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UTSW/TAMU Collaborative Pilot Award

The UTSW/TAMU Interdisciplinary and Cross-institutional Pilot Award Program provides funding for collaborative translational endeavors related to pre-clinical drug development.

Two pilot grants are awarded each year to a pair of UTSW/TAMU collaborators with a promising research project.

Applications Selected for Year 1 and Year 2:

June 2023 Award ($50K)

  1. Joel Elmquist, D.V.M., Ph.D. (UTSW), Sarah Huen, M.D., Ph.D. (UTSW), Roger Fan, M.D. (UTSW), Noah Cohen, V.M.D., MPH, Ph.D., DACVIM-LA (TAMU-SVMBS), and Angela Bordin, D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D. (TAMU-SVMBS) - The Role of the Melanocortin System in Human and Equine Inflammation
    • Investigate the role of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in modulating inflammation
    • Study the anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-MSH with the translational goal of treating hyperinflammatory conditions such as sepsis with alpha-MSH analogs

June 2022 Awards ($40K/Award)

  1. Chuck Long, Ph.D., (TAMU CVMBS) and Jun Wu, Ph.D., (UTSW) - Developing Novel Technologies for Reliable Production of Large Animal Models of Human Disease
    • Evaluate the developmental competency of ovine blastoids and blastoid-embryo chimeras
    • Generate a large animal model of human disease from engineered ovine ESCs through blastoid generation
  2. Sarguru Subash, BVSc, Ph.D., (TAMU CVMBS) and Philippe Zimmern, M.D., (UTSW) - A Miniature Pig Model of Urinary Tract Infection
    • Establish a model of bacterial UTI in miniature pigs
    • Develop a platform to evaluate next generation prophylactics and therapeutics against UTI

December 2021 Awards ($25K/Award)

  1. Sarah Hamer, M.S., Ph.D., D.V.M., DACVPM (epi), and Ashley Saunders, D.V.M., DACVIM (Cardiology) - TAMU CVMBS - Advancing Antiparasitic Treatment Options for Chagas Disease Using Naturally-Infected Canines in Texas as a Model Study System
    • Assess the therapeutic potential of various antiparasitic treatment options for Chagas disease
    • Utilize naturally-infected dogs to monitor selected measures of cardiac health over time
  2. Anne Newell-Fugate, D.V.M., Ph.D., M.Sc., and Christine Heaps, Ph.D., M.S. - TAMU CVMBS - Impact of Exercise on the Coronary Perivasculature Adipose Tissue
    • Characterize the effects of endurance exercise training on adipose tissue surrounding coronary arteries
    • Employ a porcine treadmill model to investigate epicardial adipose tissue

Questions about the UTSW/TAMU Collaborative Pilot Award Program?

For more information, contact the UTSW/TAMU Pilot Awards via CTSAProgram@UTSouthwestern.edu.

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