Pilot and Feasibility Program for Obesity Research (NYONRC)

About this program

The New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center (NYONRC), through the Russell Berrie Foundation Research Initiative on the Neurobiology of Obesity, offers Pilot and Feasibility grants to support obesity-related research, providing up to $50,000 for one year (no indirect costs; a second year may be considered) to cover salary and research expenses. Eligible applicants are (1) Assistant Professors, Associate Research Scientists, or Postdoctoral Fellows proposing preliminary studies to support an NIH application (applicants with prior pilot obesity funding and graduate students are ineligible), (2) established investigators proposing innovative/high‑risk obesity or ingestive‑behavior projects that are not extensions of current work, and (3) established investigators without prior obesity funding seeking to undertake obesity projects. Apply by emailing a non‑binding one‑page LOI as a single PDF (applicant details, project title/outline, intended NYONRC facility use, current obesity‑related funding and an NIH‑style biosketch) to Judith Korner c/o Bernadette Spina (bs2839@cumc.columbia.edu); invited applicants will submit a simplified PHS‑398 full application (Research Plan limited to five single‑spaced pages) and must obtain IACUC/IRB approvals before funds are released.