The Pilot and Feasibility Project Program (P/F) is designed to provide Vanderbilt investigators the opportunity to explore nascent, meritorious hypotheses related to digestive diseases with the ultimate goal being acquisition of external funding. The Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Research Center (VDDRC) plans to fund pilot projects annually. Awards will be made for 1 year for approximately $40,000. There will also be the opportunity next year to apply for a competitive renewal for a second year of funding for an additional $40,000. However, the proposal should be for only one year.

Categories of Investigators Eligible for VDDRC P/F Funding are:

Type I New investigators without current or past NIH support as the Principle Investigator oof an R01 or R01-equivalent project.
Type II Established investigators in Digestive Diseases Research who will have no independent R01 or R01-equivalent grant support if they do not secure a substantial grant in the near future.
Type III Established investigators from other areas of biomedical research who will apply their expertise to an area of need in Digestive Diseases Research.

It is anticipated that the majority of applicants will fall into the first category. Prior recipients of a DDRC Pilot and Feasibility award are eligible if the grant application is acollaborative effort with current DDRC members. In addition, a Young Investigator award will be made on the basis of priority score, potential of the investigator for independent career development in digestive disease research, and letters of support. The Young Investigator will be awarded $25,000 annual salary support for a 12-24 month period.

The Letter of Intent (LOI) and application should be addressed to Keith T. Wilson, M.D., Director of the VDDRC Pilot & Feasibility Program, Room 1030-C MRB-IV, 37232-0252. The LOI should be no more than 1 page and should briefly detail the background/rationale, aims and approach of the proposed application. The LOI should also explain the investigators eligibility and fit within one of the three research programs of the VDDRC and planned usage of VDDRC core laboratories. All interested applicants are to submit a Letter of Intent by Dec. 18, 2026.

Applications are due Feb. 26, 2027, and reviews are performed in March/April. Applicants selected for consideration of funding will then be required to be available for an oral presentation of their project to the selection committee on April 27. 2027. The start date of the awards will be June 1, 2027. The guidelines for submission are available on the VDDRC website.

For additional information, please contact Maria Eckhardt or Keith Wilson.