Spark Awards
Spark Awards
The CTSI Spark Awards are designed to support preliminary research and generate essential data for new and ongoing projects. Spark Awards provide investigators with resources to advance their research, aiming to jump-start pilot studies and support future extramural grant applications or scientific initiatives.
CTSI will award Spark Awards to Ohio State and Nationwide Children's Hospital investigators worth up to $3,000. CTSI will award up to $5,000 for projects involving researchers from two different Ohio State colleges or a collaboration between Ohio State and Nationwide Children’s investigators.
Scope of Projects
Proposals must encompass activities to support a future grant application or major scientific initiative, or provide additional support critical to the success of an existing project.
Award Amount
$3,000 - $5,000
Application Dates
Applications will be received through March 15, 2026, or until designated funds are exhausted.
Recent Spark Awardees
Chloe Hery, PhD
She applied for a Spark Award in November 2024, to support her research on sleep patterns and related biological factors in newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer patients, with a focus on underserved groups.
Jamie Boster, PhD, CC-SLP
Jamie's research surrounds augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices which are designed to support communication for individuals who are unable to rely on their natural speech to express themselves.
Katie Shahwan, MD, FAAD
Her research focuses on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), which is the second most common type of skin cancer. She is using her Spark Award to help Mohs surgeons identify perineural invasion (PNI).
Claire (Jungyoun) Han, PhD, DNP, ARNP
Claire's research is about designing and developing artificial intelligence (AI) – based chemotoxicity prediction models for patients that have colorectal cancer at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute Gastrointestinal Cancer Center.
Lora Black, PhD, MPH
Lora's research focuses on treatments for chronic pain by using psychosocial correlates and psychological treatments.
Anna Olsavsky, PhD
Her project focuses on Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants (HCT), which is an intensive, yet potentially curative treatment for pediatric cancer and other rare diseases.
Marissa Berry, MD
Marissa's research focuses on peripartum infections in individuals with obesity, or infections that occur during late pregnancy or early post-pregnancy.
For more information:
If you were looking for the CTSI voucher program, that program has been retired. While we acknowledge the value and contributions of the voucher program, we are excited to announce the Spark Awards, a new CTSI funding mechanism that will continue to support our research community.