Pilot Funding

VINSE Pilot Funds support the development and acquisition of preliminary data for grant proposals using new processes or techniques involving the VINSE facilities Typical awards range from $500 to $2000 for up to 6 months with all funds dedicated to VINSE user fees.

pilot funding
  • $52K

    Funds Awarded
  • 42

    Funded Projects
  • 14

    Departments Funded

How Do I Apply?

Pilot funds require a 1-page description of the proposed work to be performed in VINSE including an estimate of the number of hours per tool or facility. It should also include the primary scientific or technological questions to be addressed and clearly identify which aspects of the project will be carried out in VINSE.

Apply Now

What Happens After I Apply?

Proposals are evaluated at the end of the month by VINSE staff based on scientific merit, likelihood of success, and the potential impact VINSE will have on the project. The number of awarded projects is subject to the availability of funds. Proposals are accepted throughout the year.

What Projects Have Been Funded?

  • Biochemistry

    Pilot studies on molecular pathogenesis of uromodulin kidney disease
    Sergey Budko

  • Biological Sciences

    Exploring Purine Crystal Orientation and Distribution in Glass Frog Tissue
    Carlos Taboada

  • Biomedical Engineering

    Metal Coating Strategies for Augmenting Transmission in PDMS/Nanoparticle Diffusers
    Audrey Bowden

    Fabrication of Micropatterned Coverslips to Investigate Early Embryonic Morphogenesis
    Jonathan Brunger

    ITO for Transparent, Implantable Neural Probes
    Daniel Golzanes

    Optically transparent, superhydrophobic microwell arrays for the enhanced formation of 3D cancer models
    Michael King

    Microfluidic Generation of Drug-Loaded Polysulfide Microparticle Droplets
    Craig Duvall

    VINSE Pilot/Feasibility Study for Jenna Mosier
    Cynthia Reinhart-King

    Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) towards Detection of Esophageal Eosinophilia at the Point-of-Care
    Anita Mahadevan-Jansen

    Cryogenic electron microscopy of nanoparticle-based shear-thinning hydrogels
    Craig Duvall

  • Cell and Developmental Biology

    Lipid nanoparticle-siRNA mediated personalized therapy for pancreatic cancer
    Kathy DelGiorno

    MMCL-1 coordinates mitochondrial cristae junction morphology
    Vivian Gama

    Mini-intestine fabrication for microbe-intestinal organoid co-culture experiments
    Ken Lau

    Fabrication of a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device for Studies of Microtubule Mechanics
    Marija Zanic

  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

    Electron Microscopy to Visualize Radiation-Induced Nanoparticle Secretion from Mammary Fibroblasts
    Marjan Rafat

    Developing a Platform for Probing Ion Transport through Nanoscale Pores in Two-dimensional Materials
    Piran Kidambi

    Fabricating a microfluidic device to elucidate interactions of circulating tumor and immune cells with irradiated vasculature
    Marjan Rafat

    Nanopore Creation in Atomically Thin Ceramic Membranes using Ga Ion Bombardment
    Piran Kidambi

    Using Atomic Force Microscopy to Determine Changes in Tissue Stiffness following Radiation Damage
    Marjan Rafat

  • Chemistry

    The Binding of Hematite to Silica
    Janet Macdonald

    Cryo‐FIB‐SEM of Peptide Aggregation
    Lauren Buchanan

    A Copper-based Nanoparticle Dissolution Strategy for Signal Amplification in Diagnostic Assays
    David Wright

    Cryo-FIB-SEM of Quantum Dot Labeled Dopamine Transporter Endocytic Accumulation
    Sandra Rosenthal

  • Earth and Environmental Sciences

    Confirmation of Sr diffusion in plagioclase: A FIB-SEM and STEM approach
    Blake Wallrich

    Nanoscale evidence for reactive crystallization in plagioclase: A FIB-SEM and STEM approach
    Blake Wallrich

  • Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Fabricating a Mg-rich GaN layer via sputtering
    Mona Ebrish

    Wide-bandgap HEMT fabrication process
    Mona Ebrish

    Examination of Advanced Carbon Nanotube Nanoelectronic Devices
    Jim Davidson

    Microelectronic diode fabrication
    Ronald Schrimpf

     

  • Mechanical Engineering

    Climbing Soft Robot
    Xiaoguang Dong

    Ti02 Preparation via Atomic Layer Deposition for Dynamic Metasurfaces
    Jason Valentine

    Understanding activation energies for desolvation at inorganic/organic interfaces
    Kelsey Hatzell

    Developing a platform for extreme sub-diffraction imaging and nanophotonics using focussed ion beam milling
    Josh Caldwell & Thomas Folland

    VINSE Pilot Study to Fabricate Microfluidic Devices for Measurement of Flowable Electrodes
    Haoxiang Luo

  • Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

    Validation of Diffusion Tensor Measurements of Skeletal Muscle
    Bruce Damon

  • Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

    Investigation of ocular tissue stiffness using Atomic Force Microscopy
    Lauren Wareham

  • Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology

    Dissecting the role of FezB in Clostridioides difficile ferrosome formation
    Eric Skaar

    Structural basis of toxin secretion in Clostridioides difficile
    Borden Lacy

  • Physics and Astronomy

    Carrier Multiplication in Strongly Correlated Materials: V2O3 and LaVO3
    Richard Haglund

    Focused Ion Beam-induced irradiation to promote dense, patterned ZnO nanowire growth
    Richard Haglund

  • Radiology and Radiological Sciences

    Microfabrication techniques for Human Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications
    Saikat Sengupta

Generous pilot funding from VINSE has enabled me to assess novel aspects of tissue biomechanics as part of my neurobiological research program that I would have been unable to explore otherwise.

lauren wareham Lauren Wareham
Research Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center