Purpose

The program provides pilot funds for new pain and/or addiction research. The expectation is generation of pilot data resulting in a NIH or other grant submission after one year of funding.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must have a full-time faculty appointment at UAB. Post-doctoral Fellows, Research Associates, Part-time Faculty, and Visiting Faculty are not eligible to apply.

Applications must involve basic, translational, clinical, or population-based research projects related to pain and/or addiction.

Applications pertaining to developing, implementing, or expanding academic service-learning opportunities for UAB students are not eligible. Likewise, applications to develop new approaches to instruction and learning are not eligible.

The over-arching goal is to provide funding that will help the applicant progress toward submitting a NIH grant. The applicant should not select a project that relies on other funding that has not yet been awarded (e.g., doing an ancillary project relying on data specimens or participants that are part of a R01 submitted application).

Timeline 

• Application deadline: Monday, September 15, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. CT
• Review process: September and October 2025
• Applicants informed of status: November 3, 2025
• Grant period begins: December 1, 2025 (contingent on IRB/IACUC approval)
• Grant period ends: one year from start
• Pilot final report due: May 1, 2027

Post-Award Requirements

If the applicant leaves UAB during the award period or is otherwise unable to complete the project, the funds must be returned to CAPPI. A senior mentor or junior or senior collaborator is not permitted to take over the funds.

By accepting the award, an applicant is committed to submitting a final report six months after the end of the award. Final reports should include:

• Awardee’s name, title of project
• Background
• Purpose of the project
• Results or outcomes
• A listing of related presentations, papers, workshops, exhibits, performances, and/or grant applications submitted based on the pilot project.