Pilot & Feasiblity Program

The Pilot & Feasibility (P & F) Program provides modest research support for a limited time (one to two years). The goal is to enable eligible investigators to explore the feasibility of a concept related to the overall goals of the UT Southwestern O’Brien Kidney Center, and to generate sufficient data to pursue the concept through other funding mechanisms (e.g., NIH R01 grant).

Investigators who are eligible for pilot and feasibility funding generally fall into three categories:

• New investigators without current or past extramural research equivalent to an NIH R01, VA Merit Award or P01 as a principal investigator (current or past support from other sources should have been modest). It is expected that the majority of the investigators will fall into this category.
• Established non-nephrology investigators who wish to apply their expertise to a problem in this area.
• Established investigators who propose testing innovative ideas that represent a clear departure from ongoing research interests.

All eligible investigators must have faculty appointments and must be independent investigators. Postdoctoral fellows or their equivalent are not eligible.

2011 Awardees

Massimo Attanasio, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Role of GLIS2 in the development of cystic kidney disease" (2nd year of funding)

Aylin Rodan, M.D., Ph.D.
Instructor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Using Drosophila to study renal basolateral membrane inward rectifier K channels"

2010 Awardees

Massimo Attanasio, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Role of GLIS2 in the development of cystic kidney disease"

Michelle Tallquist, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Molecular Biology
UTSouthwestern Medical Center
"Analysis of PDGF receptor function in the kidney"

Amelia Eisch, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Identification of nestin-progeny in the adult and developing kidney: application of a novel transgenic mouse"

Ion Bobulescu, M.D.
Instructor in Internal Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Molecular mechanisms of renal phosphate transport in human physiology and pathophysiology"

2009 Awardees

Vishal Palel, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Role of microRNA in kidney development and pathogenesis of PKD"

Quan-Zhen Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Immunology
UT Southwestern Medical Cener
"Kallikrein gene targeting to modulate spontaneous lupus nephritis"

John Wallingford, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology
UT Austin
"PCP Signaling in kidney development and disease"

Michihisa Umetani, Ph.D.
Instructor in Pediatrics and Pharmacology
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Modification of Kidney Function by 27-Hydroxycholesterol"

2008 Awardees

S. Susan Hedayati, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center & Dallas VA
"Association of WNK1 with Hypertensive and CV Effects of Dietary Potassium Deficiency "(2nd year of funding)

Joseph A. Garcia, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Molecular mechanisms regulating erythropoietin production in mammals"

2007 Awardees

S. Susan Hedayati, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center & Dallas VA
"Association of WNK1 with Hypertensive and CV Effects of Dietary Potassium Deficiency"

Leighton James, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
"Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), Blood Pressure and Albuminuria"