# UTMB OAIC Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC)

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2024 · $199,516

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT (PESC) 
The UTMB Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) drives the innovation of the UTMB OAIC by supporting 
the development and maturation of new research programs relevant to our core mission of understanding 
and improving physical function and independence in older adults. The PESC prioritizes support of early 
stage investigators, while seeking to build and extend collaborations by attracting established investigators 
from other disciplines. Over the previous cycles we have supported a high proportion of early stage (71%), 
women (37%) and minority (34%) investigators. 72% of the pilot studies completed during the past two 
cycles have led to extramural funding. 
The PESC funds pilot projects, and small exploratory projects that align with our broader OAIC theme: 
“Translate Pathways of Function Loss and Gain into Interventions to Optimize Functional Recovery in 
Diverse Geriatric Populations”. By leveraging institutional resources and OAIC-network collaborations we 
seek to accomplish the following specific aims: 
 1. Stimulate new research foci relevant to the OAIC theme. 
 2. Oversee and monitor the funded projects. 
 3. Support the development of new research programs. 
We will accomplish our aims by soliciting, reviewing and selecting meritorious pilot proposals relevant to the 
OAIC theme; identifying opportunities for collaboration and co-sponsorship of our studies; providing early 
mentoring support and access to resources from other OAIC cores and institutional facilities; monitoring 
progress of the funded studies; ensuring regulatory compliance, safety and protection of human subjects; 
tracking success and productivity of the funded projects; and providing individual mentoring and resources 
to transition completed PESC studies into competitive, external grant applications. 
In the next cycle we will expand our breadth by developing new multicenter collaborations with other NIA 
centers (RCMAR) and other OAICs (Wake Forest), with an emphasis on scaling up trials in hospitalized 
geriatric patients, neurologic diseases and Hispanic Aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10908357
- **Project number:** 5P30AG024832-20
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Douglas Paddon-Jones
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $199,516
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2004-06-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10908357

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10908357, UTMB OAIC Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) (5P30AG024832-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10908357. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*