viral Susceptibility in Older Adults (PI, Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D.); and PES-3—Infections and Microglial Barrier Disruption: Consequences for Post-Delirium Cognitive Decline (PI, Jaime Grutzendler, M.D., Ph.D.).