WCM CTSC Pilot Program Award
Applications Now Open!
WCM CTSC invites applications for its Translational Science Pilot Program, which aims to advance translational research by supporting innovative projects that address critical barriers in clinical research. The program focuses on bridging the gap between scientific discoveries and their application to improve health outcomes, spanning from basic science research ready for clinical implementation and community impact. Researchers are encouraged to propose innovative strategies to address these roadblocks and challenges, to develop and test new methodologies, and to evaluate their potential for broader applicability across diseases and health conditions.
Consider the Following Challenges:
- Are roadblocks in translational research preventing you from advancing discoveries to the next stage?
- Do you need novel or disruptive solutions to accelerate and implement the translation of research?
Funding Categories:
Translational Science Pilot Award
Objective – Create opportunities for translational science team research across disciplines and institutions, and between pre-clinical and clinical scientists. This award can support clinical trials phases I & II. Emphasis is placed on drug discovery, targeted therapeutics, biomarker or device development, and life-course studies.
Special Population Award
Objective – With the aim of fostering collaboration among community organizations, CTSC institutions, and affiliates, this award will emphasize special populations such as children, disabled and the elderly.
Kristy Richards Precision Medicine Award
Objective – To target faculty members working in precision medicine pursuing studies that use genomics, behavioral, and biologic measures to test feasibility for precision medicine therapy including artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Community Engagement Award
Objective – Strong community focus with a clear goal of facilitating the transfer of evidence-based practice that focuses on collaboration between the community, CTSC institutions and affiliates. Emphasis should be placed on solution-oriented approaches that address the significant burden of conditions that disproportionately affect community and different populations under study.
Dissemination & Implementation Science Award
Objective - Support studies that will identify multi-level gaps in developing and/or testing strategies for improving the integration of evidence-based treatments (broadly defined) into routine medical care. Research using D&I research methods, strategies, measures and frameworks are encouraged.
APPLY HERE
Deadline: February 04, 2026 by 5pm
Funding Amount: Up to $50,000 per year for one year
Award Duration: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
Proposals requirements:
- minimum of two co-principal investigators from different disciplines (eg, basic science and clinical; or different clinical domains);
- minimum of two different CTSC partnering institutions (see partnering institutions at the Application link);
- explicit focus on some aspect of translational science (thus, projects must have clinical or community involvement; studies with an exclusive focus on laboratory or basic science research will be returned without review);
- rationale on how pilot results can lead to future NIH funding.
Investigators are encouraged to advance translational science by addressing:
- roadblocks in translational research that prevent advancing discoveries to the next step toward implementation;
- novel or disruptive solutions that speed translation and implementation.
Other important objectives:
- translate basic science discoveries into early clinical studies;
- conduct human subject clinical trials;
- implement evidence-based practices in community or clinical settings.
Proposal guidelines:
- identify a specific objective in translational science;
- propose an innovative solution or approach that is collaborative across disciplines
and institutions; - describe the plan to test the success or effectiveness of proposed approach;
- highlight next steps and applicability of pilot results.
Evaluation criteria:
- quality and innovation of research proposal;
- potential for advancing translational science and eliminating translational barriers;
- collaborative efforts across disciplines, departments, and institutions;
- potential for pilot results leading to external funding opportunities.
Investigator eligibility:
- clinical fellows transitioning to faculty roles, senior post-doctoral researchers, and all faculty, with early-career investigators given special encouragement to apply;
- affiliation with WCM or with a Weill Cornell CTSC partner institution;
- students, residents, or early clinical or post-doctoral fellows are ineligible
Anticipated Number and Type of Awards:
- Translational science pilot award: 1 award
- Translational science pilot involving special populations (eg, children, older adults, disabled; community engagement encouraged): 1 award
- Translational science pilot involving precision medicine (Kristy Richards award): 1 award
- Translational science pilot involving community engagement (with focus on advancing evidence-based practice in the community; requires community-based co-principal investigator with $35,000 support; $15,000 support for the academic co-principal investigator): 1 award
Questions? Contact Pankaj Patel – pap9083@med.cornell.edu