Pilot and Feasibility Grants

The Vanderbilt O’Brien Kidney Center funds pilot and feasibility grants for innovative kidney research ranging from basic science to human and clinical translational studies.

Past awardees from the last 20 years have had an 88% success rate of obtaining subsequent independent funding within three years of being awarded a pilot and feasibility grant. Investigators, regardless of institutional affiliation, are welcome to apply.

Please note that the application period is not currently open.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a pilot and feasibility study, an individual must be a faculty member with a rank of Instructor or above, and must fit within the NIH guidelines for eligibility. Some examples may be helpful.

A study proposed by a new investigator with an interest in a career in research in nephrology before they have developed to the point of being able to obtain individual grant support.
A study proposed by an established investigator who has experience in areas other than nephrology, and who wants to test their ability to contribute to the nephrology field.
A study by an established investigator in nephrology who wants to pursue a question in an area different from their current research field.

Application Guidelines

Format

The NIH requires that the application be submitted on the NIH form PHS 398, which can be obtained from the NIH website here.

Please note: There is a five-page limit, excluding references, for the research description. The application packet must include the following:

NIH Face Page (form page 1)
NIH Description, Performance Site and Key Personnel (form page 2)
NIH Table of Contents (form page 3)
NIH Budget & Justification Pages (form pages 4 & 5)
NIH Biographical Sketch (form page FF - maximum 4 pages)
NIH Formatted Other Support (form page)
NIH Resources (form page)

If necessary, additional materials can be submitted as an appendix. Applicants should include how VOKC cores will be utilized. For a detailed explanation of core services see, click here.

If your research project involves human or animal subjects, please contact the appropriate office for the necessary forms to obtain committee approval.

Budget

Awards will be $40,000 per year in direct costs. Budget submissions should show direct costs only, and should be for the proposed one-year grant period. Second-year funding may be available contingent on satisfactory progress in year one. For Vanderbilt investigators, the respective federal indirect cost rate will be applied to all expenses and will be paid by the grant in addition to the direct cost amount awarded. For external investigators, indirect cost determination is dependent upon your institution.

Submission

The completed application (1 pdf file) should be consolidated into one document (PDF preferred) and submitted via email to Dr. Matthew Wilson by the next posted due date.

Notes:

You MUST email the application as ONE document (PDF)
For Vanderbilt investigators, do NOT submit your application through the Office of Sponsored Research prior to submission Dr. Matthew Wilson.

Past Awardees

Year	Awardee	Project Title	Institution
2021	Michelle Gumz, PhD	Circadian Misalignment: A risk factor for AKI, driver of AKI's cardiovascular sequela, and potential therapeutic target	University of Florida
	Juan Pablo Arroyo, MD, PhD	The role of the Insulin Regulated Aminopeptidase (IRAP) in kidney disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Carmen De Miguel, PhD	Sex differences in diabetic kidney disease: the innate immune system and endothelin-1	University of Alabama at Birmingham
2020	Lori O’Brien, PhD	Characterization of the podocyte foot process proteome in health and disease	University of North Carolina
	Cassianne Robinson-Cohen, PhD	Genetic epidemiology of kidney disease in South Africans	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Paola Nicoletti, MD, PhD	Evaluating genetic predisposition to drug induced kidney injury	Mount Sinai
2019	Lori O’Brien, PhD	Characterization of the podocyte foot process proteome in health and disease/td>	University of North Carolina
	Cassianne Robinson-Cohen, PhD	Genetic epidemiology of kidney disease in South Africans	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Paola Nicoletti, MD, PhD	Evaluating genetic predisposition to drug induced kidney injury	Mount Sinai
2018	Craig Brooks, PhD	Cyclin G1 mediates G2/M arrest and fibrosis progression in chronic kidney disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Jorge Gamboa, MD, PhD	Mitochondrial biology and exercise in patients on maintenance hemodialysis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Lauren Woodard, PhD	Generation and evaluation of transposon-modified urine-derived stem cells	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2017	Craig Brooks, PhD	Cyclin G1 mediates G2/M arrest and fibrosis progression in chronic kidney disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Jorge Gamboa, MD, PhD	Mitochondrial biology and exercise in patients on maintenance hemodialysis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Lauren Woodard, PhD	Generation and evaluation of transposon-modified urine-derived stem cells	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2016	Craig Brooks, PhD	Cyclin G1 mediates G2/M arrest and fibrosis progression in chronic kidney disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Jorge Gamboa, MD, PhD	Mitochondrial biology and exercise in patients on maintenance hemodialysis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Lauren Woodard, PhD	Generation and evaluation of transposon-modified urine-derived stem cells	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2015	Sijo Matthew, PhD (Supported by VCKD)	Structure function analysis of the role of CD98h in acute kidney injury	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Loren Lipworth, PhD; Kerri Cavanaugh, MD (Supported by VCKD)	Examining environmental exposures to explain kidney disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2012	Keith Wilson, MD	H. pylori and hypertension: role of arginase, NO, and polyamines	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Fiona Yull, PhD	Macrophages determine extent of kidney damage representing a therapeutic target	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Elena Tchekneva, PhD	Post-translational Modification of Aquaporin 11 in Diabetic Kidney	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2011	Peter Clark, MD	Ras and β-catenin synergy in the kidney	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Nataliya Pidkovka, PhD	Role of Cyp2c44 epoxygenase in vascular wall remodeling and inflammation	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Roberto Vanacore, PhD	Role of Collagen IV Sulfilimine Bonds in Processing and Presentation of Goodpasture Autoantigen	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2010	Peter Clark, MD	Ras and β-catenin synergy in the kidney	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Nataliya Pidkovka, PhD	Role of Cyp2c44 epoxygenase in vascular wall remodeling and inflammation	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Roberto Vanacore, PhD	Role of Collagen IV Sulfilimine Bonds in Processing and Presentation of Goodpasture Autoantigen	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2009	Scott Baldwin, MD	Modulation of renal ischemia reperfusion injury by NFATc1	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Lijun Ma, MD, PhD	Mechanism of Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) in Diabetic Nephropathy	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Manakan Srichai, MD	The roles of β1 integrin in acute tubular injury	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Takamune Takahashi, MD, PhD	Development of Imaging Technique for the Assessment of Glomerular Number	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2008	Scott Baldwin, MD	Modulation of renal ischemia reperfusion injury by NFATc1	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Lijun Ma, MD, PhD	Mechanism of Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) in Diabetic Nephropathy	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Manakan Srichai, MD	The roles of β1 integrin in acute tubular injury	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Takamune Takahashi, MD, PhD	Development of Imaging Technique for the Assessment of Glomerular Number	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2006	Xiwu Chen, MD, PhD	The role of Caveolin 1 in integrin α1β1/EGFR crosstalk	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Mark DeCaestecker, MBBS, PhD	Uteroplacental insufficiency and kidney development	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Charles Sanders, PhD	Structure, Folding, and Misfolding of the Vasopressin V2 Receptor	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2005	Alfred L. George, Jr., MD/Matthew H. Wilson, MD, PhD	Site-directed transposon integration	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Kevin Strange, PhD	Function of a hypertonicity-regulated C. elegans aquaporin	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Ming-Zhi Zhang, MD	Generating kidney selective dopamine null mice	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2004	Alfred L. George, Jr., MD/Matthew H. Wilson, MD, PhD	Site-directed transposon integration	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Kevin Strange, PhD	Function of a hypertonicity-regulated C. elegans aquaporin	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Ming-Zhi Zhang, MD	Generating kidney selective dopamine null mice	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2003	Mark DeCaestecker, MBBS, PhD	CITED proteins in renal development and disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Ambra Pozzi, PhD	Role of integrin α1β1 in glomerulosclerosis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Roy Zent, MBBCh, PhD	Membrane Proteins and Ureteric Bud Branching Morphogenesis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2002	Mark DeCaestecker, MBBS, PhD	CITED proteins in renal development and disease	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Ambra Pozzi, PhD	Role of integrin α1β1 in glomerulosclerosis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
	Roy Zent, MBBCh, PhD	Membrane Proteins and Ureteric Bud Branching Morphogenesis	Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Contact the VOKC Pilot and Feasibility Grants Program:

Matthew Wilson, PhD, MD

Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology & Hypertension

For more information and questions, please email Jennifer Rieke, Program Manager, or call (615) 343-5400.