HTORR Pilot Award Program

About this program

The National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI), through its NIH-supported Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resource (HTORR), offers two-year Pilot Awards to generate preliminary data for subsequent NIH funding. Awards provide up to approximately 10 human biological samples, including preservation and shipping costs, technical support for procurement protocols, and assistance developing a follow-on application to ORIP, NIAID, NHLBI, NEI, NIDDK, or NIAMS. Eligible applicants must hold a faculty-equivalent position at a U.S. public or private nonprofit institution and be early-stage investigators within 10 years of a terminal degree or residency, established investigators transitioning to human biospecimens, or members of underrepresented groups in the biomedical workforce. Proposed research must align with a participating NIH institute, demonstrate a strong biological rationale and preliminary data, and include a plan to submit a subsequent NIH grant application; applicants are encouraged to submit the tissue feasibility form at least two weeks before the full application.