# Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2023 · $169,164

## Abstract

SUMMARY
The goal of the University of Florida (UF) Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) Pilot and Exploratory
Studies Core (PESC) is to help plan future independently supported studies that address the UF OAIC’s
overall research theme of promotion of mobility and independence in older Americans. To this end, the
PESC solicits and selects promising innovative pilot, exploratory, and developmental studies and secure
optimal infrastructure, environment, funding, expertise, and resources. Core leaders monitor study progress,
help analyze and interpret results, and provide guidance in translating these pilot data into high-quality and
original research study applications that successfully compete for independent extramural funding. The
provision of funds for pilot, exploratory, and developmental studies supports Early Stage Investigators in their
efforts to develop research careers in aging.
The PESC also allows accomplished investigators in aging to gather data that extend and broaden their focus.
In this capacity, it encourages and facilitates experienced investigators traditionally working in other research
fields, such as physiology, pathology, metabolomics, cancer, pain, and the behavioral sciences, to expand their
research to include aging. This widens the pool of talent that we believe will contribute to advances in the
promotion of mobility and independence and the OAIC as a whole.
In this application we propose five pilot studies that offer a wide variety of interdisciplinary approaches to
address the OAIC research theme. As we have proven over the past several years, we are highly successful in
translating findings from our pilot, exploratory, and development studies into extramurally funded grants (up to
94% success rates), and also in supporting our Early Stage Investigators through career advances including
the tenure and promotion process.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10631879
- **Project number:** 5P30AG028740-17
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $169,164
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-06-01 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10631879

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10631879, Pilot and Exploratory Studies Core (5P30AG028740-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10631879. Licensed CC0.

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