Protecting the Pipeline
Sustaining Scientific Talent and Innovation in San Diego
The School of Medicine launched its inaugural pivot grant program, a bold new initiative powered by a generous $1 million donation from the Prebys Foundation. The goal: to safeguard the future of biomedical research in San Diego during a time of growing uncertainty in federal research funding.
A lifeline for disrupted research
In today’s shifting funding landscape, early- and mid-career researchers face critical challenges from delayed grants to unexpected budget cuts. The Pivot Grant Program is helping to preserve progress and protect the people behind the science.
Open to all UC San Diego faculty, the program offered targeted support to researchers whose federally funded, health-related projects were disrupted in the 2024–25 fiscal year. Funding addressed immediate financial gaps and supports lab operations, scientific progress and the teams that make discovery possible.
Why it matters
UC San Diego is a global leader in medical innovation, and continued momentum depends on protecting both breakthroughs and the people behind them especially postdocs, trainees and early-career investigators.
Application
The application period is now closed. Award notifications were sent out on July 30, 2025. The application window will reopen as additional funding becomes available.
Pivot Grant Recipients Announced
The University of California San Diego School of Medicine announced the inaugural recipients of its pivot grant program.