Pilot Grants Fuel New Ideas

One of the most exciting ways the IPN advances psychedelic and neurotherapeutic science is through our Pilot Grant Program. These awards are designed to spark bold, early-stage ideas, giving researchers the flexibility to explore new questions, generate preliminary data, and lay the groundwork for larger external funding. From identifying new mechanisms and models to new ways of understanding brain plasticity, pilot grants help turn curiosity into momentum.

 

This year’s pilot grant recipients and their teams reflect the breadth and ambition of the IPN community. Their projects span disciplines and approaches, but share a common goal: advancing rigorous, innovative science that could reshape how we understand and treat neurological conditions and improve mental health. We’re excited to highlight the investigators and ideas made possible through the inaugural year of this program.

Introducing our 2025 pilot grant recipients:

Roy Ben-Shalom

Ben-Shalom and his students in a lobby setting

Neurology, UC Davis School of Medicine

Diasynou Fioravante

Diasynou Fioravante with Emily Misnick to her left and Esteban Madronero

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience

Alec Follmer

Alec Follmer and his team of 7

UC Davis Department of Chemistry

Gene Gurkoff

Gene Gurkoff and his trainees in the lab

Neurological Surgery, UC Davis School of Medicine

Johannes Hell

Johannes Hell and his team of 4 who are working on the pilot grant

Pharmacology, UC Davis School of Medicine

Karl Murray

Karl Murray and his team int the lab where they're working on the pilot grant

Physiology, UC Davis School of Medicine

Jill Silverman

Jill Silverman and her trainees in front of the Aggie Square building

Psychiatry, UC Davis School of Medicine

Danielle Stolzenberg

Danielle Stolzenberg and her team of 3 students working on the pilot grant

UC Davis Department of Psychology