The GC-CPEH supports pilot studies designed to promote precision environmental health research at the intersection of genetics/epigenetics, environmental health, and data science to understand individual and place-based determinants of disease risk.

Full Pilot Awards

The Full Pilot Grant funding mechanism supports projects up to $40,000 with a one-year performance period. Full pilot awards are awarded annually in response to the GC-CPEH Pilot Project Program RFA and are peer-reviewed by the Center’s Internal Advisory Committee. Proposals are open to all investigators from the supporting institutions (i.e. Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health) who are eligible for federal funding but should be compatible with the GC-CPEH’s mission, and should document objectives consistent with environmental health research and/or environmentally-based community outreach and engagement. GC-CPEH Membership privileges will be extended to non-Center members who receive pilot project funding. 

Projects should compatible with the GC-CPEH’s mission and should document objectives consistent with environmental health research and/or environmentally-based community outreach and engagement. Applications from junior investigators, those proposing the use of core facilities, and collaborative projects are especially encouraged. Involvement of a co-investigator from another institution(s) is permitted. An investigator may apply for only one award per grant round as PI or Co-PI. The emphasis on review criteria is subject to change based on funding priorities identified in each cycle, but the general scoring criteria is as follows:

• Scientific merit
• Relevance to the EHS mission and likelihood to lead to external funding
• Pertinence of the project to the announcement (if there is a special emphasis for the RFA)
• Evidence of collaborative approaches (i.e. inter-center collaboration between themes)
• Impact on career development of junior investigators
• Utilization of Facility Core resources

Deadline: Annual
Project Duration: 12 months

Rapid Response Pilot Awards

The Rapid Response funding mechanism is designed to respond quickly to meritorious requests for support from GC-CPEH members to address time-sensitive research opportunities. Examples of qualifying research opportunities include Disasters Research Response projects or projects to quickly acquire critical preliminary data for an extramural application. Rapid Response budgets are limited to $10,000.

Applications are reviewed by the GC-CPEH Executive Committee on a monthly basis.

Deadline: Rolling
Project Duration: Up to 3 months
Submission Requirements: Applicant should prepare a two-page white paper that includes a description of the project, deliverables, a budget, and budget justification.

Contact Information

For feedback on potential project ideas:

• Cheryl Walker, PhD, Director, GC-CPEH, BCM
  E-mail: Cheryl.Walker@bcm.edu
• Cornelis (Kees) Elferink, PhD, Co-Director, GC-CPEH, UTMB
  E-mail: coelferi@utmb.edu
• Elaine Symanski, PhD, Deputy Director, GC-CPEH, BCM
  E-mail: Elaine.Symanski@bcm.edu

For questions on the application process and submission of proposal:

• Tracie Albritton, Pilot Project Program Manager, GC-CPEH, UTMB
  E-mail: taalbrit@utmb.edu

For assistance in GC-CPEH Facility Core Utilization and Subsidy Program:

• Heyreoun An Han, PhD, Lead, Research Operations, GC-CPEH, BCM
  E-mail: Heyreoun.anhan@bcm.edu