Funding and Grants
Funding Opportunities for UofL Researchers
Thanks to a generous grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Louisville Clinical and Translational Research Center (LCTRC) is excited to announce new award opportunities designed to fund clinical and translational researchers.
These programs provide protected time for career development, mentorship and project-specific funding for groundbreaking research to support the preparation of major publications and competitive external funding applications (e.g., NIH, DOD, VA and Foundations).
Pilot Grants
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1. Future funding rounds to be forthcoming.
Funding: Available funding is up to $75,000/yr in annual direct costs for one year (up to $50,000/yr. in annual direct costs from the NIH with an additional $25,000/year in institutional matching funding from the University). A second year of support may be offered but is not guaranteed and will depend on the availability of funds and the scientific productivity of the pilot project team.
Eligibility: UofL faculty members, and fellows who have completed residency but are still in training, as well as those from LCTRC participating institutions, UofL Health, Norton Healthcare, Robley Rex VAMC, and Owensboro Health, are eligible to apply. Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree. All junior faculty (i.e., assistant professors and instructors) will require a letter of support indicating a commitment to recruit or retain the faculty at a participating institution and a letter of support from the primary mentor.
Audience: The pilot awards are specially designed to lead to early career awards such as NIH K-awards. The 2025 round will favor applications from junior investigators, and applications must include a mentoring component.
Application Requirements:
- NIH Form, Page 1: Face Page (does not require a signature)
- NIH Form, Page 2: Project Summary
- NIH Form, Page 4: Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period
- NIH Form, Page 5: Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period and Detailed Budget Justification
- NIH Biosketch of PI
- NIH Biosketch of Primary Mentor
- NIH Biosketch of Secondary Mentors
- Abstract of Proposed Work (150 words or less)
- Specific Aims (1 page maximum)
- Research Plan (3 pages maximum excluding references, future funding plans and description of mentoring plan)
- Letter(s) of Support (if applicable)
- Human Subjects & Vertebrae Animals Forms (if applicable)
A consultation is required. Request a biostatistical consultation.
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1. Future funding rounds to be forthcoming.
Developmental Grants
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1. Future funding rounds to be forthcoming.
Funding: Available funding is up to $125,000/yr in annual direct costs for two years (up to $75,000/yr. in annual direct costs from the NIH with an additional $50,000/year in institutional matching funding from the University).
Eligibility: UofL faculty members, as well as those from LCTRC participating institutions, UofL Health, Norton Healthcare, Robley Rex VAMC, and Owensboro Health, are eligible to apply. The applicant must hold a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree. All junior faculty (i.e., assistant professors and instructors) will require a letter of support indicating a commitment to recruit or retain the faculty at a participating institution and a letter of support from the primary mentor.
Audience: The project should be led by an investigator with the background and scientific expertise to lead the proposed research. Grants should address a health concern of importance to Kentuckians. Those performing community-engaged research are especially encouraged to apply. This round will favor applications from junior faculty, and applications may include a mentoring component.
Application Requirements:
- NIH Form, Page 1: Face Page (does not require a signature)
- NIH Form, Page 2: Project Summary
- NIH Form, Page 4: Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period
- NIH Form, Page 5: Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period and Detailed Budget Justification
- NIH Biosketch of PI
- NIH Biosketch of Primary Mentor
- NIH Biosketch of Secondary Mentors
- Abstract of Proposed Work (150 words or less)
- Specific Aims (1 page maximum)
- Research Plan (6 pages maximum excluding references)
- Letter(s) of Support (if applicable)
- Human Subjects & Vertebrae Animals Forms (if applicable)
A consultation is required. Request a biostatistical consultation.
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1. Future funding rounds to be forthcoming.
Presidential Scholars
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 2. A new RFP will be announced in January 2026.
Funding details: Presidential Scholars will be awarded 50% protected time for career development, mentorship and research for one year.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree. The Presidential Scholar Program applicants must be University of Louisville faculty on the tenure track or the term track in any academic unit at the University of Louisville.
Audience: This program is well suited to faculty preparing for a career conducting independent research and major grant support (e.g., NIH, DOD, or Foundations). Presidential Scholar awards will favor applications from faculty within 5 years of their initial faculty appointment who have not yet secured substantial research funding as principal investigator. Applications must include a mentoring component.
Presidential Scholar Application Requirements:
(1.) NIH Face Page
(2.) Candidate Biosketch
(3.) Primary Mentor Biosketch
(4.) Secondary Mentor(s) Biosketch
(5.) Specific Aims (1 page)
(6.) Research Strategy (3 to 6 pages maximum, excluding references)
(7.) Mentorship Plan (3 page max)
(8.) Career Plan (3 page max)
(9.) Letters of Support (2 or 3, of which 1 letter must be from primary mentor)
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 2. A new RFP will be announced in January.
Dean's Research Scholars
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1.
A new RFP will be announced in September 2025 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Funding: The prestigious Dean's Research Scholars Program provides a one year full-time, paid research fellowship for medical students who aspire to become physician-scientists.
Audience: 2nd and 3rd year medical students.
Eligibility: Medical students who are eligible to apply should be in good academic standing and have passed their SMLE Step 1 on the first attempt. Medical students who are in their second year but who have not taken the Step 1, if selected, award notification would be dependent on passing on the first attempt.
No Longer Accepting Applications for Round 1. Future funding rounds to be forthcoming.
Awarding Innovation: Future Research Leaders & Awardees
AKSHITKUMAR MISTRY, MD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR & DEVELOPMENTAL GRANT RECIPIENT
Akshitkumar Mistry is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville.
His research project, MeDex - Phase 1 Trial of No Perioperative Dex in Brain Metastases, is an early-phase clinical trial designed to evaluate the clinical necessity and preliminary efficacy of withholding perioperative dexamethasone in patients undergoing brain metastasis resection. The project aims to provide crucial preliminary clinical and biological data to challenge the current anecdotal practice of perioperative Dex use, potentially leading to its de-implementation and informing future immunotherapeutic strategies for brain metastasis patients.
CLARISSA ONG, PhD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR
Clarissa Ong is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Louisville, where she directs the Process-Oriented Intervention Science (POIS) Lab.
Clarissa Ong's research focuses on leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to predict how individuals will respond to psychological treatments. The goal is to personalize interventions by understanding the nuances of how people engage with and benefit from therapy, ultimately leading to more effective and tailored care.
ANDREW LYNN, PhD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR & PILOT GRANT RECIPIENT
Andrew Lynn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Louisville, where he directs the Attention in NeuroDevelopment (AND) Lab.
His current research project aims to mechanistically characterize the developmental trajectories and interactions between visual attention and perception in both neurotypical children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. The expected outcomes include gaining insights into the neural mechanisms driving visual attention development and establishing a foundation for translational research aimed at improving diagnostics and interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders.
CHRISTIE BUONPANE, MD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR & DEVELOPMENTAL GRANT RECIPIENT
Christie Buonpane is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Louisville, affiliated with Norton Children's Hospital.
Her primary research focuses on disorders of the intestinal epithelium, specifically necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and intestinal sepsis, which is closely linked to her clinical work with premature infants. She aims to investigate the effects of the microbial metabolite urolithin A (UroA) on the intestinal epithelial barrier. The expected results from this work are anticipated to provide crucial insights to support future efforts in developing treatments and preventive strategies for NEC.
IRINA VANZHULA, PhD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR & PILOT GRANT RECIPIENT
Irina Vanzhula is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Louisville.
Her research aims to develop a digital self-guided mealtime intervention (eBite) for adults with eating disorders. The expected outcomes of this project are a fully developed eBite intervention and preliminary data on its effectiveness and user experience, which will lay the groundwork for a larger randomized controlled trial.
NEAL BHUTIANI, MD/PhD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR
Neal Bhutiani is a surgeon-scientist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville, specializing in Surgical Oncology, Colon and Rectal Surgery, and Immunotherapy.
His research project leveraging the IL17-gdT-neutrophil axis to improve immunotherapy in colorectal cancer is designed to support the development of early-stage clinical trials and the testing of novel compounds, with the ultimate goal of enhancing immunotherapy strategies for colorectal cancer.
FREDERICK EKUBAN, PhD
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR
Frederick Ekuban is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of Louisville.
His long-term career goal is to become an independently funded translational research scientist, focusing on the impact of environmental factors on liver disease, particularly alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). The expected outcomes of this research will provide a mechanistic understanding of how environmental pollutants contribute to ALD progression and help identify patients who are at higher risk for rapid disease progression. This work could lead to the development of improved diagnostics and targeted therapies for ALD.
PIVOT Fund Finder
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