# Pilot and Feasibility Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $174,768

## Abstract

PILOT AND FEASIBILITY PROGRAM PROJECT SUMMARY
The Cleveland DDRCC Pilot and Feasibility (P and F) Program is one of the fundamental pillars for the
intellectual vitality and success of our Center. The Program directly supports the Center’s stated mission to
foster innovation in the area of digestive disease-related research through the support of collaborative
research, collaboration, and career development. The overall goal of the P and F program is to grow the
number of investigators successfully performing research in the thematic areas of Digestive
Inflammation/Tumorigenesis and Liver Disease/Metabolism at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)
Center and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Lerner Research Institute (CCF LRI) by providing resources to
develop new pilot and/or feasibility research studies that will lead to competitive peer-reviewed grant
applications. The program, directed by Dr. Amitabh Chak, has a focus using P and F awards to support the
development of independent research programs for junior investigators with an interest in digestive diseases
research. The program also seeks to attract talented, established investigators in other fields to apply their
research skills and expertise to digestive disease-related investigations. A call for applications is held each
spring, and the program generally receives 20-30 proposals per year. The P and F Scientific Review
Committee oversees peer-review of all qualifying applications, including both an internal review process and
external review by members of the Cleveland DDRCC External Advisory Committee. The Center funds up to
four $25,000 awards per year with NIDDK funding, as well as up to an additional two awards per year
supported by institutional commitments. Awards are for one year, but recipients can apply for a second year of
funding when needed. The P and F Program annually tracks the outcomes of all current and prior P and F
Award recipients, and provides regular Progress Report updates to the NIDDK. We are particularly proud of
the high level of success seen with our P and F Program during the previous funding cycle, with seven of our
15 P and F Awardees from 2015-2018 going on obtain peer-reviewed NIH or foundation grants based on work
generated through their P and F project (including four K awards, one R01, one R21 for minority investigators, one
P20 sub-project PI, two Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Senior Research Awards, and one Helmsley Trust Award).
P and F awardees have also been active in contributing to the enrichment programs of the Cleveland DDRCC,
including founding the Young Investigators Network and its highly popular “Mock Study Section”, presenting their
P and F projects at the annual Midwest DDRCC Alliance Research Symposium (hosted by the Cleveland DDRCC
Mar 5-6, 2018), and organizing and participating in the Young Investigators Symposium included within the
biannual two-day Cleveland IDEAS Symposium.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9888518
- **Project number:** 2P30DK097948-06
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** AMITABH CHAK
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $174,768
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9888518

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9888518, Pilot and Feasibility Program (2P30DK097948-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9888518. Licensed CC0.

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