# Pilot Projects-Tran-Network

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $156,303

## Abstract

Summary:
The goals of the Pilot Projects and Trans-Network Activities Core of the UP-PDTC focus on two priorities.
First, the Core will promote and support new Pilot Projects with high scientific merit and innovation that will
strongly impact PDX model development research and/or have the potential for translation to the clinic. The
Core will specifically act as a focal point and resource to bring new ideas, technologies, interventions, and
researchers into the UP-PDTC and the PDXNet. Second, the Pilot Projects and Trans-Network Core will
prioritize and facilitate novel projects that can add to the translational capabilities of the PDXNet. Key criteria
for project selection will include 1) high expected impact; 2) translational potential that may eventually be
integrated into full projects within the UP-PDTC or PDXNet; 3) innovative ideas and approaches that generate
new hypotheses and preliminary data; 4) collaborations to develop novel research and research tools, 5) high
risk/high return projects that move basic science and/or clinical interventions and 6) development of tissue
collections that address cancer disparities. Although the UP-PDTC will be a T-PDTC, we acknowledge and
highly support the latter goal. Pilot project grants will be competitively financially supported by the Core budget
and the PDX Core personnel will work with Pilot Project PI’s to develop application to the TransNetwork
program and/or for specific R01 applications. Solicitations for Core projects are made within the University of
Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center. Specific efforts will be made to recruit Pilot Project applicants from
underrepresented minorities (URM), women, and individuals with disabilities. The UP-PDTC Administrative
Core will assist in implementing a coordinated process for review, selection, and monitoring Pilot Projects,
ensuring that UP-PDTC resources are used effectively to expand PDX modeling, interactions with the PDXNet
and PDXNet research. The influx of research from new PDX modelers and investigators, or from those with
expertise outside of the most common tumors, will foster innovative new directions and complement ongoing
efforts in the UP-PDTC and PDXNet.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10881948
- **Project number:** 5U54CA283759-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Nicolas Skuli
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $156,303
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-05 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10881948

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10881948, Pilot Projects-Tran-Network (5U54CA283759-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10881948. Licensed CC0.

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