Wilmot Team Science Pilot Program
The Wilmot Cancer Institute provides collaborative pilot project funding, targeted to enable new competitive multiple-principal investigator NCI R01-level grant applications. Projects may involve basic, translational, clinical or population science research, and must be directly relevant to the causes, diagnosis, treatment, prevention or management of cancer or its side effects. At least two PIs are required for each application; at least one PI must be a Wilmot member.
Applicants may request up to $100,000 for a one-year project.
Particular emphasis is given to projects that:
- Develop inter-programmatic collaborations (that is, collaborations involving members of at least two Wilmot research programs)
- Already have proven feasibility
- Are relevant to Wilmot catchment area priorities
- Align with the Wilmot strategic plan
- Set a foundation for translation of Wilmot science into clinical trials
Apply
For more details and application instructions, please visit the Wilmot Application Gateway.
Contact
Please contact Michael Brady (michael_brady@urmc.rochester.edu) with questions.
Past Award Recipients
2025
Mapping and Characterizing Bone Marrow Niche Driven Signals in Human Myeloid Malignancies
PIs: Jeevisha Bajaj, Ph.D.; Jane Liesveld, M.D.; John M. Ashton, Ph.D., M.B.A.; Laura Calvi, M.D.
SOPHIE: Interdisciplinary Team Science Informing Development of an AI-Driven Virtual Avatar Platform to Improve Clinicians’ Communication Skills in Advanced Cancer
PIs: Ehsan Hoque, Ph.D.; Ronald Epstein, M.D.; Thomas Carroll, M.D., Ph.D.; Kah Poh Loh, M.B.B.Ch. B.A.O., M.S.
2024
Role of the Circadian Protein BMAL1 in Response to Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer
PIs: Brian Altman, Ph.D.; Minsoo Kim, Ph.D.
The Development of Extracellular Vesicles as a Biomarker for Antitumor Immune Responses
PIs: James McGrath, Ph.D.; Scott Gerber, Ph.D.; Jonathan Flax, M.D.
2023
Elucidating the Role of GSH in Cancer-Associated Cachexia
PIs: Calvin Cole, Ph.D.; Isaac Harris, Ph.D.; David Linehan, M.D.; Joshua Munger, Ph.D.
BRAT1 May Recruit INTS11 RNA Cleavage Activity to Areas of DNA Damage to Impact Local Transcription Complexes
PIs: Brian Marples, Ph.D.; Eric Wagner, Ph.D.
The Role of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Aging in Myelodysplastic Syndromes
PIs: Laura Calvi, M.D.; Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D.; Clara Kielkopf, Ph.D.; Jane Liesveld, M.D.; Kah Poh Loh, M.D.
2022
Dormancy versus Cell Death: Investigating a Novel Function of the Circadian Rhythm Gene Dec2 in Pancreatic Cancer Dormancy
PIs: Brian Altman, Ph.D.; Darren Carpizo, M.D., Ph.D.; Paula Vertino, Ph.D.