CHEERS! to multidisciplinary collaborations at Pitt

One of the keys to new multidisciplinary collaborations in research is access to a funding jumpstart. Two University of Pittsburgh units launched a new mechanism to help further collaborations between the Swanson School of Engineering and the Schools of the Health Sciences (SHS).

CHEERS – “Collaboration in HEalth Sciences and EngineeRing Startup” – is a grant program co-developed and co-sponsored by Pitt’s Swanson School and its Clinical and Translational Science Institute and is designed to enhance collaboration between faculty members in engineering and those in SHS –the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Pharmacy, Dental Medicine, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Nursing.

The intent of the financial support is to establish or expand trans-disciplinary collaborations that lead to the submission of larger collaborative external grant applications in the areas of human health and medicine. A total of $212,498 was awarded for five awards; applicants can request up to $40,000 in direct costs, with a maximum funding period of one year. 

“Faculty in the Swanson School and Health Sciences have long enjoyed collaborative research partnerships, and we felt it was time to create a seed program to encourage more partnerships,” explained David Vorp, senior associate dean for research and facilities at the Swanson School. “I’m excited that both Interim Dean Sanjeev Shroff and CTSI Executive Director Steven Reis not only understand the need for and importance of faculty teams bridging disciplines but put their resources into supporting them and their innovative ideas.”

There were 35 letters of intent submitted in response to the CHEERS call for applications, of which 16 full proposals were invited. The five awards made were:

• Toward A Comprehensive Hemodynamic Monitoring Device In Pregnant And Postpartum Individuals    
  • Alisse Hauspurg/Ramakrishna Mukkamala
• Development of a Testbed for Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Research            
  • Patrick Smolinski/MaCalus Hogan
• Development of Cortical Visual Neuroprosthesis in a Non-human Primate Model  
  • Neeraj Ghandi/Avniel Ghuman
• Immobilized Neuroglobin for Treatment of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning      
  • Jesus Tejero Bravo/William Federspiel
• Data Driven Allocation of Scarce Nursing Resources to Improve Patient Outcomes
  • Andrew Dierkes/Oliver Hinder