Pilot Grants: Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions we hear most about the PAC-AID Pilot Project Program. The Request for Applications is the governing document; where this page and the RFA differ, the RFA applies.

On this page: Year 2, Call 1 · Eligibility · Scope · Budget and effort · Applying · Review · After the award · Support and data · Future calls

Year 2, Call 1

What are the deadlines?

Dates are subject to change.

How much funding, and how many awards?

Up to $50,000 in direct costs for 12 months. At least two awards; a third may be funded if proposals are strong.

How do I submit?

Email one PDF to PACAID_COBRe@cc.hawaii.edu.

Whom do I ask?

Where is the RFA?

https://pacaid.cc.hawaii.edu/pilot-grants/

My other IDeA award ends in March 2027. Does that overlap this call?

Yes, if it ends after March 1, 2027, when this call’s projects begin. See program FAQ P-Elig-4 and contact us before the LOI deadline.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

Faculty and researchers with an appointment in the University of Hawaiʻi System or the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi (RCUH) that allows them to serve as an independent Principal Investigator. Early Stage Investigators are especially encouraged.

Can Full Professors apply?

No. Full Professors are not eligible.

Can postdoctoral fellows or trainees apply?

No. People in postdoctoral, trainee, or other non-independent positions cannot lead a COBRE pilot project. They may take part as members of an eligible investigator’s team.

I already lead a project or pilot on another COBRE, INBRE, or IDeA-CTR award. Can I apply?

You may not receive research support as a PAC-AID Pilot Project Leader while you lead a project on another IDeA award. If your other award ends before the PAC-AID project period begins, you may apply. If the two periods would overlap, contact us before you submit your LOI; we will tell you whether the overlap can be resolved, for example by a later start date.

Can PAC-AID Research Project Leaders apply?

No. A current PAC-AID Research Project Leader cannot lead a pilot at the same time.

How many pilot awards can one person receive?

No more than two one-year pilot projects during the current COBRE phase.

Scope

Does my project have to be about cancer?

No. The program supports biomedical and health-related research in any area, provided AI, machine learning, data science, or biomedical informatics is integral to the work. Projects that use Hawaiʻi data or other Hawaiʻi-specific resources receive priority.

How central does the AI or data science need to be?

It must be an integral part of the research question and approach. A project that uses AI or statistics only as a routine analysis step is a weak fit. Reviewers score the extent to which AI or data science is integral.

Are geospatial, environmental, or population-level data in scope?

Yes. Image and data analysis of built and natural environments, population data, and similar sources is in scope when it is linked to health outcomes.

Budget and effort

Are indirect costs allowed?

No. Awards cover direct costs only, and no RTRF is provided.

What can the budget pay for?

Costs directly related to the proposed pilot project, justified in the budget. Pilot funds may not pay for work already funded by another source.

Can the budget include salary for students, research assistants, or staff?

Yes, when the cost is directly related to the project and justified.

Can pilot funds pay for lab renovation, space, or infrastructure?

No. Pilot budgets cover the costs of the research project itself. PAC-AID’s separate alterations and renovations funds are committed to shared data science infrastructure for the whole Center.

How much effort must the Pilot Project Leader commit?

At least one person-month over the 12-month project.

Can 9-month faculty meet the one person-month with summer or overload effort?

Yes. Summer or overload effort within the project period counts toward the minimum. Check with your fiscal office on how summer salary and fringe are charged.

Applying

Is the letter of intent required?

Yes. Every call has two stages. Only applicants invited after the LOI review may submit a full application.

What goes in the LOI?

One PDF, 11-point Arial, margins of at least 0.5 inch, with: cover information (title; your name, degrees, title, department, and UH or RCUH appointment; whether you are an Early Stage Investigator; key collaborators and their roles; anticipated use of the MEDAI Core; whether the project involves human subjects, human biospecimens or data, or vertebrate animals); a project description of one page at most; and your NIH biosketch. SciENcv certification and Current and Pending (Other) Support are not needed at the LOI stage.

What goes in the full application?

One PDF with the PHS 398 Face Page and Project Summary, Specific Aims (1 page), Research Strategy (4 pages), Relevance to PAC-AID and Future Funding (1 page), Milestones and Timeline (1 page), SciENcv biosketches, Current and Pending (Other) Support, budget and justification, regulatory information, and letters of collaboration if applicable.

Should I describe collaborators?

Yes. The LOI asks for key collaborators and their roles. A full application should include letters of collaboration for essential collaborators or resources. Letters should confirm the collaboration or commitment and should not endorse the project.

Will I get feedback if I am not invited?

Applicants not invited may receive brief feedback and are encouraged to apply in a future call.

Review

Who reviews the LOIs?

The PAC-AID Multiple Principal Investigators, for eligibility, responsiveness, mission alignment, how integral the AI or data science is, investigator potential, and potential for future NIH funding.

How are full applications reviewed?

Administrative review for eligibility and completeness, then scientific peer review on the NIH 1 to 9 scale, then review by the PAC-AID Advisory Committee, as COBRE rules require. Criteria: Significance and Innovation; Investigator Potential; Scientific Approach and Feasibility; Alignment with the PAC-AID Mission; Potential for Future NIH Funding; Overall Impact.

Does a pilot have to lead to an R01?

Reviewers give particular weight to whether the pilot will position you for R01-level NIH funding. For this program, R01-level includes the R01 itself, R01-equivalent awards such as the R35, career transition awards such as the K99/R00, and other awards that lead to independent NIH funding. Name the next-stage mechanism and an approximate submission timeline in the LOI and in the full application.

Can my next-stage target be an R01-equivalent award such as an R35 (MIRA for Early Stage Investigators)?

Yes. R01-equivalent mechanisms, including the NIGMS R35 MIRA for Early Stage Investigators, meet the program’s goal of independent NIH funding. Explain why the mechanism fits your research program.

After the award

When can a funded pilot start?

Only after IRB or IACUC approval, where applicable, and NIGMS prior approval. NIGMS must approve every pilot project before it begins; the request includes the Advisory Committee’s concurrence.

What is expected of funded investigators?

Complete the project and milestones within the award period, take part in relevant PAC-AID activities, provide progress updates, acknowledge PAC-AID and NIH support (P20GM161995), and report publications, presentations, grant submissions, and awards that result.

Support and data

What help can I get while writing?

Pilot investigators can consult the PAC-AID MEDAI Core on AI and machine learning, bioinformatics, data science, computational analysis, and data management. If you expect to rely on the Core, talk with its leadership while you write.

Can PAC-AID connect me with community partners?

Yes. Ask us, and we will connect you with community partners through the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) or the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team.

Can I use Hawaiʻi datasets such as HIPIMR?

Yes. Projects that use Hawaiʻi data receive priority. Examples include HIPIMR, the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), the Shape Up studies, and many others. Your application must include a collaborator associated with each dataset you plan to use, to show that the work is coordinated with the people responsible for the data. Access is decided by the dataset’s owner and requires the approvals that dataset needs, including IRB review. Name the data and the collaborator in your LOI.

Future calls

Will there be more calls?

Yes. PAC-AID plans at least one pilot call each budget year. Each call is announced on the pilot grants page.

Still have a question? Scientific and eligibility questions go to John Shepherd, PhD or Youping Deng, PhD. Administrative questions go to Yonglu (Grace) Pan.