PLEASE NOTE: The Fall 2026 Application Deadline has been extended to November 1, 2026!
Apply now - find more information here
The Pilot Award Program is a new component of our NIH-supported U42 program the Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource (HTORR), and will support individuals that meet at least one of the following high priority areas:
- Early-stage investigators that are within 10 years of a terminal degree or completion of clinical residency.
- Established investigators that are transitioning to use human biospecimens.
The 2-year awards provided through our Pilot Award Program will include up to ~10 biological samples per awarded investigator, covering all costs associated with obtaining the biospecimens, including tissue preservation reagents and shipping costs. Beyond the service period and experimental analysis phase, the awardee will also receive supplementary support to develop grant applications to the NIH Institute that supported their award, and only applications that fall into the fields covered by these institutes will be reviewed.
The institutions currently supporting the Pilot Award Program are:
- Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)