QUANTUM PROJECTS: TECHNOLOGY-BASED ADVANCES IN HEALTHCARE
RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2003
NOTICE: NOT-EB-03-011
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
(http://www.nibib.nih.gov)
RESPONSE DUE DATE: January 9, 2004
PURPOSE
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
solicits suggestions from academia, industry, and the broad healthcare
community for major problems that need to be solved or research
advances that represent high-impact, large-scale, technology-based
projects and will result in significant (quantum) improvements in
disease treatment or quality of life. The purpose of this request is
to collect ideas from the scientific and healthcare communities about
biomedical research topics that may be ready for major advances if
supported in a sustained and focused manner over a five-to-ten year
period.
BACKGROUND
The mission of the NIBIB, the newest of the NIH research institutes, is
to develop and translate novel technologies and methods that enable
understanding of basic biological processes and facilitate diagnosis,
treatment, management, and prevention of disease. Activities conducted
in support of this mission are also aimed at supporting the broad
mission of the NIH which is to improve human health and quality of
life.
To demonstrate the NIBIB’s commitment to improving human health, the
Institute is considering supporting one or more quantum projects .
These projects will require large-scale, focused, and sustained efforts
and will produce quantifiable results with concrete benefits that
address national healthcare needs.
The title quantum project is based on the objective of providing a
significant (quantum) improvement in healthcare or quality of life.
Consistent with the technology-oriented mission of the NIBIB and the
objective of realizing benefits in a reasonable time period, a quantum
project should have the following characteristics:
1. A major problem that needs to be solved or a research advance that
requires a collaborative, multi-disciplinary research and development
effort and will provide a product or benefit that results in a
significant healthcare improvement;
2. Research based on technological approaches and applications; and
3. Can be accomplished (i.e., solve the problem or provide the research
advance not necessarily make available for patient use) by a focused
and sustained effort in a five-to-ten year time period.
Considering the anticipated magnitude and scope of the effort and the
goal-oriented objective, a phased program is being considered that will
initially support several approaches to the project, evaluate the
results of the initial research to determine the most promising courses
of action for continued support, and establish a project consortium to
focus and coordinate efforts to reach the goal. In view of the
healthcare focus of these projects, it is anticipated that the NIBIB
will partner with one or more NIH institutes with missions appropriate
for the intended application to manage and coordinate the effort.
Technological areas appropriate as bases for these projects include but
are not limited to:
o Biomedical imaging (diagnostic level, cellular/molecular level,
multi-modality)
o Nanotechnology and microtechnology (NEMS and MEMS, targeted drug
delivery and agents)
o Biomaterials (micro materials for regenerative medicine and tissue
engineering; macro materials for devices, implants, and prosthetics)
o Computer applications (modeling and simulation, computer-assisted
surgery, robotics)
o Sensors (chemical, biological, and physical detectors) and therapy
actuators
Combinations of these and other technological areas are also
appropriate. Clinical or biomedical focus areas include the broad
range of applications and missions encompassed by the NIH institutes
and centers which are available on the NIH Web site at
http://www.nih.gov.
The first step in this initiative is to identify candidate quantum
projects based on input from the scientific community including
academia, industry, hospitals and clinics, federal laboratories, other
federal agencies, and other NIH research institutes and centers. This
notice solicits the input in the form of ideas for quantum projects
that meet the criteria given above. Depending on the quality of
suggestions and the availability of funds, one or more of these ideas
will be selected as the goal(s) of the quantum project(s) to be
announced by the NIBIB and one or more NIH institutes or centers.
INFORMATION REQUESTED
The NIBIB seeks your help in identifying major problems or research
advances that require collaborative, multi-disciplinary efforts; will
result in a product or benefit that provides a significant improvement
in healthcare; are based on technological approaches and applications;
and can be accomplished in a five-to-ten year time period. Respondents
are asked to submit a one-page (maximum) summary with the following
information for each suggested project:
1. A descriptive title;
2. A one or two paragraph description of the major problem or research
focus, the anticipated product or advance, and the anticipated
improvement in healthcare; and
3. The respondent’s contact information (name, address, telephone, fax,
and e-mail address)
RESPONSE AND PROCESS
Respondents are requested to transmit the information described above
no later than January 9, 2004. To respond, please send an e-mail,
letter, or fax to the following address:
Dr. Richard E. Swaja
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
6707 Democracy Boulevard Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20892-5477
TEL: 301-451-4779
FAX: 301-480-1614
EMAIL: swajar@nibib.nih.gov
Questions concerning this notice can also be transmitted to the above
address.
Responses will be collected and shared with our advisory committees.
We look forward to receiving your ideas and suggestions, and we hope
that you will share this document with your colleagues.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
|
|
|
|
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
|
|
|
|
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health®
|