SPARK Translational Research Program Pilot Grants: Request for Proposals 2027

Program Overview

The Stanford SPARK program supports the discovery and development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics that address unmet medical needs. SPARK offers funding, education regarding the multi-disciplinary product development process, and project-specific mentorship to enable faculty and trainees to advance promising research discoveries to the clinic and/or commercial sector. Much of the mentorship and education is provided by volunteer advisors from the local biotechnology ecosystem. Education and mentorship are available across the entire spectrum of drug and diagnostic development including the following areas: intellectual property and patent law; assay development; optimization of therapeutic chemical structures; preclinical pharmacology and proof of concept studies; preclinical safety and pharmacokinetics; regulatory science and regulatory agency expectations; clinical study design and conduct; and commercialization/start-up company funding and incorporation. Approximately 55% of projects that complete SPARK advance to commercial partnerships and/or clinical trials.

For more information on SPARK, please visit: sparkmed.stanford.edu.

Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of Stanford faculty and industry experts. Based on the compiled rankings, finalists will be invited to present an oral pitch to the review panel in early December, 2026. The number of proposals selected for awards will be dependent on available funding and awardees will be notified before the end of December, 2026. Initial funding is generally for $50,000 with the possibility of up to 100,000 over two years. 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following three criteria:

• meeting clear unmet medical need
• novelty of approach

• feasibility of the path to clinic

   

Areas of interest:

Any clinical indication with an unmet need will be considered. Thanks to generous support from MCHRI, targeted funds are available for projects related to maternal and child health. In addition, SPARK encourages applications related to global health or addressing needs of diverse populations.