The Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS) invites applications for its 2026-2027 Clinical and Translational Research and Science Pilot Awards, supported by our UM1 award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). We welcome Clinical and Translational Research (CTR) projects, including studies focused on a specific disease, population, or clinical setting, that incorporate Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) principles into their design and conduct.
Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies (PTCS) Funding Priorities
The GHUCCTS Pilot Program will prioritize projects aligned with NCATS and GHUCCTS programmatic priorities. Proposals should identify a translational challenge, describe how CTS principles will guide the work, and explain the potential broader relevance of the approach or lessons learned.
Priority domains include but are not limited to:
NCATS Translational Science Priorities
- Development, evaluation, or adaptation of approaches, tools, or resources to address obstacles to translation, including those encountered within disease-focused research or training.
- Innovative approaches to a translational challenge with potential application to other studies, populations, or settings.
- Biostatistics, epidemiology, and research design (BERD) or AI/ML research.
- Feasibility/proof-of-concept studies that incorporate CTS principles and lay the groundwork for future CTR or CTS projects.
- Analysis of real-world data, including clinical datasets and digital health data, to develop evidence, biomarkers, or processes while examining approaches that may inform other translational studies.
GHUCCTS Local Priority Domains
Applications are especially encouraged in the following GHUCCTS priority domains:
- D&I research that examines the uptake, adoption, or scale-up of evidence-based interventions into practice or policy.
- Innovative use of AI/ML, informatics, or computational approaches to address translational challenges.
- Research to address a translational challenge that is co-developed with communities, patient advisory boards, or practice-based research networks (PBRNs).
Eligibility
All full-time faculty at GHUCCTS partner institutions are eligible to apply: Howard University (HU), Georgetown University (GU), MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DC VAMC), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Community partners, including investigators from our two allied Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) and local health departments, may apply in partnership with a full-time faculty investigator from a GHUCCTS institution. Each application must identify a Contact PI responsible for coordinating and submitting the application.
Funding Opportunity Description
- Up to $40,000 direct costs awarded per project for a 12-month duration; four awards are anticipated per year.
Letter of Intent Due October 28, 2026
The Full Application Due December 14, 2026; Selected LOIs will be invited to complete the full application.
Download RFA | Apply Online | Learn more about GHUCCS Pilots