CAPToR is pleased to announce a limited pilot funding opportunity to support innovative, high-impact research in pain biology, pain mechanisms, and translational analgesic discovery. These awards are intended to catalyze new ideas, generate preliminary data, and strengthen applications for future extramural funding.
We will support up to five C3 grants of $10,000 each for faculty and early career researchers/senior postdoctoral scholars whose projects align with CAPToR’s mission to advance the understanding and treatment of pain. Proposals should be novel, feasible, and positioned to generate data that will help investigators pursue larger external grants.
Purpose
This C3 program is designed to:
- Support new and innovative pain-related research.
- Provide seed funding for preliminary data collection.
- Catalyze new collaborations between colleges at UF.
- Enable investigators to test high-risk, high-reward ideas.
- Strengthen competitiveness for NIH, foundation, or other extramural funding.
Eligibility
Applicants must be:
- A faculty member or senior postdoctoral scholar affiliated with CAPToR. Click here to become a member.
- Engaged in pain-related research aligned with the Center’s mission.
- Able to complete the proposed work within the award period (9-12 months).
C3 Award Amount
- $10,000 per award.
- Funds may be used for direct research expenses only.
- Unallowable costs include PI salary, computer purchases, travel, alcohol, and food.
Review Criteria
Applications will be reviewed for:
- Scientific significance.
- Innovation and originality.
- Feasibility and rigor of the proposed approach.
- Likelihood that the project will lead to extramural funding.
Application Instructions
All applications must be submitted as a single PDF by 11:59 p.m. on May 30, 2026. Submit applications via Qualtrics. Applications should follow NIH formatting guidelines (Arial 11- point font, single-spaced, with 0.5-inch margins) and include the following:
- Cover Page: Include name, rank, and department of the PI and MPI (if applicable), PI contact information, project title, and total amount requested.
- Research Plan (2 pages total):
- Specific Aims: Provide a clear and concise summary of the scientific objectives of the proposed research project.
- Approach: Provide a brief overview of the scientific approach and expected outcomes. Preliminary data may be included.
- Significance and Future Directions: Indicate the significance of the research question and how the proposed work will contribute to impactful outcomes. Provide a clear plan for the pursuit of extramural funding.
- References Cited (not included in page limit).
- Summary Statement: If applicable, include for previously submitted extramural funding application (not included in page limit).
- Optional Additional Materials: These may include letters of support and information regarding match-funding (not included in page limit).
- Budget Justification (1 page): Provide a detailed explanation of how the requested funds ($10,000) will be used and the expected impact on the research project.
- NIH Biosketch: Include standard NIH biosketches (up to 5 pages each) for the PI, MPI, and co-investigators.
Expected Outcomes
- Reporting requirement: Awardees must submit a brief progress report upon completion of the award period.
- IDC expectations: Awardees are expected to return an agreed-upon percentage of indirect costs (IDCs) from subsequent awards enabled by this pilot funding to support CAPTOR’s mission.
- Sustained impact: Awardees are expected to use pilot funds to spark collaboration and generate external funding that supports CAPTOR’s long-term sustainability and future pilot projects.
Contact
For questions regarding this funding opportunity, please contact:
Rajesh Khanna
Richard and Thelma O.C. Barney Term Professor
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Director, Center for Advanced Pain Therapeutics and Research (CAPToR)
University of Florida
r.khanna@ufl.edu