Group items tagged

The mission of BTO is to foster, demonstrate, and transition breakthrough fundamental research, discoveries, and applications that integrate biology, engineering, computer science, mathematics, and the physical sciences. BTO's investment portfolio goes far beyond life sciences applications in medicine to include areas of research such as human-machine interfaces, microbes as production platforms, and deep exploration of the impact of evolving ecologies and environments on U.S. readiness and capabilities. BTO's programs operate across a wide range of scales, from individual cells to the warfighter to global ecosystems. BTO responds to the urgent and long-term needs of the Department of Defense (DoD) and addresses national security priorities.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks grant applications to catalyze major advances in genomics through technology development (beyond developing nucleic acid sequencing technologies). The goal is to provide a mechanism for support of very novel and high impact work from across this gamut of genomics technology development. This initiative seeks to support technologies that will have a major impact in the next five to seven years.

The Cellular and Biochemical Engineering (CBE)program is part of the Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which also includes 1) Biophotonics; 2) Biosensing; 3) Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering; and 4) Engineering of Biomedical Systems. TheCellular and Biochemical Engineering program supports fundamental engineering research that advances understanding of cellular andbiomolecular processes in engineering biology. CBE-funded research eventually leads to the development of enabling technology for advanced biomanufacturing in support of the therapeutic cell, biochemical, biopharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Fundamental to many research projects in this area is the understanding of how biomolecules, subcellular systems, cells, and cell populations interact in the biomanufacturing environment, and how those interactions lead to changes in structure, function, and behavior. A quantitative treatment of problems related to biological processes is considered vital to successful research projects in the CBE program. The program encourages highly innovative and potentially transformative engineering research leading to novel bioprocessing and biomanufacturing approaches. The CBE program also encourages proposals that effectively integrate knowledge and practices from different disciplines while incorporating ongoing research into educational activities.

The Molecular Separations program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes 1) Catalysis; 2) Electrochemical Systems; and 3) Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics. The Molecular Separations program supports research focused on novel methods and materials for separation processes, such as those central to the chemical, biochemical, bioprocessing, materials, energy, and pharmaceutical industries. A fundamental understanding of the interfacial, transport, and thermodynamic behavior of multiphase chemical systems as well as quantitative descriptions of processing characteristics in the process-oriented industries is critical for efficient resource management and effective environmental protection. The program encourages proposals that address long standing challenges and emerging research areas and technologies, have a high degree of interdisciplinary work coupled with the generation of fundamental knowledge, and the integration of education and research. Research topics of particular interest include fundamental, molecular-level work.

The NINDS, with other NIH Institutes and Centers participating in the BRAIN Initiative, intends to publish "BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00)." The program is designed to increase biomedical research workforce diversity and foster a strong cohort of new, highly skilled and well trained, NIH-supported, independent investigators from underrepresented groups working in research areas supported by the BRAIN Initiative, as highlighted in BRAIN 2025: A Scientific Vision. It is designed to facilitate a timely transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers with a research and/or clinical doctorate degree from mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful mentoring teams and responsive projects. The FOA is expected to be published in April 2018 with an expected application due date in June 2018. This FOA will utilize the K99/R00 funding activity. Details of the planned FOA are provided below. Research Initiative Details The BRAIN Initiative K99/R00 award is intended for women and members of underrepresented groups who are working in research areas supported by the BRAIN Initiative, who have no more than five years of postdoctoral research experience, and who require at least 12 months of mentored research training and career development (K99 phase) before transitioning to the independent research (R00) phase of the program.

The PREPARE program aims to develop programmable gene modulators for humans that can provide specific, effective, safe, and transient medical countermeasures and prophylaxes to combat chemical, biological, radiological, and/or nuclear (CBRN) threats.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET), seeks proposals that elucidate mechanisms of, and develop strategies to, direct the differentiation of undifferentiated cells into mature, functional cells or organoids. Projects responsive to this solicitation must aim to establish a robust and reproducible set of differentiation design rules, predictive models, real-time sensing, control, and quality assurance methods, and integrate them into a workable differentiation strategy. They must develop a fundamental understanding of how cells develop, including mechanisms, molecular machinery, dynamics, and cell-cell interactions, and use this understanding to manipulate cells purposefully. Investigators can choose any undifferentiated cell type, from any animal species, as a starting point and choose any appropriate functional product (cell, organoid, etc.) with real-world relevance. This solicitation parallels NSF's investment in Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype, NSF's Big Idea focused on predicting the set of observable characteristics (phenotype) of an organism based on its genetic makeup and the nature of its environment and applies it to understanding and accomplishing the intentional and guided differentiation of an undifferentiated cell into cells, organoids or tissues with predetermined activities and functions.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) invites qualified investigators from domestic institutions of higher education to apply to the Superfund Research Program (SRP) R01 Individual Research Project grant program. The mission of the NIEHS is to discover how the environment affects people in order to promote healthier lives. The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/srp/) was established under the Superfund Amendment Reauthorization Act (SARA) Section 311(a), which authorizes NIEHS to implement a university-based program of basic research for the development of: 1) advanced techniques for the detection, assessment, and evaluation of the effect of hazardous substances on human health; 2) methods to assess the risks to human health presented by hazardous substances; 3) methods and technologies to detect hazardous substances in the environment; and 4) basic biological, chemical, and physical methods to reduce the amount and/or toxicity of hazardous substances. SRP's broad scope, as dictated by the SARA mandates, allows NIEHS to support scientific research to address the wide array of scientific uncertainties facing the national Superfund program utilizing biomedical as well as environmental science and engineering approaches. Research supported by the SRP uses mechanistic science as a foundation and, in keeping with the broad research themes of the program mandates, the SRP promotes an interdisciplinary approach to develop solutions for the safe management of hazardous substances with the ultimate goal of improving public health.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate translation of scientific discoveries and engineering developments in imaging, data science and/or spectroscopic technologies into methods or tools that address contemporary problems in understanding the fundamental biology, potential risk of development, diagnosis, treatment, and/or disease status for cancer or other disease.

Asstated intheStrategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing,worldwide competition in manufacturing has been dominated in recent decades by the maturation, commoditization, and widespread application of computation in production equipment and logistics, effectively leveling the global technological playing field and putting a premium on low wages and incremental technical improvements.[1] The next generation of technological competition in manufacturing will be dictated by inventions of new materials, chemicals, devices, systems, processes, machines, design and work methods, social structures and business practices. Fundamental research will be required in robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, materials science, sustainability, education and public policy, and workforce development to take the lead in this global competition. The research supported under this solicitationwillenhance U.S. leadership in manufacturing far into the future by providing new capabilitiesfor established companies andentrepreneurs,improving ourhealth and quality of life,andreducingthe impact of manufacturing industries on the environment.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for basic or applied research and development projects. An NIJ forensic science research and development grant supports a discrete, specified, circumscribed project that will: (1) increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice, or (2) lead to the production of useful material(s), device(s), system(s), or method(s) that have the potential for forensic application. The intent of this program is to direct the findings of basic scientific research; research and development in broader scientific fields applicable to forensic science; and ongoing forensic science research toward the development of highly-discriminating, accurate, reliable, cost-effective, and rapid methods for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal justice purposes. Projects should address the challenges and needs of the forensic science community. The operational needs discussed at NIJ's FY 2016 Forensic Science TWG meeting may be found on NIJ.gov. Additional research needs of the forensic science community can be found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees website. While the goals and deliverables of proposed projects do not necessarily need to result in immediate solutions to the posted challenges or needs, they should speak to them and produce knowledge that adds to work towards eventual resolutions.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) released its annual omnibus Research Announcement (NRA), Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) - 2020 (OMB Approval Number 2700-0092, CFDA Number 43.001) on February 14, 2020. In this case "omnibus" means that this NRA has many individual program elements, each with its own due dates and topics. All together these cover the wide range of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences supported by SMD. Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and inter- or intra-agency transfers, depending on the nature of the work proposed, the proposing organization, and/or program requirements. However, most extramural research awards deriving from ROSES will be grants, and many program elements of ROSES specifically exclude contracts, because contracts would not be appropriate for the nature of the work solicited. The typical period of performance for an award is three years, but some programs may allow up to five years and others specify shorter periods. In most cases, organizations of every type, Government and private, for profit and not-for-profit, domestic and foreign (with some caveats), may submit proposals without restriction on teaming arrangements. Tables listing the program elements and due dates, the full text of the ROSES-2020 solicitation, and the "Summary of Solicitation" as a stand-alone document, may all be found NSPIRES at http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2020.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for research and evaluation projects that will: 1. Identify and inform the forensic community of best practices through the evaluation of existing laboratory protocols; and 2. Have a direct and immediate impact on laboratory efficiency and assist in making laboratory policy decisions.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET), seeks proposals that elucidate mechanisms of, and develop strategies to, direct the differentiation of undifferentiated cells into mature, functional cells or organoids. Projects responsive to this solicitation must aim to establish a robust and reproducible set of differentiation design rules, predictive models, real-time sensing, control, and quality assurance methods, and integrate them into a workable differentiation strategy. They must develop a fundamental understanding of how cells develop, including mechanisms, molecular machinery, dynamics, and cell-cell interactions, and use this understanding to manipulate cells purposefully. Investigators can choose any undifferentiated cell type, from any animal species, as a starting point and choose any appropriate functional product (cell, organoid, etc.) with real-world relevance.This solicitation parallels NSF's investment inUnderstanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype, NSF's Big Idea focused on predicting the set of observable characteristics (phenotype) of an organism based on its genetic makeup and the nature of its environment and applies it to understanding and accomplishing the intentional and guided differentiation of an undifferentiated cell into cells, organoids or tissues with predetermined activities and functions.

A primary focus of these programs is on the use of in vitro methods and assays using lower organisms to screen thousands of chemicals for toxicity in order to identify mechanisms of compound-induced biological activity, characterize toxicity pathways, facilitate cross-species extrapolation, and provide input to models for low-dose extrapolation.  Data generated by these methods will be used to prioritize compounds for more extensive toxicological evaluation and to develop predictive models for biological response in humans. Current approaches are limited in terms of incorporating genetic variability in toxicity testing and in assessing the effects of chemicals in multiple normal tissue and cell types, relying on immortalized cell lines or primary cell lines derived from tissues. Thus, there is a need for novel, medium- to high-throughput assays (at least a 96-well format) to evaluate the effects of chemical compounds on the differentiation of pluripotent or multi-potent stem cells as well as the effects of chemical exposures on differentiated cell types representative of various in vivo tissues. Approaches can include the use of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, approved human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, or ES or iPS cells derived from genetically characterized mouse strains. Assays should be able to measure the effects of toxicants on the differentiation process and/or on the differentiated cells themselves; cell types of high priority include but are not limited to cardiomyocytes, neural cells, hepatocytes, endothelial cells, lung (airway or alveolar) cells, and hormonally-responsive tissues such as reproductive tissues or breast epithelial cells.

Research Grants: Research grants are available to established scientists of all ages working at accredited institutions in the United States. Applications will be judged on the scientific merit and the innovative aspects of the proposal as well as on the competence of the applicant. Grants-in-Aid: The Grants-in-Aid program is designed for researchers at the assistant professor level who experience difficulty in competing for research funds because they have not yet become firmly established. Grants-in-Aid can also be made to senior scientists. All applications will be judged on the scientific merit and innovative aspects of the proposal, as well as on past performance and evidence of the applicant's continued productivity. Grants-in-Aid are awarded for a one-year period and do not exceed $30,000.

With support from the Rita Allen Foundation, the National Academy of Sciences is offering two awards of $37,500 each to support the formation and development of collaborative science communication researcher-practitioner partnerships. These awards are intended to facilitate the efforts of science communication researchers and practitioners to collaboratively plan projects that pursue shared research interests aligned with the new report.

JDRF provides seed funding for highly innovative research with significant potential to accelerate the mission of JDRF. Proposals should address key outstanding questions and have the potential to lead to a change in the current paradigm or conventional wisdom and/or lead to a groundbreaking discovery. Preliminary data is not required in the proposal but the underlying premise, goal, or hypothesis must be plausible and testable and the proposal must be focused with a well-defined goal that is achievable within the timeframe of the award.

The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program of the Office of Science (SC) and the Defense Program (DP) of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), both of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), jointly announce their interests in receiving grant applications for new awards and grant renewals for research in the SC-NNSA Joint Program in High-Energy-Density (HED) laboratory plasmas. All individuals or groups planning to submit applications for new or renewal funding in Fiscal Year 2018 should submit in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The specific areas of interest are: 1. HED Hydrodynamics 2. Radiation-Dominated Dynamics and Material Properties 3. Magnetized HED Plasma Physics 4. Nonlinear Optics of Plasmas and Laser-Plasma Interactions 5. Relativistic HED Plasmas and Intense Beam Physics 6. Warm Dense Matter 7. High-Z, Multiply Ionized HED Atomic Physics 8. Diagnostics for HED Laboratory Plasmas More specific information on each area of interest is outlined in the general and program specific supplementary information provided.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the President, is seeking applications from public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals) to perform research and analysis of data to inform drug policy. This project seeks to further refine a methodology for obtaining drug early warning indicators from expanded testing of urine samples that were previously collected and tested as part of an existing drug test protocol. This method was initially developed using local criminal justice populations - including persons in pre-trial or lock-up, parolees or probationers, and drug court participants. In addition, this method was also tested in two trauma units, with promising results. This project will use similar methodology in criminal justice, health care, and other venues, to include opioid treatment admissions, trauma units or emergency departments, and criminal justice programs such as parole or probation, where biological samples are often collected from clients.