Call for Pilot Project Proposals on Women's Health

The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health (CIRWH) and The Sealy Center on Aging (SCOA) encourages UTMB investigators to submit pilot research proposals for translational research focused on Women’s Health.

Two women’s health pilots will be funded using co-funding from CIRWH and SCOA. The pilots should focus on women’s health priorities of older women including menopause, osteoporosis, falls, fractures, or dementia.

Proposals emphasizing Team Science and collaboration across Schools and Departments will be prioritized. Proposals from basic science, clinical trials, patient-centered outcomes, population health, and any other area of translational research (T1-T4) are welcome. New investigators to this funding mechanism will be prioritized.

The purpose of this pilot funding is to support early career faculty (Assistant professors and Instructors) in obtaining training and preliminary data for publication and external funding. Pilot awardees will have access to research space and equipment and mentoring from leadership, provided by CIRWH and SCOA.

Projects will be funded September 2026 – August 2027, with total annual direct costs not to exceed $20,000. If applicable, approval by UTMB’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB) is required by pilot start date.

• Cover letter stating the goals of the study, how the study aligns with the CIRWH or SCOA research areas, and specific information on the mechanism and timing of external funding applications that will use pilot data from this award (1 page max)
• 1-page specific aims page in NIH format
• 2-page proposal in NIH Research Strategy format including Significance (1/2 page max), Innovation (1/2 page max), and Approach (1 page max). Include future directions that detail manuscript and grant submission plans.
• NIH biosketch for PI and Key Personnel (including a senior faculty member who will provided mentorship)
• Detailed Budget & Budget Justification. Faculty effort is not an allowable cost. 

All application materials should be placed in a single PDF document and emailed to: Alexis King, MS, email: alnking@utmb.edu