Pilot Projects Program

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PILOT PROJECTS PROGRAM SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Cardiorenal and Metabolic Diseases Research Center (CMDRC) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) developed a highly successful Pilot Projects Program (PPP) during Phases 1 and 2 of COBRE support. Over the past 9 years, the CMDRC PPP has provided funding, mentoring, core services, and enhanced research infrastructure for 24 pilot grant investigators. The success of this program is highlighted by ~$26.92 million dollars in extramural funding obtained by previous PPP awardees as well as 459 papers published in leading journals in the field, 15 book chapters and 286 presentations at international and national meetings. To amplify the research base developed in Phases 1 and 2, the Phase 3 PPP will continue to support innovative research in the areas of cardiorenal and metabolic diseases. The PPP has four specific aims to achieve these goals: 1) To enhance the PPP developed during Phases 1 and 2, with continued emphasis on soliciting and identifying a diverse group of promising investigators whose research focuses on cardiorenal and metabolic diseases for mentoring and funding to expand the critical mass of extramurally funded CMDRC investigators; 2) To provide rigorous ongoing evaluation of the progress of individual PPP awardees and the overall PPP to maximize the impact on the investigators mentored and funded through this program; 3) To facilitate formation of new collaborative, multidisciplinary teams of investigators whose complementary expertise catalyzes the development of translational projects that result in competitive, cutting- edge multi-PI proposals for extramural funding; 4) To increase the critical mass of investigators in cardiorenal and metabolic diseases research at UMMC and to provide mentoring and funding to increase their competiveness for conducting extramurally funded basic, clinical and population research. Thus, the PPP in Phase 3 will continue to provide mentoring as well as financial and developmental support for innovative cardiorenal and metabolic diseases projects to further increase the number and diversity of funded CMDRC researchers.