Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Enhancing Bioremediation through Innovative Materials Science Approaches

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Notice Number: NOT-ES-20-007

Key Dates

Release Date: December 13, 2019
Estimated Publication Date of Funding Opportunity Announcement: January 25, 2020
First Estimated Application Due Date: April 02, 2020
Earliest Estimated Award Date: December 02, 2020
Earliest Estimated Start Date: December 02, 2020

Related Announcements
None

Issued by

Purpose

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for research on enhancing bioremediation through innovative materials science approaches.

The FOA is expected to be published in winter 2020 with an expected application due date in spring 2020.

This FOA will utilize the R01 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights in bioremediation and materials science to begin to consider applying for this new FOA. Collaborative investigations combining expertise in bioremediation and materials science will be encouraged and these investigators should begin considering applying for this application.

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) intends to publish an FOA initiative focusing on research that will advance mechanistic understanding and effectiveness of bioremediation through incorporation of advanced, novel materials science approaches. Bioremediation refers to the use of biota (bacteria, algae, fungi, plants, etc.) to reduce or detoxify hazardous substances in the environment. Bioremediation is a cost-effective, low-energy-intensive remedy that has contributed to the cleanup and closure of sites impacted by hazardous substances. In recent decades, bioremediation has advanced from reliance upon culturing and biogeochemical processing to a technology-enabled field enhanced by high throughput molecular approaches (e.g. 'omics and gene editing techniques). These new approaches have elucidated molecular mechanisms responsible for contaminant cleanup and provided insight for potential solutions to naturally degrade emerging contaminants. Concurrent advances in materials science present an opportunity to integrate new approaches to further refine the mechanisms of bioremediation and optimize conditions to accelerate natural degradation and/or stabilization processes. The intended FOA calls for teams including bioremediation and materials science (e.g. nanotechnology, microenvironmental engineering) to submit applications to advance the knowledge and practice of bioremediation to address current and emerging recalcitrant hazardous substances and/or complex mixtures.

This Notice of Intent to Publish (NOITP) is being provided to allow potential eligible applicants sufficient time to develop competitive and responsive milestone-driven scientific projects and thus prepare the applicant for the timely submission of an application.

Funding Information

Estimated Total Funding TBD
Expected Number of Awards 10
Estimated Award Ceiling $200,000 Annual Direct Costs
Primary CFDA Numbers 93.143

Anticipated Eligible Organizations

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

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Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

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