Skip to Main

Pilot & Feasibility Grants for Nutrition Obesity Research

The application period for the next cycle of Pilot & Feasibility Grants is now open. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee of internal and external physicians and scientists. Up to four recipients will be selected, with funding commencing on Jan. 1, 2025.

Grant Application Opportunity

Each year, the UT Southwestern Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) solicits proposals for Pilot and Feasibility Grants (P&F) to support studies on nutrition, obesity, and obesity-related disorders. Projects that will be supported include the following areas:

  • Nutrition
  • Mechanisms underlying body weight homeostasis
  • Obesity and obesity-related disorders

Eligibility Criteria

  • Must be an independent investigator and faculty member at UT Southwestern (postdoctoral fellows or their equivalents are ineligible)
  • New investigators beginning research careers focused on nutrition, obesity, and obesity-related complications without current or past extramural research support equivalent to an NIH R01, VA Merit Award, or P01 as a principal investigator
  • Established investigators with no previous work in nutrition/obesity who wish to apply their expertise to a problem in this area
  • Established nutritional sciences or obesity investigators who wish to take an entirely new direction from their usual work

Award

Up to $50,000 for one year. Awardees also receive prorated costs for use of NORC Metabolic Core facilities.

Awardees

Proposal Criteria and Guidelines

Only one application per faculty member is permitted. Collaborative efforts are welcomed. Women and underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply. Proposals should be organized as follows:

  • Abstract (one page – if awarded this will be posted on NORC website)
  • Specific Aims (one page)
  • Research Proposal (four pages maximum) – background and significance, innovation, plans for future funding, preliminary data, and experimental design
  • References/Bibliography (two pages maximum)
  • Budget (one page) – Funds may not be applied to salary support for PI or faculty (but can support staff). Travel (except as related to NORC project) and purchase of equipment are not allowed.
  • BioSketch in the NIH format (five-page maximum) with listing of current funding
  • Letter of support from your department chair, division chief, or center director

Submit Grant Applications as a Single PDF Document

Submit Application Via Email

Program Directors

Joyce Repa, PhD

Co-Director

Pilot & Feasibility Core
Joyce.Repa@UTSouthwestern.edu