# Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $219,146

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY (P&F PROGRAM)
The goal of the Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) Program of the University of Pennsylvania DDRCC, the Center for
Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases (CMSDLD), is to foster the growth of innovative digestive and
liver diseases and microbiome research throughout the university and its affiliates, leading to exciting and
unexpected new research directions for both junior and experienced scientists and, in turn, bringing these new
ideas to the existing Research Base. The P&F program provides seed funding, subsidized access to state-of-
the art cores, and, when appropriate, mentorship, to enable investigators to pursue new ideas, testing their
feasibility and generating sufficient preliminary data to obtain sustained grant funding by traditional mechanisms.
Over the past 10 years, the CMSDLD has awarded $1,350,019 divided amongst 50 P&F awards. The total return
on investment thus far is 1:15, representing the successful achievement of P&F Program goals. Notably,
awardees have come from three schools at the University of Pennsylvania (Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and
Engineering and Applied Sciences) as well as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; within the School of
Medicine, there are eight departments represented, including both clinical and basic science departments. The
variety of investigator affiliations reflects the scientific diversity of the CMSDLD research base and the expansion
of innovative digestive and liver diseases and microbiome research widely throughout the University.
Building on this history, the overall goal of the P&F Program for the next project period remains to support
growth and innovation in digestive and liver diseases research throughout the University of Pennsylvania
community. We are requesting $120,000 per year, with the goal of annually funding three awards of $40,000.
The Specific Aims for the next project period are: 1) To provide funding for Type 1, 2, and 3 investigators
proposing meritorious and exciting new research in digestive disease, liver disease, and microbiome research,
with a preference for Type 1; and 2) To provide support to awardees through access to core facilities, biostatistics
support, inclusion in CMSDLD enrichment activities, and targeted mentorship and other interactions with
CMSDLD members. The P&F program has had a marked impact on the development of a broad-based,
multidisciplinary, and scientifically diverse community of digestive and liver disease and microbiome researchers
at the University of Pennsylvania. The continuation of this program offers the potential to further develop this
community, bringing in new faculty, ideas, and techniques to digestive and liver diseases and microbiome
research on campus and ultimately having a marked and positive impact on this research nationally.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10442940
- **Project number:** 2P30DK050306-26
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** REBECCA G WELLS
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $219,146
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-07-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10442940

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10442940, Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program (2P30DK050306-26). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10442940. Licensed CC0.

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