Regional Pilot and Feasibility Study Grants Program The specific aim of the Michigan Diabetes Research Center (MDRC) expanded Pilot/Feasibility Study (P/FS) Grants Program is to stimulate new research and collaboration in the areas of diabetes, its complications and related endocrine and metabolic disorders in the region. This research may be in areas of basic biomedical science or clinical research. This program will fund at least 2 P/FS grants submitted by investigators from our three regional partners per year. A minimum of $80,000 per year will be provided by the MDRC and an additional $20,000 per year will be provided through cost-sharing agreements with the University of Toledo, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University. Each year, the MDRC will solicit applications for grants from full-time instructional or research faculty at these three institutions. Those eligible include: 1) new investigators without current or past NIH research support who are beginning careers in diabetes research, 2) established investigators new to diabetes research who wish to focus their expertise on diabetes, and 3) established investigators who propose innovative research in diabetes that represents a clear departure from their ongoing research. Applications are peer-reviewed by at least two extramural investigators with expertise in the area of the application. Those with merit, as judged by this review process and the Grants Program Advisory Council which includes representatives from the three regional partner universities, will receive P/FS awards. The ultimate goal of the grant program is to enhance communication and collaboration among regional diabetes researchers, accelerate the pace of research, and enable awardees to generate sufficient preliminary data for successful applications for major research funding from the NIH or other national granting agencies.

RELEVANCE (See Instructions): This program attracts new investigators from diverse schools, departments, and institutes at the University of Toledo, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University into diabetes research; provides them with support and resources to successfully launch their research careers; and stimulates new, innovative, interdisciplinary and collaborative research with UM and regional investigators to accelerate the pace of discovery to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure diabetes and its complications.