PILOT AND FEASIBILITY GRANT PROGRAM: Abstract The Joslin Diabetes Research Center (DRC) Pilot & Feasibility Grant Program has several goals. First is to enrich the scientific base of the DRC at Joslin and other local institutions. A second major goal is to foster interactions between researchers at Joslin and other local institutions, and in particular to enhance interactions between basic and clinical researchers focused on diabetes and its complications. Finally, the Program aims to advance innovative research into the pathogenesis, treatments and potential cures for all types of diabetes and their complications. To achieve these goals the Program sponsors an annual competition for awards to support projects by: 1. New investigators in the diabetes field. The Pilot & Feasibility Program facilitates recruitment of talented new investigators who typically have not yet received substantial NIH funding. 2. Experienced investigators in the diabetes field who wish to strike out in a novel direction. The Pilot & Feasibility Program embraces promising new experimental strategies and methods. 3. Investigators from other fields embarking on a diabetes-related project for the first time. The Pilot & Feasibility Program helps inspire established investigators to bring their expertise to the diabetes field. The Pilot & Feasibility Program has developed a carefully designed program to attract the most competitive applications from Joslin DRC Research Base Investigators and from investigators at neighboring institutions in eastern and central Massachusetts. The annual competition is widely advertised and comprehensive guidelines are distributed. Proposals are judged by internal and external reviewers chosen on the basis of expertise. Typically, the two proposals that receive the highest scores are recommended for funding of $50,000/year for 2 years, with the second year of support contingent upon progress in the first. Although these awards are modest, the program provides initial support to enable these investigators to develop preliminary data sufficient that will serve as the basis for subsequent successful applications for independent extramural research support. Over the past decade the Pilot & Feasibility Program has made 21 new awards, 18 of which were to new investigators, which are the highest priority of this Program. Each recipient is encouraged to Joslin DRC Cores and participates in the Enrichment program by attending the Joslin Research Retreat and presenting a Joslin seminar in the second year. Over the past 10 years, support from the program has led to 23 publications, and recipients leveraged Pilot & Feasibility support to obtain 13 federal grants and 12 grants from non-profit organizations. All of the award recipients supported in the past cycle remain in diabetes research. These metrics provide strong evidence of the success of the DRC Pilot & Feasibility Program.