# Pilot and Feasibility Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · 2020 · $187,752

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall goal of the Pilot and Feasibility Program of the Digestive Health Center (DHC) is to promote
digestive disease research by supporting innovative pilot projects that will lead to extramurally funded research
and expansion of digestive disease research. The Program pursues this goal with three complementary aims:
1) To foster the career development of junior digestive disease investigators, 2) To encourage established
investigators in other areas of biomedical research to extend their expertise to digestive disease research, and
3) To support highly focused new projects from established investigators exploring innovative new ideas that
represent a significant departure from their funded research. The organization of the P/F Program aligns types
of investigators with these aims (Type 1/“New,” Type 2/“Established New,” and Type 3/”Established”,
respectively) according to well-established eligibility criteria. The DHC holds one P/F application process
yearly, which undergoes scientific review by a panel of experts using the merit criteria used by NIH study
sections, followed by a final review by the DHC External Advisory Board, who makes recommendation for
funding of most meritorious research projects. With strong institutional support that supplements the DHC
resources, the Program typically funds three awards of $50,000. The Program Director and Center Leadership
provides awardees with mentorship opportunities. This program has been very successful, and Type 1/New
awardees transitioned to independent investigator status with R01-level of funding. For the past 10 years, the
Program invested approximately $1.6 million, which resulted >$34 million dollars in new grants, or a >22-fold
return on the investment. Notably, P/F awardees have published 130 original papers and >90% remain
engaged in digestive disease research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9951046
- **Project number:** 5P30DK078392-14
- **Recipient organization:** CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Aaron M Zorn
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $187,752
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9951046

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9951046, Pilot and Feasibility Program (5P30DK078392-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9951046. Licensed CC0.

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