Pilot funding from the UTMB Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center is helping faculty launch early-stage studies that grow into sustained research programs, external funding, and new insights into the health of older adults.

Through Pepper Center Pilot Project awards, faculty across disciplines receive seed funding, mentorship, and shared research infrastructure to test innovative ideas focused on aging and age-related conditions. Recent faculty awardees highlight how this early support has accelerated their work and strengthened UTMB’s aging research community.

Building Evidence Through Early-Stage Research

For Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, Pepper pilot funding made it possible to test whether commercial activity monitors could help promote physical activity among older adults, a population often excluded from early wearable technology studies.

“We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to investigate the feasibility of using a commercial activity monitor and app to promote physical activity among older adults,” Lyons said.

The study produced high-impact results, leading to a widely cited publication and providing preliminary data that supported successful funding applications to the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society.

“I did not expect a small pilot study to get so many citations,” Lyons noted. “But it really has.”

Lyons also emphasized the value of the Pepper Center’s shared resources, including access to research coordinators and mentorship from senior faculty, which helped her manage the complex staffing needs of a clinical trial.

Supporting Career Development and Collaboration

For Neil Mehta, PhD, Pepper Center pilot funding provided critical salary support while he established his research program at UTMB and helped integrate him into a multidisciplinary community of aging researchers.

Mehta’s work focuses on understanding declines in health and functioning among older Americans, particularly changes in cardiometabolic risk since 2010. While his pilot project was largely descriptive, it became part of a broader research trajectory that ultimately resulted in R01 funding.

“Being part of the Pepper Center enabled me to integrate into a strong, multidisciplinary community of aging researchers,” Mehta said.

He credits the Center with fostering collaboration across departments and providing a research environment that supports long-term inquiry into population health trends among older adults.

Translating Research Into Real-World Impact

Brian Downer, PhD, used his Pepper Center pilot project to translate epidemiological research into a community-based intervention aimed at reducing Alzheimer’s disease risk among Hispanic adults aged 55 to 64.

The pilot tested a short-term, multidomain intervention designed for individuals at moderate to high risk for Alzheimer’s disease and demonstrated strong interest among participants in prevention-focused education.

“It allowed me to translate the findings from my epidemiological research to real-world settings,” Downer said.

Downer highlighted the Pepper Center’s support with participant recruitment and regulatory materials as particularly valuable, noting that the experience strengthened his overall research portfolio and contributed to his career development award.

More Than Pilot Funding

Faculty consistently note that Pepper Center Pilot Project awards provide more than financial support. In addition to funding, awardees benefit from mentorship, mock study sections, shared research staff, and opportunities to build collaborative relationships across UTMB.

Together, these resources help faculty generate preliminary data, refine study designs, and position themselves for future external funding, while advancing research that improves health and independence for older adults.

Learn More

The UTMB Pepper Center continues to invite faculty to apply for Pilot Project funding to support innovative aging research.

Information about the 2026 Pepper Center Call for Pilot Applications, including submission deadlines, is available at:
www.utmb.edu/pepper.