Pilot Program

The Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center (PMHARC) Developmental Award Program

About our Pilot Projects Program

The Developmental Core (Core B) of the Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center (PMHARC) promotes the Center’s integrated research infrastructure  to stimulate new research and support investigators as they design and implement innovative biological and behavioral studies on the promotion of mental health and treatment of mental illness among individuals with HIV or at increased risk for HIV acquisition, in part through the funding of short term (one-year) pilot projects.  The particular focus of Core B is on the development of early-stage investigators, transitional investigators and collaborations that have the capacity to develop and test innovative, integrated treatments to optimize psychiatric, behavioral, and medical outcomes and to achieve a better understanding of the biological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms underlying these combined illnesses and treatments. 

Concordant with the mission of the PMHARC, pilot funds will support: 1) new faculty members or early stage investigators who are beginning their research careers in mental health and HIV research; 2) investigators with established research programs who are transitioning to HIV and mental health research; and 3) established HIV investigators who have not directed their research at issues of psychiatric disorder or the treatment of mental illness.

Additional information:

Pilot concepts are expected to be responsive to the research priorities of the:

•    Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center http://www.med.upenn.edu/pmharc

•    AIDS Program of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/organization/dar/index.shtml

•    NIH Office of AIDS Research https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-15-137.html

•    National Initiative to End the HIV Epidemic by 2030 https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview

Studies involving human subjects may utilize clinical and lab assessments overseen by the Clinical Assessment Core and the Laboratory and Biobehavioral Markers Core.  

For further information, please contact Chelsea Voytek, MPH at chelseav@pennmedicine.upenn.edu and Lily Brown, PhD, Director of Developmental Core at lilybr@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

Funded Pilots