CART Pilot Grant

The UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART) funds one-year pilot and/or feasibility studies for biomedical, epidemiological, or behavioral research. This funding has been made available through support by UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), UCLA Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) (2017- present), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) program.

CART has successfully attracted innovative and excellent research proposals and has funded 39 pilot projects to date, including human studies as well as innovative neurobiological studies using molecular and animal models. Many CART pilot grant investigators have published their findings and/or secured additional major funding for their work. CART plans to continue to fund one or more new pilot grants every year, depending on funding resources.

The purpose of these awards is to foster interactions and interdisciplinary research projects in the basic and clinical areas of autism. Preference is given to projects that are likely to lead to successful future funding (by R01-type awards, etc). Proposals addressing the mechanism and treatment of autism are encouraged. Projects can also build upon the UCLA CART’s mission and current research activities. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, read the previous year’s Request for Application (RFA).

More Information

How to Apply

The funding period for the FY 2024-2025 award is July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. See the Request for Applications (RFA) for more information on how to apply for the CART Pilot Grant.

2024-2025 Request for Application

Recipients

See below for more information of past recipients of the UCLA CART Pilot Grant.

Previous Recipients and Projects