The CERH provides financial support for an annual Pilot Project Program that funds research projects consistent with the major scientific aims and objectives of the Center. This research also facilitates collaborative interactions among faculty. Typically, 6 projects are funded per year ($25,000 maximum) and this seed money will support preliminary research by the investigators and enhance their success in competing for external funding. Proposals are specifically sought in areas complementary to research efforts in the area of Chemical Biology, Biostatistics & Community Health, Nutrition, and Reproductive and Developmental Biology and must be related to environmental health.
Proposals will be peer reviewed by an external scientific advisory group in coordination with the Pilot Project Committee. Scoring will be based on relevance to issues of environmental and rural health, originality, scientific merit, potential for future funding, and evidence for collaboration with other CERH investigators. Consideration will be given to individual and multi-investigator proposals conducive to development of program project applications for extramural funding. Priority will also be given to investigators seeking funds to launch/expand their research programs, and individuals who need to generate additional preliminary data for an NIH grant submission.
Pilot Project applicants should use the standard NIH forms (cover page, project summary, budget, budget justification, biographical sketch and other support) and format (letter height not smaller than 10 point; type density no more than 15 cpi; no more than 6 lines of type within a vertical inch). Please avoid use of cost shared time, or percent effort not paid by the project. This will simplify and shorten the award processing time. Prepare the application, single sided and single spaced, and use the following page limitations: (1) Specific Aims (1/2 page); (2) Background and Significance (2 pages); (3) Preliminary Results (2-3 pages); and (4) Experimental Design (up to 4 pages). No institutional signatures are required. NIH instructions and forms (PHS 398) can be found on the Internet at http://www.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. In addition the applicant should forward an electronic copy of the Abstract/Specific Aims to cerh@cvm.tamu.edu.
Completed applications (4 copies) must be received by January 17, 2008 and should be forwarded to Dr. R.S. Chapkin, 218 Kleberg Center, Mail Stop 2253, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2253. It is anticipated that awards will be made in April 2008. Awardees will be expected to provide the CERH a progress report at the end of the year and include all relevant grants and publications.
For more information, please contact the Pilot Program Committee Chair (Dr. Chapkin at 845-0419 or e-mail:r-chapkin@tamu.edu). Questions regarding scientific content and relevance should also be directed to Dr. Chapkin. Questions regarding budget and format should be directed to Dr. Ben Morpurgo at 458-2229 or e-mail: bmorpurgo@cvm.tamu.edu.
Applicants: Please submit the names and complete addresses (including e-mail and fax numbers) of four scientists (not from this institution) to be considered as potential referees in the evaluation of your project. Please ensure that the recommended scientists will not be in conflict to review your submission.
For more information, please contact
Dr. Robert Chapkin
Phone: 979.845.0419
E-mail: r-chapkin@tamu.edu
or the CERH
Phone: 979.458.0562
E-mail: cerh@cvm.tamu.edu
Questions regarding scientific content and relevance should also be directed to Dr. Chapkin.
Examples of Translational Research recently supported by the Pilot Project Program.
(Phillips) This project is designed to measure biomarkers of ongoing human exposure to mycotoxins, as well as markers of prior damage or disease in subjects from the neighborhoods surrounding Kelly Airbase, San Antonio, TX. Other measurements will include liver enzymes, hepatitis exposure, and SNPs for metabolizing enzymes to identify individuals that may have a genetic sensitivity to chemical exposures. This study proposes to investigate the interaction of these factors and their influence on health in the local community. A maximum of 500 individuals will be recruited to participate. Between 10 and 20% of the study participants will be individuals that have been diagnosed with liver cancer prior to the initiation of the study. The data from this project will provide information on lifestyle and environmental exposures, as well as dietary and genetic factors that may increase risk. At the conclusion of the project, suggestions of interventions that may reduce risk will be provided to the community.
(McDonald) This project focuses on the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) on the transcript level and expression of genes regulated by estrogen. The work is being conducted in the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas where exposure to EDC’s and their effect on the expression of genes regulated by estrogen is of particular concern. Specifically, the relationship between blood levels of EDCs and expression of genes known to be regulated by estrogens will be explored using tissues from post-menopausal women, pregnant women and neonates.
(Sharkey) This project will examine the impact of community- or neighborhood-level environmental exposures on health outcomes as part of an overall intervention strategy. The PI will develop methodologies for examining disparities in the food environment across different geographic settings. In assessing environmental exposures, we will measure Census-tract level exposures to food accessibility in six rural counties and address-specific exposures of food accessibility, availability, and affordability for older adults from Madison and Burleson counties, Texas. In addition, we will develop methodology for assessing other aspects of the food environment (e.g., health messages, product availability, and pricing) using tablet PC-based survey for in-store data collection. The project will establish novel methodology for measuring food environmental exposures, applicable not only to the Brazos Valley, but also to future studies targeting healthier living conditions across the life course in many diverse settings.