Biophotonics, Advanced Imaging, and Sensing for Human Health

The summary for the Biophotonics, Advanced Imaging, and Sensing for Human Health grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Science Foundation, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Biophotonics, Advanced Imaging, and Sensing for Human Health: Innovative basic research in photonics, imaging, and sensing that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation for new technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application in medical diagnostics and therapies.Developing molecularly specific sensing (molecular photonics), imaging, and monitoring systems with high sensitivity and resolution would be an enormous accomplishment with powerful applications to both biology and medicine. Low cost diagnostics will require novel integration of photonics, molecular biology, and material science. Complex biosensors capable of detecting and discriminating among large classes of biomolecules could be important not only to biology and medicine, but also to environmental sensing and homeland security.The BISH program supports innovative research of biophotonic, imaging, and sensing technologies for applications in human health. Examples of topics are: * Low Coherence Sensing at the Nanoscale - - Low coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS), n-dimensional elastic light scattering, and angle- resolved low coherence interferometry for early cancer detection (dysplasia) * Macromolecule Markers - - Innovative methods for labeling of macromolecules, new compositions of matter/methods of fabrication of multi-color probes such as might be used for in-vitro marking and detection of specific pathological cells and or pathogens * Multi-probe Molecular Manipulations - - New optical approaches that permit specific molecular action on cells which conjointly bind two or more different probes with specificity for different macromolecular markers * Neuro-photonics - - Development of new biocompatible detection technologies that could serve as massively parallel interfaces for communicating with networks of cells such as brain tissue slices. Studies of photon activation of neurons at the interface of nanomaterials attached to cells * Biomimetic and Miniaturized Devices - - Innovative miniaturized optical tools or devices for the interrogation and manipulation or creation of specific reactions in complex cell or organ culture * Photon-cell Interactions - - Fundamental studies of novel photonic properties of nanoparticles and optical reporters and their interaction with cells and their internal organellesExamples of fundamental engineering research on technologies for human health that are of interest include: * Nanoparticle fluorescent quantum-dots * Novel waveguiding structures * Plasmon surface resonance and plasmonic nanostructures * Nanofluidics and nanochannel interconnects * Bio-inspired device concepts (lens microarrays) * Novel multi-function/multi-spectral focal plane arrays * Radiation sources and detectors (from IR to extreme UV) * Miniature power sources (nano-bio-batteries) * Photonic bandgap devices * Novel refractive index materials * N-dimensional photonic crystal microcavities * Quantum cascade photonicsThe duration of unsolicited awards is generally one to three years. The average annual award size for the program is $100,000 for individual investigators and $200,000 for multiple investigators. Please check the NSF Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems Division (CBET) Home Page for the two annual submission windows for unsolicited proposals. Small equipment proposals up to $100,000 will also be considered and may be submitted during these windows. Any proposal received outside the announced dates will be returned without review.The duration of CAREER awards is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Please see the following URL for more information: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf05027/nsf05027.jspProposals for Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER), Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements may be submitted at any time, but must be discussed with the program director before submission.Please refer to the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), January 2008, (NSF 08-1) when you prepare your proposal. Chapter II, especially, will assist you. The GPG is available for download at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg