From Idea to Impact: How Pilot Funding Fuels Cancer Discovery at HICCC

Breakthroughs in cancer research don’t usually begin with large, multi-million-dollar grants. More often, they start with an idea that's promising but still unproven.

Pilot funding provides researchers with small start-up grants or seed money, supporting that early stage of discovery before larger funding mechanisms are available. 

At the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), pilot programs are designed to help researchers take that first step: to test a hypothesis, generate early data, and begin to understand whether an idea has the potential to change how we detect, treat, or prevent cancer. 

De-risking discovery

Early-stage science can be difficult to fund. Federal agencies and major foundations typically require strong preliminary data—evidence that a concept will work—before committing significant resources. But generating that data requires funding in the first place. 

Pilot programs help bridge that gap. 

“These awards give investigators the flexibility to pursue innovative ideas that might not yet fit traditional funding mechanisms," explains Sandra Ryeom, PhD, chair of the pilot grant committee at the HICCC. "Pilot funding allows researchers to pursue bold new questions, getting that first leg up to launch larger research projects."

That early investment can turn a high-risk idea into a viable research direction. 

Pilot funding at the HICCC

At the HICCC, pilot funding is structured to move quickly and strategically, with an emphasis on the newest frontiers in cancer research, as well as multi-disciplinary collaboration.   

HICCC pilot programs provide targeted support—typically between $80,000 and $200,000 over one to two years—to help researchers generate the kind of data needed to secure larger, multi-year grants. 

The pilot programs are competitive and rigorous. Investigators submit comprehensive proposals which are evaluated for scientific merit, innovation, and potential for downstream impact. Selected projects are funded quickly, allowing teams to begin generating results without delay.

From pilot to pipeline

Success in pilot funding is measured not just by what happens during the award period, but by what comes next. The HICCC closely follows funded pilot projects for years, supporting and tracking the impact of the pilot award in driving new research forward.  

A substantial proportion of the HICCC pilot-funded projects go on to secure large external grants, often multiplying the initial investment many times over. Many also result in publications that advance the field and open new avenues for research, even launching new collaborations and clinical trials, broadening the reach of the initial seed funding. 

“Our pilot programs generate a more than sixfold return on the initial investment we make in them,” says Emer Smyth, PhD, administrative director of the HICCC. “We are very successful in selecting pilot programs that go on to secure additional funding that has a true impact on cancer research and discovery.” 

Pilot funding in action

The impact of these programs is perhaps best seen through the work they enable. 

When Hee Won Yang, PhD received a Velocity Cancer Research Award in 2021, he was investigating how cancer cells develop resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors, a class of drugs widely used in breast cancer treatment. The pilot funding allowed his team to begin dissecting the underlying biology—work that quickly gained traction. Within two years, that initial investment helped lead to multiple major grants, including an NIH R01 and awards from the American Cancer Society and the V Foundation.  

Christine Chio, PhD, whose Velocity Cancer Research Award supported early work on immune evasion in pancreatic cancer. Using a chemical proteomics approach, her team began to explore how tumors escape immune detection, an area of growing importance in cancer research. That pilot project laid the groundwork for an NIH R01 and several additional major awards, including funding from the Department of Defense and the Mark Foundation.  

For physician-scientists, pilot funding can also serve as a critical launchpad for clinical research. Through the Clinical Trialist Early Career Scholar program, Ryan Moy, MD, PhD, received support to explore new treatment strategies for diffuse gastric cancer. That early work helped lead to a funded Phase II clinical trial supported by Gateway for Cancer Research, bringing a promising therapeutic approach one step closer to patients. 

Building a discovery engine

By investing in early-stage science, HICCC’s pilot programs help researchers take risks, generate critical data, and build the foundation for future breakthroughs. That, in turn, strengthens the cancer center’s ability to compete for external funding, launch new initiatives, and bring innovative therapies to patients.  

“Our pilot funding program is one of the foundational programs of the HICCC,” says HICCC director Anil K. Rustgi, MD. “We are proud to be able to give important research ideas a runway to thrive.”