The Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) program of the Mid-Atlantic Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (Mid- Atlantic NORC) supports new initiatives in obesity and nutritional sciences-related basic biomedical, clinical, genetic, epidemiological, population-based and/or behavioral research from investigators at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and Geisinger Health System. It provides small grants ($10-$25,000/year for up to two years) to develop preliminary data in obesity and/or nutritional sciences-related research. Eligible faculty include a) new investigators without current or past NIH research support as PI/PD; b) established investigators who are new to the nutrition/obesity field and c) established investigators in nutrition/obesity who propose testing innovative ideas that represent a clear departure from ongoing research interests. The P&F Program has the following specific aims: 1) Solicit and foster P&F research proposals; 2) Select and fund the highest quality P&F research studies; 3) Assist P&F investigators in accessing resources from the Mid-Atlantic NORC Cores and other institutional programs in order to foster professional development as investigators; and 4) Work closely with the P&F study investigators by establishing multidisciplinary research working groups (RWGs) for each awardee to maximize the likelihood of completing the project and developing competitive grant applications. Over the 9.5 years it has been funded, the Mid-Atlantic NORC P&F Program has attracted 167 letters of intent from investigators across 3 institutions, and reviewed 140 applications. It has funded 39 proposals, 2 of which were withdrawn before funding and 16 of whom received a second year. Investigators were chosen from many different Departments, and include both MD?s and PhD?s. Funded pilot studies have ranged from basic biomedical projects and genetics, to small interventional studies. In this cycle, we plan to support 5 P&F studies, 3 new proposals at $25,000 each and 2 renewals at $12,500 each. Dr. Glenn Steele, President and CEO of Geisinger Health System will continue to commit $50,000 per year for P&F?s at Geisinger. The extensive Mid-Atlantic NORC patient registries and biobanks, and numerous ongoing and completed clinical trials, mechanistic, genetic and epidemiologic studies provide a fertile environment and resources for P&F investigators to develop novel proposals. These studies will continue to stimulate new interdisciplinary collaborations and to attract new and established investigators from relevant disciplines at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins and Geisinger Medical Centers to conduct obesity and nutritional sciences-related research and develop preliminary data for competitive research grants.
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