The Pilot and Feasibility Program is a critical component of the Baltimore PKD Center (B-PKD Center).
The Specific Aims of the Pilot and Feasibility Program are: 1) To stimulate and solicit high quality research proposals related to the B-PKD Center themes 2) To encourage submission of pilot projects by junior investigators 3) To review pilot proposals for their innovativeness and scientific merit 4) To provide mentorship to junior investigators receiving P & F awards in order to maximize the chance of career success and 5) To record the career events (ie publications, grants, honors etc) of Pilot Project awardees. Dr. Terry Watnick, the Baltimore PKD Center Director, will manage the Pilot and Feasibility Program. She will be responsible for recruiting proposals and for assigning each application to two qualified reviewers, one who will be external to the B-PKD Center. We anticipate that two meritorious proposals will be funded each year with additional proposals funded at the University of Maryland through the Dean's office in Years 2-4. Pilot studies chosen for year 1 are tightly focused around Core Resources and recruit two new investigators with unique areas of expertise to the study of polycystic kidney disease. Pilot 1 will focus on ciliary signaling in cardiac myocytes and will also investigate the role of polycystin-2 in this cell type. Pilot 2 stems from the observation that ADPKD is associated with the occurrence of supernumerary centrioles. This proposal will use unique animal models to test the hypothesis that that centriole amplification may promote renal cyst formation. In summary, the Pilot and Feasibility Program will continue to be instrumental in encouraging new investigators to join the PKD field, in developing new research directions and in attracting diverse talent to the study of polycystic kidney disease.
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