Call for Proposals
UTMB Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center 2026 Pilot Research Awards
Letter of Intent Deadline: Monday, April 6, 2026
Invited Full Submission Deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026
Priority Research Areas: Chronic disabling conditions and recovery, Technology to maintain independence, Disparities and functioning, Geroscience and functioning, and Community and functional independence
The NIH-funded UTMB Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (P30 AG024832) is inviting UTMB investigators to submit pilot research proposals focusing on enhancing functional independence in older adults with chronic disabling conditions. Proposals from various domains including basic science, clinical trials, patient-centered outcomes, population health, and any other area of translational research (T1-T4) are encouraged.
The aim of this pilot funding is to support aging-related research that can feasibly lead to external funding. Pilot awardees will have access to research resources provided by the research design, biostatistics and data management core, clinical and community-based research core, and technology-enabled research core.
Projects will receive funding for one year (09/01/2026 – 08/31/2027), with total annual direct costs not exceeding $50,000. If applicable, approval by UTMB’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB) is required by the pilot start date.
Proposals are welcome from all investigators interested in launching studies on aging.
The pilot proposal selection process involves two steps:
- Step 1: Letter of Intent & Biosketch – Interested investigators should submit a brief letter of intent (one page or less) describing their research idea, its relevance to the Pepper Center theme, and how it could lead to external funding in aging. Letters & biosketches of the PI and Co-Is combined into one pdf document can be sent to Alexis King (Pepper OAIC Administrator) via email at alnking@utmb.edu. The deadline for receipt of the letter of intent and biosketches is Monday, April 6, 2026. Letters of Intent will be evaluated by the Pepper Executive Committee, and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.
- Step 2: Full Proposal – If selected to submit a full proposal, a 5-page proposal in NIH format will be required outlining the research plan. If requested, a research mentor and biostatistician can be assigned to assist with proposal development. The deadline for receipt of the full proposal is Friday, May 15, 2026. Full proposals will be evaluated by the Pilot Review Committee, comprising UTMB Pepper Center leaders, field experts, and at least one independent external reviewer with specific expertise in the area of the pilot application.
Please feel free to share this announcement with your colleagues. More information about the Center can be found at
www.utmb.edu/pepper.
For inquiries, contact Alexis King at alnking@utmb.edu.