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The Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center provides support to pilot/feasibility (P/F) projects in the area of GI-related research each year. These funds specifically support projects related to the theme for the DDC. The overall theme of the DDC is “Molecular mechanisms and outcomes of injury, infection, or metabolic dysfunction of the digestive system” with digestive-disease-related subthemes centering on:

• Infection (including host-microbe interactions and microbiome)
• Injury (including tumorigenesis and stem cell response)
• Metabolism (including diseases associated with obesity and the gut-brain axis)

GI is defined as the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. Injury is defined as drug, genetic, ischemic, inflammatory, surgical, nutritional, or stress-induced injury to the gastrointestinal tract. Injury also includes gastrointestinal adaptation and stem cells. Proposed projects must fall within one of the above mentioned subthemes. Awards range between $35,000 to $50,000 for a period of one year. A committee composed of the DDC Internal Advisory Board, plus ad hoc members, evaluates proposals.

Anyone interested in applying for a DDC Pilot Feasibility Award is welcome to participate in a on Oct. 24, 2024 at 2 p.m. For more information about this online session, please contact the DDC administrator, Sara Tristan or the DDC coordinator, Dionysia Briscoe.  

Eligibility

All faculty members from within the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center consortium are eligible to apply. This includes 7m��Ƶ, The University of Texas Health Science Center, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Faculty members at other institutions are eligible if they submit a grant that collaborates with a faculty member who is also a member of the Digestive Diseases Center.

Trainees also should have a commitment from a senior scientist to sponsor their projects and assurance of future faculty appointment from Section/Dept Head. Trainee applicants for pilot projects are not required to be United States citizens or possess a permanent resident visa. Funding preference will be given to early-stage career faculty. The purpose of these grants is to help early-career investigators establish an independent research program and to encourage the involvement of established investigators not currently working in the GI area.

Application Guidelines

All persons interested in submitting an application should initially submit a Notice of Intent with a tentative application title, and the name of the PI, any co-PIs, and their affiliations via the online system. Questions can be directed to DDC administrator, Sara Tristan or the DDC coordinator, Dionysia Briscoe. 

The online system will be made available Oct. 28, 2024 and Notice of Intent must be received by Nov. 18, 2024. This should include PI information, tentative project title, and a brief description of the study. A notice of intent is required for any interested applicant.

Applicant must adhere to the and include the required cover sheet when submitting their application. The completed application (including the Summary Sheet) should be submitted as one PDF file via our online system by 5 p.m. CST on Jan. 6, 2025. You will receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your application.If you do not receive a notification, email DDC administrator, Sara Tristan or the DDC coordinator, Dionysia Briscoe prior to the 5 p.m. CST deadline.

This Program Supports

• New Investigator (N): Investigators without current or past NIH support at the R01 level. K08, K01, and K23 recipients are eligible and are encouraged to apply. Trainees who are recipients of an NRSA individual award (F32) or are supported by an institutional training grant (T32) are eligible for P/F funds, if they are in their last year of training, have had at least one year of research laboratory experience, and have suitable expertise and independence to design and carry out the planned experiments.
• Established Investigator New to Digestive Diseases Research (NTF): Established Investigators from other areas of biomedical research who intend to use their expertise for digestive diseases research.
• Established Digestive Disease Investigator (E): Established digestive disease researcher who previously had R01 level funding but does not currently have R01 or R01-level equivalent funding as a PI or Multi PI. Eligible investigators could also be in the final/no cost extension year of R01 or R01-level equivalent funding.