The Miami CTSI Pilot Program awards innovative, interdisciplinary, clinical translational science proposals that align with the CTSI overarching goals of addressing and improving the health of our South Florida communities. These projects are expected to generate publications and data for external funding.

Meritorious scientific projects of up to $40,000 each (for direct costs only) will be funded each fiscal year. Community and external stakeholder engagement is also expected to be included as a crucial piece of the project.

The award period is 12 months (start date subject to NIH/NCATS prior approval). Pilot awards are contingent upon funding from NIH/NCATS for the overall Miami CTSI.

Read the complete funding announcement (RFA) here.

• Translational research projects aligned with our overarching goals, but projects must also clearly articulate a clinical translational science (CTS) component. For detailed information, visit NCATS Translational Spectrum and/or request consultation with CTSI to ensure your project meets criteria. 
• Projects must address community engagement, generalizability of results, and applicability of project to the population groups that comprise South Florida. Discovery science applications are welcomed but such applications must also articulate how their projects will contribute toward the CTSI’s overarching goals.       
• Only new applications and first resubmissions to the CTSI Pilot Program are allowed.

Projects that are not considered responsive to this RFA include:

• Projects without a CTS component, i.e., projects only focused on crossing a specific step of the translational process for a particular target or disease.
• Projects without a solid community engagement plan.
• Projects conducted outside of the U.S. to any extent.
• More than 2 resubmissions to the CTSI Pilot Program.

All criteria must be met as of application due date.

• Only full-time faculty at the ranks of Assistant or non-tenured Associate Professors are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators (PI). Full Professors may serve only as co-investigators or mentors. 
• Residents, instructors, staff, post-doctoral and clinical fellows are not eligible to apply as Principal Investigator.

Proposal submission is a two-step process that requires both a Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Application. The LOI is a structured electronic questionnaire.

Applicants will be invited to submit their full application based on eligibility criteria, relevance to CTSI’s overarching goals and potential impact on clinical and translational science.

We strongly encourage reviewing the complete RFA and watching a recording of our recent info session to gain a clear understanding of this call for applications.

Complete the online LOI here.

You may email the program contacts below.

Required consultations and trainings are tracked, and applications will not be accepted if these requirements are not met prior to submission.

MANDATORY Prior to Letter of Intent (LOI) Due April 29, 2025:

• Applicants are required to watch 1) recorded Training on CTS and 2) download guide sheet. Instructions can be found within the REDCap LOI form.

MANDATORY Upon Invitation to Submit Full Application Due July 9, 2025:

• Applicants are required to meet with the Biostatistics Collaboration and Consulting Core (BCCC) for a free initial consultation before applications are submitted. Free biostatistical support is provided for awarded pilots.
• Applicants are required to have a Fiscal / Administrative Consultation.
• Applicants are required to attend live zoom session or watch recording of Community Engagement (CE) Training.

Additional Consultations (e.g. regulatory, participant recruitment, Jackson Health System involvement, CTS, CE) with the CTSI team are encouraged and available upon request to Melanie Couch. Such consultations may be made mandatory for certain applications that need to strengthen specific aspects of their applications.

The Miami CTSI is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.  Awarded pilot projects involving human subjects and/or live vertebrate animals must receive approval from NCATS prior to starting project (drawing down funds) and can only be obtained with valid IRB / IACUC / IBC regulatory approval documentation and numerous other documents. Once regulatory approval is received, the preparation for prior approval typically takes 10-15 days. Once submitted to NCATS, approvals may be delayed – it is imperative that the process begin as soon as possible. The CTSI Team will work with awardees to ensure prior approval requirements are met and documentation is submitted. Failure of the pilot PI to obtain regulatory approval and submit the internal prior approval documentation in a timely manner could result in revocation of award.

If you have questions about the pilot awards program, please contact:

• Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D., Director, Miami CTSI Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program [email protected]
• Melanie Couch, MHA, Director, Research Operations, Miami CTSI [email protected]