The Miami CTSI Pilot Program awards innovative, interdisciplinary, clinical translational science proposals that clearly align with the CTSI goals of improving the health of our community, addressing health disparities, and promoting health equity. These projects are expected to generate publications and data for external funding.

Meritorious scientific projects of up to $40,000 each (for direct costs only) will be funded each fiscal year. Funding is prioritized for projects that are consistent with the national mandate to achieve health equity, and address health disparities and challenges that disproportionately affect minority health and/or underserved populations as defined by the National Institutes of Health. Community and external stakeholder engagement is also expected to be included as a crucial piece of the project.

The award period is 12 months (start date subject to NIH/NCATS prior approval).

Read the complete funding announcement (RFA) here.

• Translational research projects aligned with our overarching goals, but projects must also clearly articulate a clinical translational science (CTS) component. For detailed information, visit NCATS Translational Spectrum and/or request consultation with CTSI to ensure your project meets criteria. 
• Projects must improve community health, promote health equity, and/or address health disparities. Discovery science applications are welcomed but such applications must also articulate how their projects will contribute toward the CTSI’s overarching goals.    
• Research projects conducted outside of the U.S. to any extent will not be considered.
• Only new applications and first resubmissions to any UM internal award mechanism are allowed.

Projects that are not considered responsive to this RFA include:

• Projects without a CTS component, i.e., projects only focused on crossing a specific step of the translational process for a particular target or disease.
• Projects conducted outside of the U.S. to any extent.
• More than 2 resubmissions to the CTSI Pilot Program

All criteria must be met as of application due date.

• Only full-time faculty at the ranks of Assistant or non-tenured Associate Professors are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators (PI). Full Professors may serve only as co-investigators or mentors. 
• Jackson Health System and Miami VA full-time faculty may apply as PI, with at least one full-time UM faculty co-investigator.
• Residents, instructors, staff, post-doctoral and clinical fellows are not eligible to apply as Principal Investigator.
• Proposals submitted by females, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and/or individuals from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in sciences and medicine are encouraged. For more information, please visit NIH guidance on underrepresented groups in the extramural scientific workforce.

Proposal submission is a two-step process that requires both a Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Application. The LOI is a structured electronic questionnaire.

Applicants will be invited to submit their full application based on eligibility criteria, relevance to CTSI’s overarching goals and potential impact on clinical and translational science.

We strongly encourage reviewing the complete RFA and attending the information session to gain a clear understanding of this call for applications.

Pilot Award Info Session: Wednesday, May 1, 2024 @5 PM – Registration Required

Complete the online LOI here.

You may email the program contacts below.

Required consultations and trainings are tracked, and applications will not be accepted if these requirements are not met prior to submission.

Required prior to application submission on July 18, 2024:

• Biostatistics Consultations are MANDATORY upon invitation to submit the full application. Applicants are required to meet with the Biostatistics Collaboration and Consulting Core (BCCC) for a free initial consultation before applications are submitted. Free biostatistical support is provided for awarded pilots.
• Fiscal / Administrative Consultations are MANDATORY upon invitation to submit the full application. A calendar link will be provided upon invitation to submit the full application.
• Community Engagement and Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Session attendance is MANDATORY upon invitation to submit the full application. This session (live zoom and recording will be available) will ensure projects include a thoughtful community engagement plan and are responsive to the CTS focus.

Additional Considerations

• Regulatory, participant recruitment, CTS and community engagement consultations with the CTSI team are encouraged and available upon request to Melanie Couch.

The Miami CTSI is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. Awarded pilot projects involving human subjects and/or live vertebrate animals must receive approval from NCATS prior to starting project (drawing down funds) and can only be obtained with valid IRB/IACUC/IBC required regulatory approval documentation and numerous other documents. The preparation for prior approval typically takes 15 to 30 days to submit to NCATS. NCATS approval typically takes a minimum of 30 days. The CTSI Team will work with awardees to ensure prior approval requirements are met and documentation is submitted. Failure to obtain NCATS Prior Approval could result in revocation of award.

If you have questions about the pilot awards program, please contact:

• Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., Director, Miami CTSI Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program [email protected]
• Melanie Couch, MHA, Director, Research Operations, Miami CTSI [email protected]