Pilot Project Program

Project Summary (Pilot Project Program) The objectives of the OCSB Pilot Project Program are to: (i) provide project support for researchers to obtain preliminary data for structural biology-related projects that will enhance competitiveness of their external grant applications, (ii) enhance the user base of the OCSB-supported core facilities, (iii) continue to support early- stage investigators, and (iv) incentivize collaborative research. During Phases 1 and 2, the OCSB funded 16 seed or pilot projects that resulted in 14 publications and 22 new external grants awarded to these investigators, which represents a 11.7-fold return on the investment. We intend to continue our open and competitive pilot project program during Phase 3 of the OCSB. We will prioritize innovative and meritorious projects from early- stage investigators, encourage collaborations between structural biologists and non-structural biologists, as well as promote the use of our COBRE core facilities. Mentorship and training, hallmarks of our center, will continue to contribute to the success of our proposed pilot project program. We are particularly interested in incorporating new structural biology techniques, including cryo-EM, into the research programs of our PPLs and other center participants.