Monday, May 19, at 9 a.m. is the deadline to submit letters of intent (LOIs) for the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) spring 2025 Translational Pilot Studies Program; see Request for Proposals (RFP) here. With local institutional support and an award from the National Institutes of Health, the program provides seed money to advance promising new technologies and therapeutics from the conceptual stage to clinical trials. 

Since 2015, the CTSI pilot studies program has made 130 awards to 492 early career/established investigators from UB and Buffalo Translational Consortium (BTC) institutions. As these numbers indicate, the program has been the impetus for major impacts on health and healthcare in Western New York and beyond, says CTSI Director Timothy F. Murphy, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor.

“The impact of the pilot studies goes well beyond the studies themselves,” Murphy explains. “Research teams in the BTC have had enormous success in leveraging their pilot funding to win major federal grants. Several of these projects have already resulted in improving the health of the people of our community.”

The program has a new director in 2025 — Elizabeth A. Griffiths, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

“I am looking forward to welcoming Dr. Griffiths to the team and working with her,” Murphy says. “Dr. Griffiths is an accomplished physician scientist and expert in the treatment of leukemias and bone marrow disorders. Her work spans novel laboratory-based studies of therapeutic agents all the way through conducting clinical trials, positioning her well to lead the CTSI pilot studies program.”

With the LOI deadline approaching, prospective applicants can learn about the program, the process, and the supports that are available. Here are 10 things to know before applying:

1. Eligibility guidelines: To be eligible to apply for and receive pilot studies funding, applicants must be a full-time faculty member at UB or at an affiliated BTC partner institution and agree, if called upon, to serve as a reviewer for proposals submitted for a current or future rounds of CTSI pilot studies funding.
2. Funding cycle: The funding cycle for awarded pilot studies for is January 1 to December 31, 2026.
3. Details from the latest RFP and the full timeline: The spring 2025 Request for Proposals and full timeline are available here. 
4. The application process: The pilot studies application process, explained here, features seven steps: RFP, LOIs, full proposals,  scientific review and funding priorities, funding proposals, NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) prior approval, and account setup and tracking.
5. A Zoom information session will be held on April 29: An introduction to the pilot studies program will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29; register here to attend. 
6. Tips for application success can be watched or read: A video overview of the program and tips for success in obtaining CTSI pilot studies funding are offered via video and downloadable slides.
7. Imaging support is available: Additional support is offered for applicants who plan to enhance their research programs with MRI through the CTSI Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI). Eligible applicants who have never received an extramural grant that included imaging at the CBI are encouraged to apply; see RFP for additional details. 
8. Past PIs and co-investigators come from multiple UB schools and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center: See the full list of projects awarded pilot studies funding, sorted by year and highlighting the awardees, BTC institution, and title of project here.
9. Applicants are encouraged to make use of CTSI research resources and services: The CTSI offers an array of pre-award research resources and services at no cost to investigators with primary appointments or positions at UB and BTC institutions. 
10. Awardees present their research at the CTSI Pilot Studies Colloquium: The annual CTSI event features oral presentation and post sessions opportunities highlighting innovative research projects that received pilot studies funding.  

The CTSI pilot studies program is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number UM1TR005296 to the University at Buffalo, as well as: UB’s Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; and the deans of UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, and School of Nursing.

Have questions about your application or the pilot studies process? Write to ctsa-pilot-studies@buffalo.edu.