(Pilot Studies) We propose to sponsor a Pilot Studies program as a highly attractive incentive for investigators to engage with our National Pediatric Rehabilitation Resource Center (PedRehab Ctr). The Pilot Studies program will place high priority on encouraging innovation and funding pilot studies with high potential for discovering efficacious treatments and promoting their rapid, high-fidelity, and effective application into clinical and community settings (Implementation Science). We also will consider methods and techniques development research under the Pilot Studies program, particularly when the topic fills a critical gap or seeks to overcome a major obstacle to conducting high-quality medical rehabilitation research with pediatric populations. We will invest the maximum amount allowed ($150,000 per year X 5 years = $750,000). We have proposed a partnership with the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) to assist in announcing, reviewing, and scoring the Pilot Studies, based on its current strategic plan, a strong process of peer review and tracking of pilot study outcomes, and its role in working closely with NIH to establish and promote the use of the new Common Data Elements for Cerebral Palsy. Final funding decisions will be made by the PedRehab Ctr team with input and approval from the independent National Advisory Board.
Our specific aims for Pilot Studies are: 1) to work collaboratively to encourage the development of highly promising ideas and methods that will benefit from critically needed Pilot Study data in order to obtain larger scale NIH funding; 2) to offer direct assistance to investigators and interdisciplinary research teams as they plan and finalize their proposals; 3) to provide timely funding for those applications judged the most meritorious; 4) to lend post-award direct assistance (including activities within our PedRehab Ctr for Mentored Collaborative Opportunities and Techniques Development) to those who receive funding with the goal of maximizing successful completion and later use of results; and 5) to monitor the scientific findings generated by the Pilot Studies and how these are used in subsequent research activities. In partnership with AACPDM, we will collect evaluative data from the recipients about the impact of the Pilot Studies program. Overall, our proposed Pilot Studies program includes embedded mentoring and collaboration ? from pre-submission through post-award.
