# Pilot and Feasibility Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2020 · $167,563

## Abstract

Project Summary
 The principal objective of the UAB-UCSD O'Brien Center Pilot and Feasibility (PAF) Grants Program is
to provide seed funds for new, outstanding, and innovative research proposals related to AKI. These pilot
funds will provide eligible investigators with one to two years of support along with the resources necessary to
explore investigator-initiated projects related to AKI.
 The UAB-UCSD O'Brien Center PAF Program will have a tri-partite focus with a mission 1) to attract
junior faculty to AKI-related research; 2) enable established investigators in other fields to explore the feasibility
of new, innovative concepts in AKI-related research; and 3) entice investigators with research expertise in the
Core Center's thematic areas to apply their expertise to AKI-related questions. The PAF Program has been
successful in this mission. There is a high level of recurring interest, with an average of 19 applications/year in
response to our RFAs. All funded applications were judged to be highly meritorious by our study section, which
consists of our intramural experts. The Program has recruited 12 physician-scientists and 11 Ph.D. scientists,
including promising faculty from institutions outside UAB and UCSD. Eighteen of the 23 investigators funded
by this program were new to the AKI field, and about 83% have remained in kidney-related research. These
investigators have demonstrated significant productivity, including 39 peer-reviewed papers published by pilot
recipients funded during this cycle. At present, collectively the 23 recipients have a 66.7% success rate in
obtaining subsequent extramural funding. The UAB-UCSD O'Brien Center PAF Program will continue to
leverage institutional resources ($335,000 during the present cycle) at both UAB and UCSD, which will permit
an increase in the total investment for our Pilot Program recipients. Three to four awards per year will continue
to be supported by this program, with two supported by O'Brien Center funds and the additional 1-2 from
institutional funds.
 The ultimate goal of the UAB-UCSD O'Brien Center PAF program is to provide sufficient resources and
training for pilot investigators to pursue research that advances the treatment of AKI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9972916
- **Project number:** 5P30DK079337-13
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** PAUL W. SANDERS
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $167,563
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2008-09-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9972916

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9972916, Pilot and Feasibility Program (5P30DK079337-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9972916. Licensed CC0.

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