The goal of the Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) is to promote innovative multidisciplinary research focused on the mechanisms underlying disability, recovery and prevention in older persons and the functional and clinical responses to rehabilitation. The PESC manages the process of promotion, application, review, award and monitoring for Pilot and Exploratory Studies (PES). Priorities for awards include relevance to the OAIC theme, potential for independent funding, new multidisciplinary collaboration and translational potential. The priori 5-year history of outstanding research productivity and academic accomplishments of pilot investigators attests to our excellent environment, mentors and academic resources in support of PES. This OAIC has made 58 pilot grant awards since its inception in 1994. Success of PESC is demonstrated by the 23 pilots funded in the 2000-2005 OAIC for $460,000 that have yielded over $2.8 million in extramural funding. During the last 5 years, PESC invested $371,000 in 16 pilot studies that have to date generated 25 publications and ~ $2.9 million in extramural funding. PESC funding and mentorship of junior faculty and others in the conduct of PES's is essential to improve the rehabilitation outcomes and recovery of older people with chronic disabling diseases and advance the field of exercisebased rehabilitation with new academic leaders. Proposed first year pilot studies include PES-1: Improving walking symmetry and functional mobility in stroke survivors with split-belt treadmill training;PES-2: Aerobic exercise to improve regulation of EPCs and vascular function in T2DM;PES-3: Effects of Vitamin D Repletion (D) with and without Multicomponent Lifestyle Exercise Training (MLife) on Muscle Function, Inflammation and Glucose Metabolism in D Deficient OlderAdults;PES-4: Resistance Training (RT) and Protein (Pro) Supplementation to Improve Muscle Physiology and Reduce Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors;PES-5: A High-Density Electroencephalography (EEG) Neural Decoding Study of Dynamical Cortical Mapping of Gait in Humans After Stroke.
PES's are essential to stimulate new interdisciplinary collaborations and to attract new and established investigators from relevant disciplines to study rehabilitation science, human physiology, neuropsychology and metabolism- related research. They will contribute to the fulfillment of Healthy People for older Americans to prevent the progression of chronic disease and disability with aging and enhance the functinnal indepedence of older people with progressive disability.
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