SDDRC Pilot/Feasibility Grants in Digestive Diseases 

The San Diego Digestive Diseases Research Center (SDDRC) is pleased to announce a new round of Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) Awards for the 2026-2027 academic year. We anticipate making 3-4 research awards of $40,000 each in one of the following categories. Applicants must clearly indicate the award category under which they are applying.

Pilots for innovative research directions. These awards are intended to support innovative research in digestive diseases that addresses significant unmet needs in the field and has a high likelihood of generating new insights, testing novel concepts, and producing preliminary or feasibility data to support future applications for external research funding. In addition, applications from established investigators pursuing new research directions or exploring novel areas of investigation are encouraged. Applicants should clearly describe how the proposed work represents a significant departure from their previous research and highlight its innovation and potential impact.

Early career support. These awards are intended to support promising projects of early-career investigators, generally at the Assistant Professor level or equivalent. However, applications from senior postdoctoral fellows are encouraged and will be considered if the applicant is a candidate for a faculty appointment during the proposed funding period.

Funding transitions. Investigators facing a potential loss of extramural funding are also encouraged to apply. These awards are intended to provide support during funding transitions, help sustain productive research programs, and strengthen competitiveness for future external funding opportunities. Support in this category is not intended to provide funding for investigators who are PIs of one or more R01 or R01-equivalent grants that will be active for at least two years at the time of the P/F application.

Projects may involve basic, translational, or clinical research. Proposed studies must align with the mission of the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition (DDN) within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which supports research on digestive diseases, including those affecting the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, nutrition, and obesity.

Consistent with the focused NIDDK mission, projects focused primarily on established cancers, such as studies of metastatic disease or cancer treatment regimens, are not eligible for support. However, studies investigating precancerous conditions or early disease mechanisms relevant to cancer development are acceptable.

Applicants must provide a clear and realistic plan demonstrating that the proposed scope of work can be successfully completed within the available budget and project period.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a faculty appointment during the award period at one of the institutions currently participating in the SDDRC, including UC San Diego, the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, or the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Eligible appointments include faculty of all series, including ladder rank, adjunct faculty, health sciences clinical faculty, project scientists, and research scientists.

Applications may be submitted before a faculty appointment is finalized; however, funding will be contingent upon the applicant actively progressing toward an eligible appointment at the time of award.

Current SDDRC membership is not required. Investigators who are not already affiliated with the SDDRC will be appointed as Associate Members upon receipt of an award.

Proposal Guidelines

Applicants must submit the information outlined below. All application materials should be prepared in accordance with standard NIH formatting guidelines, including the use of Arial font (minimum 11-point size), single-spacing, and margins of at least 0.5 inches on all sides.

1. Completed application form.
2. Abstract (maximum 250 words): Provide a brief summary of the proposed research, including the central hypothesis, specific aims, key conceptual and/or technical innovations, anticipated outcomes, and potential significance. The abstract should also clearly describe how the project relates to the SDDRC's overarching theme of inflammation in the digestive tract.
3. Lay language summary (maximum 100 words): Applications will be reviewed by scientific experts and lay members of the SDDRC Community Advisory Board. To allow lay members to assess the potential impact of the proposed projects, the research plan must include a lay summary in non-technical language that broadly explains why the research is important and needed, what the research goals are of the project, and how the work, if successful, may advance the care of individuals with digestive diseases in the foreseeable future. This section should be carefully composed and accessible to the interested lay person, so it can justify the expenditure of public research funds to the benefit of patients.
4. Research Plan (4-page maximum, excluding references): The research plan must follow current NIH Instructions and should be organized into two primary sections: 1) Significance and Innovation, and 2) Approach. The narrative may include, within the 4-page limit, preliminary studies and supporting data to support the feasibility of the project.
5. References (no page limit).
6. Plan for future funding (1-page maximum): Describe plans for obtaining future extramural funding, including the targeted funding agencies and grant mechanisms. Applicants should clearly explain how the proposed Pilot and Feasibility project will strengthen the likelihood of future funding by generating critical preliminary data, testing novel hypotheses, establishing proof of concept, validating new methodologies, or overcoming other scientific or technical barriers necessary for a competitive external grant application. Importantly, the focus should be on explaining how the award will help to address key bottle necks in the research area, rather than simply expanding already existing preliminary data. Furthermore, if prior grant reviews are available for projects, it would be appropriate in this section to discuss the key concerns raised about the project and how they will be addressed with a pilot/feasibility award.
7. Biographical sketch(es) and Other Support of key personnel (NIH format; 5 pages maximum). Submit current NIH-format biographical sketches and Other Support using ScIENcv for all key personnel.
8. Optional letter of intent (maximum 250 words): Prospective applicants who would like to receive early feedback regarding eligibility, programmatic fit, and scientific focus are encouraged to submit a letter of intent (LOI) prior to submitting a full application. The LOI should include a brief summary of the proposed project and may be submitted at any time before the full application deadline. While submission of an LOI is encouraged and may help strengthen the competitiveness of an application, it is not required for submission of a full application.

Finalist Presentations: Prior to final award selection, applicants with the highest-ranked proposals will be invited to present a brief overview of their project and respond to questions from the scientific review committee at the SDDRC Symposium on Friday, February 5, 2027. These presentations will provide an opportunity for applicants to further highlight the significance, innovation, and feasibility of their proposed research.

Post-Award Selection Requirements

Upon selection for funding, the following requirements must be satisfied before an award can be issued:

1. Budget and Budget Justification (NIH format; 1-page maximum): Applicants may request support for all eligible project-related expenses, including salary for the Principal Investigator (PI) and/or research personnel, laboratory supplies, equipment, core facility services, and travel to professional meetings directly related to the proposed research. Indirect costs (F&A costs) are not allowable.
2. Regulatory Approvals: For projects involving human participants and/or animals, documentation of the appropriate institutional approvals (e.g., IRB and/or IACUC approval) must be provided before funds can be released.
3. Data Sharing and Preservation: Awardees must agree to comply with NIH mandated data-sharing and data-management requirements and commit to the preservation and responsible sharing of data generated through the award, as appropriate.
4. Progress Presentation at the SDDRC Symposium: At the conclusion of the one-year funding period, awardees will be required to present their project findings and research progress at the annual SDDRC Symposium.