Pilot Studies Program

Application

Important Dates

Application Opens: January 22, 2025

Full Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2025

Application Materials

All materials must include the investigator’s name at the top right corner, use a font no smaller than 11 pts, and include margins no narrower than 0.5 inches.

The application must include:

  • Biosketches for PI and co-PIs (New NIH format)
  • Reviewers (please provide the names of 3 external reviewers)
  • Lay Summary (max 300 words) written content explaining the project to a general/lay audience
  • Abstract
  • Key words (please provide 5 key words)
  • Research Plan (5 pages max, plus references) must include:
    – Specific Aims
    – Significance (be sure to address the translational potential of the project)
    – Innovation
    – Approach
    – Plans for applying for extramural funding
  • SSIHI Pilot Project Implementation Plan (click here to download form)
  • Home department letter of support (if PI salary is supported, please address buyout time)
  • Budget (itemized, 1 page maximum)
  • Budget Justification
    • Funds cannot be used to support computer purchases or travel; PI salary and other personnel salaries are allowable
    • No overhead will be provided for outside institutions

* All documents will need to be submitted in PDF format.

Regulatory Approval

Please note that while having regulatory approval (IRB, IACUC) is not necessary at the time of submission, awarded funds will not be released until such approval has been received. We will not allow carry-forward on these one-year awards. Also, if all regulatory approvals have not been received six months after award date, the Institute may withdraw the award.

Post-Award Project Support

Before funds are released, an activation meeting will be held with the awardee, a department financial analyst, and Institute staff. At this meeting, the team will review the project implementation plan and resources that will be provided to the research team.

Application Review Process

Review criteria will include:

  • Significance and impact of the proposed research
  • Qualifications of the PI and research team
  • Innovation
  • Approach; Scientific strength of the research design
  • Scientific environment
  • Project feasibility within the proposed time frame
  • Likelihood of generating extramural funding

SSIHI, in collaboration with the UCI ICTS, participates in a national CTSA External Reviewer Exchange Consortium (CEREC) to improve fairness in the scientific review process and better match applicants with feedback from experts in their respective fields. In submitting an application, you agree to allow reviewers external to UCI access to your application materials.

For more information, please contact Georgia Christodoulou at gchrist3@hs.uci.edu.

Application Deadline and Submission Instructions

Full Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2025

Submission Instructions:

Step 1

Please email your intention to apply to Georgia Christodoulou at gchrist3@hs.uci.edu.

Please include the following in this email:

Principal Investigator Name
Co-Investigator Name(s) (if applicable)
Title of Project

Step 2

Following this email, you will receive an individualized link and passcode to a submission portal, in which you will upload all required documents.

Step 3

Notification Emails for Receipt of Proposal
A notification email indicating the receipt of all your application materials will be sent within 24 hours of submission. If you have not received this confirmation, please contact Georgia Christodoulou at gchrist3@hs.uci.edu.