# Pilot and Feasibility Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $322,180

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY – VDDRC Pilot and Feasibility Program
The Pilot and Feasibility (P/F) Program is an essential component of the Vanderbilt DDRC (VDDRC). It directly
supports overall VDDRC goals, which are to: 1) promote digestive diseases research in an integrative,
collaborative, supportive, inclusive, and multidisciplinary manner; 2) attract new investigators to the study of these
disorders; 3) enhance the innovative research capabilities of members; and 4) promote the career development of
junior investigators. Through the P/F Program, the VDDRC has developed a strong track record of recruiting highly
talented young investigators and established investigators that are new to digestive disease research, as well
as established GI investigators testing exciting new ideas. In the past 10 years, we have supported 53 P/F
recipients, with 26 of these in the past 5 years. Our number of awarded pilots and the total amount of
support provided is greatly enhanced by a commitment of $100,000/year from Vanderbilt, plus additional
funding available from the VDDRC Academy of Investigators, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational
Research, and new initiatives with the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, the
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and the Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center. Over the past
two grant award cycles (years 11-20), P/F recipients have garnered $40,786,119 in Direct Cost funding
subsequent to their P/F awards, yielding a 32–fold return on investment of NIH funds. We have
demonstrated major benefits to the career development of PIs supported as Type N (New Investigators) in the
P/F program (75% of awardees in the past 10 years), including development of faculty as research leaders and
growth into academic leadership positions. The P/F Program has been directed since 2010 by Keith T. Wilson,
M.D., Professor of Medicine, and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, and VDDRC Associate Director.
The Program provides an applicant-friendly environment in which P/F grant opportunities are widely circulated,
and candidates interact closely with the P/F Director to ensure that their projects meet VDDRC goals,
optimize use of VDDRC Cores, and follow NIH guidelines for rigor and reproducibility. The Specific Aims are:
1) To recruit talented Type N investigators without current or past independent NIH support to digestive disease
research, to provide a foundation for career development and future independent funding, including enrollment
in the VDDRC Academy of Investigators; 2) To recruit established investigators new to digestive disease
research (Type EN), with the goal of fostering collaborations and new directions that may lead to subsequent
related publications, projects, and research grants in the field; 3) To support established investigators (Type E)
in the digestive disease field in the pursuit of highly innovative, exciting new ideas that are a significant departure
from their previous work...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10887474
- **Project number:** 5P30DK058404-23
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Keith T. Wilson
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $322,180
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2002-06-15 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10887474

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10887474, Pilot and Feasibility Program (5P30DK058404-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10887474. Licensed CC0.

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