The purpose of the HU-HBCU TCC Pilot Project Program (PPP) is to support pilot projects that align with its goals and objectives and have a high probability of leading to meaningful outcomes and sustainability for reducing health disparities in minority men. The PPP will provide an effective mechanism for the solicitation, review, and awarding of pilot grants to help stimulate the development of transdisciplinary research. The program will also provide the impetus for collaboration between the HU-HBCU TCC partners, as well as, provide for increase of the circle of external partners throughout the period of the grant. Current federally funded efforts will stimulate the research infrastructure in Regions 111 &IV and create a cadre of investigators well poised to advance their science through collaborative efforts in transdisciplinary research with the Center to reduce health disparities among minority men in six areas: cancer, cardiovascular disease, violence prevention, diabetes, obesity, and melanoma in Hispanic men. The pilot projects will have several objectives: 1) support the work of early-stage investigators interested in initiating a transdisciplinary research career in the area of minority health and health disparities;2) to encourage collaboration among early stage investigators and current NIH funded investigators in promoting innovative, cutting-edge work and 3) to build a model to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of social media's role in health disparities. The Pilot Project Program will provide a funding mechanism for the formation of regional transdisciplinary research consortiums across the Center to initiate research, education &outreach and training on six significant health areas for minority men: cancer, cardiovascular disease, violence prevention, diabetes, obesity, and melanoma in Hispanic men. Moreover, the Pilot Project Program will establish a rigorous independent peer review process to provide select quality pilot projects in line with HUHBCU TCC goals and to provide useful feedback to submitting investigators to encourage future collaboration efforts and to improve future grant submissions. Pilot projects should promote diversity and HU-HBCU TCC focused activities, which include summer internships for both undergraduate and graduate students.
