For the past 10 years, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) COBRE ?Mentoring Diabetes Research in Oklahoma? has been an important resource in transforming OUHSC into an institution committed to the mentoring and development of junior investigators to productive scientific careers. Through its support of 9 junior investigators, 7 pilot projects, and an evolving set of 4 cores, this resource has provided the infrastructure to help launch over 10 independent research careers and support the subsequent funding of numerous local and national grants. In addition, many of our prior COBRE Pilot Projects have led to new collaborations between COBRE investigators within and outside Oklahoma. These interactions have led to collaborative manuscripts in high-impact journals, new scientific directions and transfer of technology across laboratories. Our Pilot Project selection process entails an open competition (with notifications to junior scientists, mentors, section chiefs and program heads), with applications reviewed by our experienced Internal Advisory Committee to rank applications. Ranked applications are then reviewed by our External Advisory Committee, and the top projects are funded as resources allow. All applicants (whether or not they receive funding) receive written comments about the application and have a post-review mentoring session with at least one member of the IAC to help improve the applications for future submissions and to suggest alternative funding opportunities. All Pilot Project awardees present and discuss their progress with an assigned mentoring team, as well as present and discuss results/future directions with the IAC and at the annual EAC review. The Pilot Project Core is also evaluated and improved through a formal evaluation plan outlined in the Administrative Core. In Phase III, the Pilot Projects funded by the COBRE will receive matching fund from the Vice President of Research, further enhancing the impacts of this program. The Pilot Project Program will also join force with the Seed Grant Program funded by the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. This Program will greatly promote diabetes research in Oklahoma and prepare for our application for NIH-funded Diabetic Research Center.
This Pilot Grant Program provides outstanding opportunities for Junior COBRE Investigators, or established investigators with completely new scientific directions, to receive relatively small amounts of funds to test new hypotheses for feasibility or to generate additional preliminary data before pursuing national funding opportunities. All pilot applicants receive mentoring regarding the application and project to aid in career development and to help refine and improve the scientific questions and experimental approaches. This program will promote diabetes research in Oklahoma.
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