(PESC) The UTMB Pilot/Exploratory Studies Core (PESC) drives the innovation of the UTMB OAIC by supporting the development and maturation of new research programs relevant to our core mission of understanding and improving physical function and independence in older adults. The PESC prioritizes support of early stage investigators, while seeking to build and extend collaborations by attracting established investigators from other disciplines. Over the previous cycles we have supported a high proportion of early stage (71%), women (37%) and minority (34%) investigators. 72% of the pilot studies completed during the past two cycles have led to extramural funding. The PESC funds pilot projects, and small exploratory projects that align with our broader OAIC theme: ?Translate Pathways of Function Loss and Gain into Interventions to Optimize Functional Recovery in Diverse Geriatric Populations?. By leveraging institutional resources and OAIC-network collaborations we seek to accomplish the following specific aims: 1. Stimulate new research foci relevant to the OAIC theme. 2. Oversee and monitor the funded projects. 3. Support the development of new research programs. We will accomplish our aims by soliciting, reviewing and selecting meritorious pilot proposals relevant to the OAIC theme; identifying opportunities for collaboration and co-sponsorship of our studies; providing early mentoring support and access to resources from other OAIC cores and institutional facilities; monitoring progress of the funded studies; ensuring regulatory compliance, safety and protection of human subjects; tracking success and productivity of the funded projects; and providing individual mentoring and resources to transition completed PESC studies into competitive, external grant applications. In the next cycle we will expand our breadth by developing new multicenter collaborations with other NIA centers (RCMAR) and other OAICs (Wake Forest), with an emphasis on scaling up trials in hospitalized geriatric patients, neurologic diseases and Hispanic Aging.
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