# Pilot Projects Program Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR · 2020 · $562,435

## Abstract

Despite recent improvements, Oklahoma continues to have high rates of tobacco use, obesity, cancer deaths,
and cardiovascular deaths, arthritis disability and an opioid abuse crisis. The mission of the OSCTR Pilot
Projects Program (PPP) is to accelerate discoveries into Oklahoma's health priorities by fostering innovative
and collaborative clinical and translational research (CTR) projects, leading to nationally and federally funded
independent research programs. Our current pilot program has received 169 applications and funded 28 with
>50% female and 37.5% of these PIs from under-represented minority populations. These pilot recipients have
been immensely successful garnering a total of $17.2 M of PI-level extramural funding to these new
investigators or a $7.60 ROI. To do this the PPP provides pilot project funding (Aim 1), coordinates
infrastructure support and mentoring for pilot investigators (Aim 2), and identifies promising but unfunded junior
investigators for additional mentoring (Aim 3). This strategy is built on the hypothesis that providing junior
investigators with CTR funding, infrastructure, and mentorship will coalesce a new generation of well-trained,
well-funded CTR scientists equipped to translate scientific discoveries into improved clinical care and patient
well-being. In all of these functions, the PPP prioritizes research that addresses prominent health issues in
Oklahoma and other IDeA states. To build on these early successes, maintain this dramatically different new
trajectory for OSCTR new investigators and in response to Evaluation Core and EAC feedback, the PPP has
expanded from one to three award types. CTR Pilot Awards, as previous, provide 12 months of funding for at
least five novel research projects per year. To address the need for interim support while analyzing, publishing,
and seeking extramural funding for pilot projects, competitive Pilot Sustainability Bridge Awards will provide 6
additional months of funding for up to 3 pilot recipients per year. Finally, to better support the unique needs of
our partners, the Community-Engaged Research Exploratory Awards provide 6 months of funding for projects
initiating new partnerships with non-academic institutions, such as tribal institutions, community development
agencies, county health improvement organizations, health departments, and primary care providers. In
addition to these OSCTR-funded awards, the PPP leverages other local funding programs when possible to
provide larger or additional awards in each category. Beyond providing financial support, the PPP provides an
environment that nurtures the continued success of these junior investigators. Upon funding, the Pilot Kickoff
Meeting introduces awardees to the OSCTR Cores, Directors, and other awardees, and helps them critique
each other's proposals. Throughout the award, investigators will receive structured mentoring (Professional
Development Core) and training in scientific writing to foster career develo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9979928
- **Project number:** 5U54GM104938-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Heloise ANNE Pereira
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $562,435
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9979928

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9979928, Pilot Projects Program Core (5U54GM104938-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9979928. Licensed CC0.

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