Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP)

Developmental Research Project Program Summary The overarching goals of the Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP) are: 1) to continue to increase biomedical research capacity in Kentucky by assisting faculty at the primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) become competitive for independent NIH research funding, and 2) to provide the highest quality research training to undergraduate students. To achieve these goals, the DRPP provides training, mentoring, and research funding to PUI investigators to be successful in competing for new and competing renewal NIH R15 and/or R16 awards. These two award mechanisms serve our dual purposes of supporting high quality faculty research while providing outstanding hands-on research experiences for undergraduate students. Modeled after NIH R15/R16 application guidelines and review procedures, the DRPP supports and manages two research funding mechanisms (Pilot Project (PP) and Research Projects (RP)) from solicitation of proposals through scientific review and approval. The DRPP also provides grant writing workshops, one-on-one mentoring, site-visits, and other consulting services. While primarily aimed at early stage investigators, the PP and RP grant mechanisms provides support to productive investigators at all stages of career development. Complemented by other research support and training programs provided by the Administrative and Data Science Cores, the DRPP aims to build a sustainable statewide biomedical research network.