The Plastic Surgery Foundation
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  1. Research
  2. Grants Program

Pilot Research Grants

Purpose

The PSF Pilot Research Grant is intended to support residents and junior faculty in their efforts to address focused research questions, obtain preliminary data to support larger grant proposals in the future and develop a line of research that can be carried forward into an academic career. This grant supports the preliminary or pilot phase of these research projects. Senior investigators are encouraged to use other funding mechanisms, but may apply for this grant if they are proposing a new research concept or novel idea for which no prior funding has been obtained. Projects that are a prelude to the NIH or other external funding agencies are encouraged.

Testimonials

"The support provided by The PSF has been transformative for my career as a plastic surgeon specializing in surgery of the hand and upper extremity. The PSF grant process not only fueled my research endeavors in curcumin as a non-operative treatment for thumb arthritis, but also instilled in me the confidence to pursue larger-scale projects, culminating in subsequent NIH funding opportunities. With the contacts and collaborators, I've found in The PSF, I feel empowered to take the next significant stride in advancing the field of hand surgery.

– Brent DeGeorge, MD
University of Virginia
2023 PSF Pilot Research Grant Reciepient

"The PSF Pilot Grant program has been an incredible opportunity to gain meaningful experience with grant writing. This program has empowered me to pursue high-impact, novel projects of my own through both funding and validation of my ideas during academic development time."

– Joseph Fahmy, MD
University of Michigan
2023 PSF Pilot Research Grant Reciepient

"The PSF Pilot Research Grant is an excellent mechanism to obtain preliminary data for larger grant applications. We used our grant for qualitative work, which generated data on patient and provider perspectives on bringing patient-reported outcomes into clinical practice. This insight is critical to current extramural grant applications from our team."

– Jonas Nelson, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
2022 PSF Pilot Research Grant Reciepient

"The PSF funds high-quality projects in our field and helps position researchers for other larger grants. My PSF grant jumpstarted my project, which is now funded by an NIH grant."

– Michael Alperovich, MD
Yale University
2021 PSF Pilot Research Grant Recipient

Amount & Duration

Up to $15,000 for 1-year pilot projects

Download Guidelines

Pilot Research Grant

Apply

The 2025 PSF research grant cycle is NOW OPEN.

Online Application

The application deadline is December 2, 2024.

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