Pilot Study Investigators

The Center goal is to support three pilot studies during the first grant year and two or three studies for each of the remaining four years. In accordance with grant guidelines, eligible investigators may include (a) established investigators with no previous work in the area of biobehavioral clinical research who are testing the applicability of their expertise to research about critical health experiences; (b) previously funded, beginning or mid-career investigators who would benefit from additional pilot work using biobehavioral clinical measures or outcomes in order to prepare of R01-level studies; or (c) new investigators, who have not previously been principal investigators with a DHHS research project grant (R01, R03, R15, R21, P01).

Pilot study principal investigators must be School of Nursing faculty members. Co-investigators and collaborators from various disciplines are strongly encouraged.

Consultation for pilot study development is the major objective of the Pilot Core. This objective will be accomplished through a process that involves identification of potential research questions, coordination of resources to develop ideas related to those questions, and development of proposals congruent with the aims of the Center.

Pilot study applications will be solicited on an annual basis from faculty within the School of Nursing. The call will generally be issued as soon as pilot study review for the previous year is completed. This will allow sufficient time for faculty to further develop what we expect will be preliminary work on research projects. Reminders about the call for pilot study proposals will also be posted on the School of Nursing community calendar as well as the Center's website.

Investigators funded through this Center grant will participate fully in activities of the CBCR. These activities will include monthly meetings of pilot study investigators with the Center's directors. The purpose of these meetings will be to monitor pilot study progress and identify areas in which the investigator may be having difficulty. The meeting time will be used to identify approaches or solutions to problems in study progress. In addition, these meetings will serve as a resource for learning about new methods and strategies for measuring biobehavioral phenomena. Thus, these meetings will be for the general purpose of enhancing investigator research development as well as monitoring progress. In addition, these meetings will serve to identify investigator needs for research training and development. With advice from the Executive Committee and Advisory Council, educational opportunities to enhance investigator skills will be offered. These opportunities may include statistical workshops, demonstration of instruments for biological and behavioral measures, reading materials on critical health experiences and related topics, and outside consultants for specific areas of need or concern. In addition, the group of pilot study investigators will serve as a resource for generating new ideas for applications to use Center resources in biobehavioral clinical research.

How to apply for a pilot study (PDF file, opens in new window)