Group items tagged

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate developmental research evaluating the effect of care planning on self-management of late effects of cancer therapy; adherence to medications, cancer screening, and health behavior guidelines; utilization of follow-up care; survivors' health and psychosocial outcomes. How organizational-level factors influence the implementation of care planning and its associated costs is also of interest. Specifically, the FOA aims to stimulate research that will: 1) develop and test metrics for evaluating the impact of survivorship care planning; 2) evaluate the impact of survivorship care planning on cancer survivors' morbidity, self-management and adherence to care recommendations, utilization of follow-up care; 3) evaluate effects of planning on systems outcomes, such as associated costs and impact on providers and organizations implementing the care planning; and 4) identify models and processes of care that promote effective survivorship care planning. The ultimate goal of this FOA is to generate a body of science that will inform the development and delivery of interventions that improve follow-up care for cancer survivors.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks to develop and test the next generation of interventions delivered through mobile health (mHealth) technology to improve diagnosis, linkage to care, retention in care, and viral suppression among youth living with human immunodeficiency virus (YLWH). This FOA supports planning for a clinical trial and can include a small pilot clinical trial that a) incorporates emerging and cutting edge technologies to enhance outcomes along the HIV care continuum, b) supports real-time clinical decision making, and c) facilitates effective long-term management of HIV. Critical to this FOA, proposed research should identify specific patient outcomes along the HIV care continuum that are expected to improve from technological approaches.

This mechanism supports basic research to increase knowledge/understanding through discovery and hypothesis generation, and should focus on providing basic fundamental knowledge that will inform and enable the future development of novel autonomous and/or robotic medical systems to care for wounded soldiers/patients through breakthrough, exploratory research. The objective is focused on addressing the following 1. Autonomous and Unmanned Medical Capability - Identify novel ideas, approaches and research towards the conceptualization of autonomous and unmanned technologies for next-generation, high-quality medical capabilities with limited or absent medical care personnel, or personnel with limited skills. Research novel concepts, plausible approaches and advanced concept designs using biologically inspired cognitive computing models, machine learning, artificial intelligence, soft robotic semi-autonomous/autonomous resuscitation concepts and advanced applications of information sciences among other innovative, exploratory research towards advancing the state-of-the-art in delivery of forward resuscitative care at the point of injury. 2. Medical Robotics Research - Identify novel ideas, approaches and research towards the conceptualization of medical robotics and real-time tele-presence capabilities exploring the limits of machine perception for tele-robotic semi-autonomous and autonomous trauma care within remote and dispersed geographic settings. This could include exploratory research in semi-autonomous robotic surgery to improve the safety profile and efficacy of tele-surgical procedures and outcomes using hard robotics in challenging situations (e.g., combat casualties on the multi-domain battlefield or mass casualty situations) and remote or austere geographic locations, among other innovative, exploratory research aims and novel concepts.

The FY17 JPC-1/MSIS TRANSfeR Award Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is seeking research to determine whether the medical skill learned on a simulation system has a downstream beneficial effect to patients and/or the MHS in the real clinical world. The Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity seeks applications for research to demonstrate that simulation-based medical training has a measurable outcome on patient care. Previous T1 studies have shown improvement in skills in the simulated environment when deliberate practice and mastery learning (a set of group-based, individualized, learning strategies based on the belief that students will achieve a high level of understanding in a given area when given enough time) occur as part of training. The next set of studies should measure whether these same techniques translate to patient care and affect systems of care such as return-to-duty rates and morbidity and mortality statistics. Such research will involve taking the lessons learned in the laboratory and measuring outcomes in the patients who are cared for either in an operational environment or medical treatment facility. Historical patient outcome data does exist for the way medical professionals are trained now, so the variable being introduced in new studies would be simulation-based training.

The purpose of the grant program is to fill knowledge gaps in the impact of point-of-care ultrasound on patient outcomes and the amount of training needed to achieve competence in performing point-of-care ultrasound. Projects can be ultrasound application-specific (e.g., assessing the impact of an ultrasound application with respect to diagnosis and management); ultrasound practice-specific (e.g., comparing academic and community emergency departments with and without point-of-care ultrasound with respect to throughput, cost-effectiveness, patient safety, etc.); and/or focused on point-of-care ultrasound learning curves to identify performance plateaus for both image acquisition and interpretation.

Devices to maintain beauty are already available on the market. However, care provided by these devices is still limited to one based on the age or skin characteristics measured at special facilities. Devices for personalized treatment suitable for every individual condition and every environment is not yet provided. A personalized beauty care that incorporates innovative technologies is therefore supposed to possibly offer new beauty care experiences. The Client aims at building a device or service to meet any one of the following needs through cooperation with a partner: Allow individuals to grasp their beauty conditions and environment by using a device or service in an easy, speedy, and accurate manner at home. The beauty conditions include: skin conditions (e.g., wrinkles, blemishes, pores, texture, moisture content, sebum quantity, blood flow volume, color, elasticity, inflammation, pimples, porphyrin, desquamation, lymph, hidden blemishes, infiltration of cosmetics),  hair characteristics (e.g., temperature, moisture content, color, glow, electrostatic charge amount, pH, damages [e.g., cuticle peel-off, porosity, component balance, breakage, split hair], waviness, length, amount), and  beard characteristics (e.g., length, thickness, color, hair-raising angle, direction, ingrown hair, hairline).  The environment includes temperature, humidity, and ultraviolet quantity.

This NOFO will build on previous PEPFAR support under the HHS/CDC HIV treatment program in Côte d'Ivoire (CI) to ensure continuity of comprehensive HIV/AIDS services to an existing pool of clients receiving HIV/AIDS care, support, and/or treatment. The program will also continue expanding access to HIV/AIDS services while building the capacity of national structures and contributing to sustainable service delivery within the health sector in CI. Specifically, it serves to increase capacity and sustainability of the response toward controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic by initially providing support for HIV service delivery aligning with PEPFAR geographic and programmatic pivots by local indigenous organizations and ultimately providing technical assistance to the national Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (MSHP) to sustain and expand comprehensive HIV prevention, care, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs. The recipient(s) will combine a facility and community-based strategy to support HIV/AIDS services. At the end of the 5-year project period, the recipient(s) should be able to collect and evaluate program data that demonstrates improved quality of HIV prevention, care, and treatment services in CI and to transition activities to MSHP and/or local organizations to sustain a basic HIV service package.

The goal of theBiomedical Engineering(BME)program is to provide research opportunities to develop novel ideas into discovery-level and transformative projects that integrate engineering and life sciences in solving biomedical problems that serve humanity in the long-term. BME projects must be at the interface of engineering and life sciences, and advance both engineering and life sciences. The projects should focus on high impact transformative methods and technologies. Projects should include methods, models and enabling tools of understanding and controlling living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; new approaches to the design of structures and materials for eventual medical use in the long-term; and novel methods for reducing health care costs through new technologies. The long-term impact of the projects can be related to fundamental understanding of cell and tissue function, effective disease diagnosis and/or treatment, improved health care delivery, or product development.

The goal of theBiomedical Engineering(BME)program is to provide research opportunities to develop novel ideas into discovery-level and transformative projects that integrate engineering and life sciences in solving biomedical problems that serve humanity in the long-term. BME projects must be at the interface of engineering and life sciences, and advance both engineering and life sciences. The projects should focus on high impact transformative methods and technologies. Projects should include methods, models and enabling tools of understanding and controlling living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; new approaches to the design of structures and materials for eventual medical use in the long-term; and novel methods for reducing health care costs through new technologies. The long-term impact of the projects can be related to fundamental understanding of cell and tissue function, effective disease diagnosis and/or treatment, improved health care delivery, or product development.

A major objective of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to invite SBIR applications to foster collaboration between clinical and bioengineering research communities to develop and test safe, accurate, and effective devices for use in neonatal, perinatal, and pediatric care settings. These can be new devices or improvements on existing devices. The studies may range from concept to developmental phases, with a clear commercialization plan to enable healthcare providers to use them in regular clinical care settings in the population, which is the focus of this FOA.

This NOFO will support achievement of national targets for 2018 antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up towards the UNAIDS Fast Track Targets in Ukraine. The recipient will implement innovative and effective recruitment and case management models for persons who inject drugs (PWID) and men who have sex with men (MSM) at the community level. These innovative changes will increase uptake of HIV community based testing and increase ART initiation for these populations. The recipient will pilot risk network-based testing using point-of-care recency assays to link recently infected PWID to care. The project will focus on the six regions with the highest HIV burden (Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolayiv, Odesa, government controlled areas (GCA) of Donetsk, Kyiv City, and Kherson) and continue to work in six additional medium burden oblasts (Cherkasy, Poltava, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhya, Kirovohrad, and Kyiv). The recipient will also increase the capacity of the Government of Ukraine’s Center for Public Health (CPH) and regional monitoring and evaluation (M&E) centers specialists to conduct data analysis using statistical software and build institutional capacity to conduct economic evaluations of HIV interventions. Illustrative strategic information (SI) activities include development of trainings to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the newly established CPH in using statistical software, routine analysis of surveillance data, study design, and research protocol development.

The Paralyzed Veterans of America Education Foundation, a grantmaking organization of Paralyzed Veterans of America, seeks to fund innovative educational projects that enhance the quality of life of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) and/or that increase the knowledge and effectiveness of health professionals in the SCI/D community. The foundation generally supports five types of projects: 1) Consumer, caregiver, and community education demonstration projects that seek to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease; 2) Professional development and education programs that improve the knowledge and competencies of professionals providing health care and related services to the SCI/D community, or fellowship/traineeship programs for professionals providing health care and related services to the SCI/D community; 3) Research utilization and dissemination projects that translate research findings into practice; 4) Assistive technology demonstration projects that improve the identification, selection, and use of assistive devices by people with SCI/D; and 5) Conferences and symposia designed to provide education and opportunities for collaboration among members of the SCI/D community.

Since 2005, the BMEidea competition has recognized innovative biomedical engineering design with high commercial potential and social impact. The competition is open to both graduate and undergraduate students (undergraduate-only teams may also enter BMEStart). Strong BMEidea submissions define a problem and demonstrate the development of a device, product, or technology designed to solve it. Examples include but are not limited to: surgical devices, home health care devices, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative applications, rehabilitative and assistive technologies, or other innovations that will have a substantial impact on clinical care and patient outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply and may include undergraduate students from diverse fields such as business, nursing, physical therapy, life sciences, physical sciences, or other related disciplines. Inter-institutional collaborations are also encouraged; in these cases we require a faculty advisor from each institution. Each team must include at least one engineering student.

A. Research Areas of Interest SOF medical personnel place a premium on medical equipment that is small, lightweight, ruggedized, and designed for operation in extreme environments. The equipment must be easy to use, require minimum maintenance, and have low power consumption. Drugs and biologics should not require refrigeration or other special handling. All materiel and related techniques must be simple and effective. Research projects may apply existing scientific and technical knowledge for which concept and/or patient care efficacy have already been demonstrated to meet SOF requirements. 1. Damage Control Resuscitation SOF medical personnel require capabilities for far-forward medical care to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with major battlefield wounds and injuries. The primary emphasis is to research, apply and/or develop medical techniques and materiel (medical devices, drugs, and biologics) for early intervention in life-threatening battle injuries when MEDEVAC is not possible.

The mission of the Biomedical Engineering (BME) program is to provide opportunities to develop novel ideas into discovery-level and transformative projects that integrate engineering and life science principles in solving biomedical problems that serve humanity in the long-term.  The Biomedical Engineering (BME) program supports fundamental research in the following BME themes: Neural engineering (brain science, computational neuroscience, brain-computer interface, neurotech, cognitive engineering) Cellular biomechanics (motion, deformation, and forces in biological systems; how mechanical forces alter cell growth, differentiation, movement, signal transduction, transport, cell adhesion, cell cytoskeleton dynamics, cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions; genetically engineered stem cell differentiation with long-term impact in tissue repair and regenerative medicine) The BME projects must be at the interface of engineering and life sciences, and advance both engineering and life sciences.  The projects should focus on high impact transforming methods and technologies. The project should include methods, models and tools of understanding and controlling of living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; new approaches to the design of structures and materials for eventual medical use in the long-term; and new novel methods of reducing health care costs through new technologies. The projects should emphasize the advancement of fundamental engineering knowledge, possibly leading to the development of new methods and technologies in the long-term; and highlight multi-disciplinary nature, integrating engineering and the sciences. The long-term impact of the projects can be related to disease diagnosis and/or treatment, improved health care delivery, or product development.

This FOA encourages Research Project Grant (R01) applications for research and development of technologies that monitor health or deliver care in a real-time, accessible, effective, and minimally obtrusive way. These systems are expected to integrate, process, analyze, communicate, and present data so that the individuals are engaged and empowered in their own healthcare with reduced burden to care providers. The development of these technology systems has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, people aging with mild impairments, as well as individuals with chronic conditions. 

This FOA encourages Exploratory/ Developmental Research Project (R21) applications for design and development of novel technologies to monitor health or deliver care in a real-time, accessible, effective, and minimally obtrusive way. These may be novel sensor or monitoring systems, home-use point-of-care devices, home or mobile therapy or rehabilitation tools, or information systems and should have the goal of fostering healthy and independent living. The development of such technologies has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, people aging with mild impairments, as well as individuals with chronic conditions.  

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks applications for the design and development of technologies to monitor health or deliver care in a real-time, accessible, effective, and minimally obtrusive way for older adults with a chronic heart, lung, blood, or sleep (HLBS) condition. These technologies may be novel sensor or monitoring systems, home-use point-of-care devices, home or mobile therapy or rehabilitation tools, or information systems and should have the goal of fostering healthy and independent living for aging adults with HLBS conditions. The development of such technologies should incorporate specific human factors for aging adults including disabilities, mild impairments, as well as chronic HLBS conditions. Technology usability for these populations must be incorporated early in the development of the design. Usability considerations include but are not limited to patient-facing displays, hearing and visual impairments, tactile limitations, literacy, and design preferences between men and women. These improvements in technology design could yield more accurate and earlier detection of changes that may interfere with healthy and independent living for older adults.

ENTELLIGENCE, in partnership with Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, supports basic science, translational, and clinical research in the field of cardiopulmonary medicine. The program provides opportunities for individual young investigators to promote quality medical care and enhance patients' lives by supporting research in pulmonary hypertension. To that end, ENTELLIGENCE is accepting applications for its thirteenth annual Young Investigator grant program. Established in 2005, the program provides opportunities for promising young investigators to promote quality medical care and enhance patients' lives by supporting research (basic science, clinical, or translational) in the area of pulmonary hypertension specifically related to expanding knowledge of pulmonary vascular pathobiology pathways. In 2018, the program will award a one-year grant of up to $100,000 to fund a mentored project.

The goal of this NOFO is to provide comprehensive HIV services in Zambia to the general population in areas of high HIV prevalence; and priority populations (PPs), including people living with HIV (PLHIV), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), men, couples, pregnant women, prisoners, and key populations (KPs). Services to be provided will include: community-based HIV testing services (HTS); HIV prevention services (risk reduction counseling,gender norms, and links to post gender-based violence (GBV) care); TB prevention and treatment, and community based antiretroviral therapy (ART). These services will be linked with community health care facilities. The recipient(s) will work closely with the relevant District Medical Offices (DMOs) selected in consultation with CDC Zambia. To ensure efficiencies and program effectiveness, this NOFO will support activities that complement activities supported by the Zambian government and partners with full transition to the local districts by the end of year five.

We encourage innovators to submit potentially ground-breaking ideas in perinatal care, including a particular interest in the following areas:  - Consumer Healthcare  - Community Health Approaches - Health Technologies  - Medical Devices  - Patient Care - Pharmaceuticals - Cross-sector Initiatives   Priority will be given to science-based potential innovations backed by data.  Applications that clearly describe a concept or path forward to achieve these goals will also be considered during evaluation. Please keep in mind that no idea is too big or too early for consideration. The goal of the Maternal Health QuickFire Challenge is to discover solutions aimed to help mothers survive and prevent adverse consequences from pregnancy and childbirth.  These potential solutions should be meet the below outlined criteria. The submitted potential solution must be either be pioneering or evidence based. Please provide data supporting the theory of change or the intervention accordingly. Submitted ideas must meet at least three of the below criteria: - Actionable - is the project achievable? - Measurable in terms of health impact - Filling a current data gap - Proven sustainability or strong rationale for a sustainable business model - Scalable