ABSTRACT (PILOT & FEASIBILITY PROGRAM) The goal of the Indiana Diabetes Research Center (IDRC) Pilot & Feasibility (P&F) Program is to provide pilot funding for projects that have outstanding potential to open an area of diabetes-related research to both new and established investigators in diverse scientific disciplines at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) and its affiliated institutions. The P&F Program fosters the development of a community of productive, well- connected investigators whose work leads to advances in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. During the prior funding cycle, the P&F Program received 83 meritorious applications and funded 24 through both NIH and local funds. 14 applications saw returns on investment through extramural awards. The success of the P&F Program reflects the strength of the pool of burgeoning investigators at IUSM and its affiliated institutions. The Program is Directed by Dr. J. Elmendorf. Specifically, the aims of the P&F Program are: (1) To solicit, review, and fund P&F grants. These grants will be provided to outstanding beginning and established investigators at IUSM and its affiliated institutions whose expertise is complimentary to areas of strength within the IDRC membership, whose research has a high probability of benefiting from use of the IDRC core facilities, and for whom such funding may result in acquisition of major peer-reviewed grants. (2) To provide mentorship/support for recipients of P&F grants. The goal of these relationships will be to provide a source of intellectual support and critique during the project period to facilitate the application of the grantee's scientific expertise to an area of investigation that is new to them. These relationships will also encourage future collaboration between investigators receiving P&F grants and the other members of the IDRC. Successful execution of this plan will result in new independent investigators focused on solving problems related to diabetes and complications of diabetes, a stronger diabetes research community in Indiana, and scientific discoveries that may lead to new treatment strategies for people with diabetes.