The proposed Pilot and Feasibility (P/F) Program is an extension of the similar effort supported by the NIDDK- funded Mini-Center held at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for four years and subsequent extension of the Program with institutional resources. In view of the success of the past and current Program, we have received outstanding institutional commitment to double the funds provided by a Silvio O. Conte Center in Digestive Disease Research to support innovative new awards for young scientists beginning their careers. The P/F program will also be used to attract investigators with outstanding expertise into the area of digestive diseases research that is focused on the central theme of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The objective of the P/F Program is to make research funds available to a broad swath of talented investigators and promising trainees within the San Diego Digestive Diseases Research Center and to facilitate the transition from pilot projects to research grants funded by extramural sources. To achieve this objective, we will use a P/F Scientific Review Committee chaired by an experienced faculty from outside of the Center. The members of this committee will be from the Internal Advisory Board and represent all thematic areas and institutions in addition to UCSD. Announcements will be widely broadcast well in advance before deadlines to the faculty in each of the Center institutions. All applications will be reviewed by experts in the field and each application will include a review from outside the Center. The Chair of the P/F Scientific Review Committee will tabulate scores and convene a meeting to discuss rankings and budgets. A pay plan will be recommended to the Executive Committee and discussed with the External Advisory Committee, and awards will be announced. Post-award, the Director of the P/F Program will follow up with unfunded applicants to discuss improvements for future considerations. In addition, the P/F Program Director and one or several of the Core Directors and Co-Directors will meet twice a year with each awardee to review progress, encourage them to access the expertise and services within the Cores and note their progress towards an application for extramural funding. Thus, the P/F Program will greatly benefit the investigators in the Center by providing funds to support new projects and career development in research related to the digestive tract and liver.
