# Pilot Research Project Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2021 · $369,267

## Abstract

PILOT PROJECT CORE
As the “implementation” arm of the PACE, the Pilot Project Core will drive novel discoveries in OUD that are
uniquely enabled by PET imaging. Pilot projects will leverage the Radiochemistry Core, Imaging Core, and
Clinical Core, and the Administrative Core will support training and career development. The Specific Aims are:
(1) to accelerate the science of OUD through a set of inter-related and rigorous pilot projects that
leverage the PACE infrastructure. An initial set of vetted pilot projects will elucidate the role of mu- and delta-
opioid receptor availability in OUD and its treatment, the influence of genetic variation on receptor availability
and therapeutic dosing in OUD, (c) the role of the kappa-opioid receptor in suicidal ideation in OUD, and the
mechanistic role of neuroinflammation in OUD with or without HIV; (2) to oversee a fair and transparent
process to solicit, review, support, and evaluate innovative and rigorous future pilot projects. Working
with the Administrative Core, the Pilot Core will solicit applications on an annual basis beginning in year 2 through
direct outreach to Departments and Centers at Penn and Yale, and through campus-wide emails; conduct a
scientifically rigorous internal NIH-style review process with transparent merit criteria, provide interdisciplinary
mentoring and support, including scientific planning and methodological and technical assistance, and evaluate
the success of these efforts; and (3) to train the next generation of addiction PET imaging scientists. These
activities include didactic and experiential training in PET imaging, data analysis, and OUD neurobiology, and
interdisciplinary co-mentorship and career development opportunities. Training initiatives will attract and support
both early-stage investigators and established investigators who wish to incorporate PET imaging into addiction
research. Finally, an annual PACE Research Day will convene Penn's active PET researchers, the PACE's
Internal and External Advisory Boards, and new investigators to share the latest research findings and to
encourage collaborations with the new P30 PET tools.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10201548
- **Project number:** 5P30DA046345-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** CARYN LERMAN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $369,267
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-15 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10201548

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10201548, Pilot Research Project Core (5P30DA046345-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10201548. Licensed CC0.

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