Core 04: Pilot Projects Program

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Project Summary: Pilot Projects Program Core The goal of the Pilot Projects Program (PPP) Core is to increase the number of junior investigators trained in clinical and translational research that work with well-established teams of senior scientists developing innovative research programs to address the chronic disease burden in Louisiana. This is of particular significance to our region given the major health disparities. To achieve this goal, the PPP Core provides direct and significant financial support for pilot projects, enables these projects to utilize the expertise and resources of other cores, facilitates in-kind support across collaborating institutions, and fosters education and training that enhances each awardee's long-term success as an independent translational investigator. While the current funding cycle was challenging because of COVID, the PPP funded 36 pilot projects across institutions, including 3 multi- institutional, multi-investigator “team science” projects, and prior to COVID, 13 Visiting Scholar and Grant Development awards. These initiatives helped build a collaborative spirit among investigators and resulted in 253 peer reviewed manuscripts by LA CaTS Pilot Project awardees, 117 presentations, and 78 grants awarded totaling $69.6 million in the first four years of the current funding cycle. Further, 11 pilot project awardees were academically promoted at their home institution. During the next 5-year cycle we will build on these successes and expand the number of supported junior investigators where we will prioritize underrepresented minority investigators and identify “shovel-ready” highly competitive interinstitutional programs that can rapidly compete for major federal grant initiatives. We will also continue to look towards the future by prioritizing early-stage investigators and clinicians who can import novel concepts and research techniques to research centers in the Gulf South. To achieve these goals, we will implement three specific aims. In the first we will solicit, review, and recommend funding for LA CaTS Pilot Project grant awards that are expected to lead to high quality clinical and translational research applications for extramural funding. We will prioritize early-stage investigators and junior faculty from underrepresented minority populations. Second, we will build inter-institutional teams of investigators that are poised to rapidly compete for major federal grant initiatives addressing existing and emerging diseases affecting our population and worsening health disparities in the Gulf South. Third, we will provide opportunities for early-stage investigators and clinicians to engage in new research training opportunities and learn novel, cutting edge methods to conduct, translate and implement innovative research including clinical trials. At the conclusion of the next 5-year cycle we expect to have increased the number of funded young investigators, including underrepresented minority investigators who can support large multi-institutional research programs and centers of excellence and ensure that we can address health care needs and health disparities in our region using cutting edge scientific approaches.