Pilot Project Program

PROJECT SUMMARY – Pilot Project Program The overall goal of the Pilot Project Program (PPP) is to expand the UC Davis research base in environmental health sciences (EHS) and to attract new or established investigators to turn their attention to health issues related to environmental exposures. The PPP will promote EHS research through provision of research funding, facilitating linkage of applicants to resource cores and Design Clinics, provision of intellectual support, as well as integration within the Center, and with other programs at UC Davis. PPP application calls include the needs of community partners impacted by environmental exposure and injustice or that have a policy interest. Research funds are expected to jumpstart new research endeavors focused on environmental health, through feasibility investigation, collection of preliminary data, establishment of proof of principle or small studies that are consistent with the broad mission and scientific themes of the Environmental Health Sciences Core Center (EHSCC) and NIEHS. We will focus on projects with relevant translational potential and those that hold promise for generating new resources or approaches to address environmental health problems. This Program will emphasize support for junior investigators, as well as those investigators new to environmental health or exploring substantially new research directions and whose research brings an innovative viewpoint to the study of environmental health with relevance to human conditions. Support will also be provided to established EHS researchers exploring new directions or developing new devices or tools for EHS research. Available funds for the PPP were, and continue to be, greatly enhanced through partnerships with other programs and academic departments on the UC Davis campus. The PPP process involves: 1) issuing a request for proposals, 2) reviewing preproposals,3) referring applicants to Facility Core Design Clinics for guidance, 4) finding reviewers, and 5) reviewing proposals for both scientific and programmatic merit, with final funding decisions made by the Center Leadership Group and Community Advisory Committee Representatives. The specific objectives of the PPP are to: (a) provide support for junior investigators and/or established researchers new to EHS to develop a research program in EHS; (b) facilitate exploration of innovative new directions to advance EHS research; (c) develop resources, approaches, or technology that benefit EHS research for center members; (d) promote interdisciplinary research; and (e) promote community engagement and translational research. The significance of this program is underscored by the need to support and promote the careers of junior and under-represented faculty as well as to expand innovative research that has translational benefit for our stakeholders and communities.