Clinical and Translational Pilot Projects

Morehouse School Of Medicine, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The R-CENTER Collaborative Clinical and Translational Pilot Projects Program's goal is to catalyze breakthroughs in health disparities research by multidisciplinary teams working at the intersection of discovery and community engagement. This goal is based on the success of current MSM pilot project programs funded by NIMHD (G-12, P-20 and R-CENTER). The program further adopts a transformative model of administering pilot projects that was pioneered by the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI), and is in early adoption by the RCMI G-12 program. This Pilot project program will focus on new, junior, and transitioning senior administrative faculty members interested in clinical and translational research. Each pilot award program will optimize research support for its programmatic focus areas by leveraging Core resources including the Research Design and Biostatistics Core, Evaluation Core, and the newly developed Professional Development Core. The pilot project program will use successful evidence-based interventions as the model for best practices in health disparities research with a focus on clinical and translational research. The overarching principle guiding the Pilot Projects Program is the stewardship of seed funds to expand the cadre of health disparity research, focused on innovative discovery and effective translational research. The specific aims for the pilot project program are 1) to integrate, consolidate, and leverage existing pilot and feasibility research funding mechanisms across the three NIMHD funded biomedical research programs at MSM; 2) to monitor and evaluate return on investment through new research awards that advance health equity, and support cost effective community solutions; 3) To create new and sustained financing for clinical and translational research through a combination of the R-CENTER budget, institutional support, industry support, and private philanthropy; and 4) To innovate translational science by establishing selective pilot funding RFAs for novel methodology and integrative community-based (T3 and T4) projects, 5) and building scientifically diverse teams among translational researchers by identifying and supporting promising young investigators.