AGA Pilot Research Award

Eligibility

• Applicants for this award must hold an MD, PhD and/or equivalent degree (e.g., MBBS, MBChB, DO) and a full-time faculty or equivalent position at an institution in North America (United States, Canada or Mexico).

• AGA membership is required at the time of application submission. Please visit the AGA membership page or call 301-654-2055 for membership information.

• Applicants performing any type of research (basic, translational, clinical) relevant to digestive disorders are eligible to apply.

• Applicants who are physician-scientists, female or from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply.

Summary

This award provides $40,000 for one year to independent investigators at any faculty career stage researching new directions in gastroenterology- or hepatology-related areas. The objective of this AGA Research Foundation Pilot Research Award is to provide funds to early career investigators to help establish their research careers or to support projects that represent new research directions for established investigators. 

Overhead

Indirect costs are not supported. 

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• The proposed research must be relevant to gastroenterology or hepatology.

• Early career investigators are required to have a mentor for this award. The mentor will supervise the principal investigator’s research activities ensuring timelines and deliverables.

• MD applicants are considered early career if no more than seven years have elapsed following the completion of clinical training (GI fellowship or its equivalent) at the start date (i.e., April 2026) of this award.
• PhD applicants are considered early career if no more than seven years have elapsed following the awarding of the PhD degree and the start date (i.e., April 2026) of this award.

• For all applicants at the instructor or assistant professor level, a letter of recommendation from their division chief or department chair that outlines support of the applicant and their research project is required.

• Established investigators who are applying for this award should state explicitly how the proposed research is different from their previous line(s) of investigation.

• The application must indicate how the principal investigator will use the pilot data as an extension of their work that will allow them to apply for additional funding through another agency, such as NIH.

• A complete research facilities and resources form.

• Biographical sketches for the applicant, mentor (if applicable) and all key personnel must be submitted.

• A list of the applicant’s current and pending other support.

• Upon notification of receipt of this award, the recipient must provide approval from the appropriate institutional committee(s) for use of human subjects or animals. If approval is not necessary, the recipient must provide documentation from the appropriate regulatory committee.

• Recipients must submit scientific and financial progress reports to AGA upon completion of the award and as needed at the request of the AGA Research Foundation.

• Additional pre-award policies are available for reference.

RESOURCES

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be!

Contact the following Research Service units for support with:

Projects Involving Indigenous Research:

Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST).

Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.

For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage.

Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.

EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice.

Contact edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Research Security:

The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC).

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

Pre-Award Submissions:

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application