Call for Translational Science Pilot Project Applications
Introduction
A 1 year award up to $30,000 $50,000 for innovative, solution-seeking projects
Program Goals:
The CCTS Pilot Program seeks to:
- Foster outstanding new translational science projects at UIC that support research development to address urgent research needs or to develop preliminary data that can be used to launch new NIH or other externally-funded research proposals
- Encourage interdisciplinary teams of investigators that span UIC Colleges and campus to develop collaborations or new research avenues
- Promote interactions between basic, clinical, community, and social scientists
- Support research collaborations with community partners and organizations.
Award Details:
- Awards will be for 1 year starting June 1, 2027
- Funding up to $50,000
- We anticipate funding 5 proposals
Focus on Translational Science
The CCTS Pilot Program will focus on translational science projects that may fit one of the following characteristics:
- Produce generalizable solutions for common and persistent challenges – that is, develop innovations that address persistent challenges to advancing translational progress that are found across multiple research initiatives or projects, or span research on multiple diseases or conditions
- Emphasize innovation in research design and implementation in pursuit of advancing research across multiple diseases and conditions; or that emphasize innovation in research team interactions that facilitate and support the quality and impact of research
- Leverage cross-disciplinary team science
- Enhance the efficiency and speed of translational research by implementing evidence-informed practices and scientific and operational innovation
2027 Priority Areas:
- Clinical translational science; that is projects that focus on the process of turning research results into real-world applications to improve health
- Methods to improve the clinical translational research process
- Innovative Implementation Science methods that promote the uptake of research findings into routine healthcare in clinical or policy contexts
- Patient and community-identified health issues
- A lifespan, critical period perspective
Application Process & Timeline
PHASE 1:
- LOI virtual informational session: Monday, September 21, 2026 at 3:00pm CDT
- LOIs due: Friday, October 2, 2026 by 5:00 PM CDT
PHASE 2:
- Invitations to full application: Friday, November 20, 2026
- Full applications due: Friday, January 22, 2027 by 5:00 PM CST
- Award notification: Friday, March 19, 2027
- Award start date: Tuesday, June 1, 2027
LEARN MORE & APPLY – https://ccts.uic.edu/funding/rfa