INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Release Date:  May 15, 1998

P.T.

National Center for Research Resources

Application Receipt Dates:  April 1, August 1, and December 1 for STTR; April 15,
August 15, and December 15 for SBIR

PURPOSE

The purpose of this notice is to emphasize the importance of this research topic,
innovative approaches to developing new technologies, to the Biomedical
Technology area of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), National
Institutes of Health (NIH).  This research topic is of special interest to NCRR,
NIH, and is identified in the OMNIBUS SOLICITATION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH FOR STTR GRANT APPLICATIONS (PHS 98-3) on pages 184-187.  It is also
identified in the OMNIBUS SOLICITATION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FOR
SBIR GRANT APPLICATIONS (SBIR 98-2) on pages 171-174.

NCRR encourages submission of applications for innovative approaches to the
development of technologies that explore new research paradigms in engineering,
instrumentation, physical sciences, mathematics or computer science applicable
to all areas of biomedical research.  The projects should provide the opportunity
to develop new technologies, methods, devices, and materials that can be used in
research aimed at gaining a greater understanding of fundamental elements of
biological phenomena as well as potentially providing a basis for the development
of new products useful in all aspects of biomedical research and health care. 
These efforts should lead to new approaches to the solution of basic research
questions in order to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease and disability and
ultimately to improved human health.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this notice is to encourage applications to explore new
approaches, test imaginative new ideas or to challenge existing paradigms in
technologies related to biomedical research; develop substantial and meaningful
changes in an existing technology important to biomedical research; or translate
a scientific concept into the basis for a future technology that leads to the
solution of important biomedical research problems.

The proposed research must be innovative, unusually imaginative or drastically
different from past paradigms and must have the potential for a broad impact on
biomedical research or on improved health care. The proposal is likely to contain
an element of risk as it must encompass work at the frontiers or the limits of
understanding of a problem or because no historical basis exists for the proposed
approach.

Applications submitted for areas such as epidemiology or behavioral research or
for new assays, such as for enzymes or macromolecules, meet the definition of
technology development for this research topic only if the proposed research
involves the use of a fundamental new principle or paradigm in engineering,
instrumentation, physical sciences, mathematics or computer science, not
previously demonstrated.  Validation or testing of an existing technique will not
be considered responsive.

Applications involving computational approaches to such areas as imaging, data
analysis, modeling, etc. must emphasize algorithm development.  Computational
approaches applied to drug discovery are appropriate to this announcement only
if they clearly move beyond currently utilized computational, structure-based,
and combinatorial approaches.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged early in the application development process.  The
opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is
welcome.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Subject areas: bioengineering, biomedical computing
Dr. Richard Dubois
Biomedical Technology
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive Room 6160, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0755
FAX:  (301) 480-3659

Subject areas: imaging, molecular structure and function
Dr. Abraham Levy
Biomedical Technology
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive Room 6160, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0755
FAX:  (301) 480-3659

Subject areas: electron microscopy, mass spectrometry
Dr. Mary Ann Markwell
Biomedical Technology
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive Room 6160, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0755
FAX:  (301) 480-3659

Subject areas: all other
Dr. Karl A. Koehler
Biomedical Technology
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive Room 6160, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0755
FAX:  (301) 480-3659

Or send an email inquiry to:  BTAdir@ep.ncrr.nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

SBIRs
Carmen Herbert
Office of Grants Management
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 6086, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0837
Email:  carmenh@ep.ncrr.nih.gov

STTRs
Alice Thavongsa
Office of Grants Management
National Center for Research Resources
6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 6086, MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0857
Email:  alicet@ep.ncrr.nih.gov

Applicants also may benefit from contacting staff of individual institutes early
in the application development process to determine interest and/or needs in
development of a particular technology/instrument/method.  Names and telephone
numbers of individuals are available electronically through the NIH Home Page
(www.nih.gov) as well as through individual institute home pages.

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