Pilot Project Program

Abstract A major component of Phase III CoBRE funding for the Center for Cancer Biology Research (CCBR) is funding of a Pilot Grant Program. The Pilot Grant Program's mission is to promote innovative and impactful cancer research in the Midwest. The CCBR's on-going Pilot Grant Program has been tremendously successful in funding projects that ultimately contributed to publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as grant funding from the National Institutes of Health as well as foundations. A great majority of Pilot Grant awardees utilize the CCBR's Scientific Cores. As these investigators obtain larger funding sources, they continue to rely on the CCBR's Cores for generating needed data. Thus, the ultimate success of the Pilot Grant Program is a clear investment in the CCBR and its Scientific Cores. Included within the Pilot Grant Program will be a Voucher Program which will provide funds for Core usage. We expect this program to be highly successful as the CCBR's Scientific Cores are well known in the region for their quality work and quick turnaround time. The Voucher program will provide the ability for investigators to utilize the Scientific Cores, providing a means for obtaining data that will ultimately contribute to publications and extramural funding. In these ways, the Pilot Grant program will significantly contribute to the self-sustainability of the Scientific Cores. Moreover, many Pilot Grants stem from collaborations between CCBR PIs and investigators from other centers or institutions. Thus, the Pilot Grant Program will continue to expand the CCBR itself, as well.