Key Dates

Related Announcements

• December 18, 2024 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). See NOFO PA-25-304.
• August 17, 2021 - Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Bold New Bioengineering Research for Heart, Lung, Blood and Sleep Disorders and Diseases (Reissue). See NOT-HL-21-024.
  
   

Issued by

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Purpose

This Notce of Special Interest (NOSI) issued by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) aims to encourage early-stage innovative bioengineering projects that could lead to preclinical and translational research and potential funding from federal and non-federal sources. The program is distinct from the NHLBI Catalyze Program and is focused on investigator-initiated ideas and concepts that may eventually contribute to the Catalyze pipeline.

Background

The heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) research community has transformed medicine by creating novel bioengineering technologies for HLBS diseases, including artificial hearts, pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, ventricular assist devices, stents, 3D bioprinting, organ-on-a-chip, tissue-engineered cardiac scaffolds, cell reprogramming technology, nanomaterials, molecular imaging agents, and cardiac patches. These examples demonstrate that bioengineering is a synergistic approach that crosses all HLBS technology-related areas. Further, bioengineering is unique because, unlike most stand-alone scientific topics, it demands collaboration across disciplines, which is critical to advancing needed technologies. The bioengineering community’s ability to achieve alternative and more effective therapies is an urgent need for NHLBI. It is envisioned that this targeted NOSI will serve as an opportunity to spur bold and novel bioengineering solutions and address critical research and clinical gaps and needs. It is expected that the end product of projects funded through this initiative may pursue further support from the NHLBI Catalyze Program.

Research Objectives

This NOSI invites discovery- and design-driven bioengineering research ideas that are important across the Institute and critical for future hypothesis-generating projects. Notably, this program emphasizes first-generation prototype development and initial feasibility studies. The NHLBI is interested in the development of new ideas for diagnostics, therapeutics, surgical technologies, artificial intelligence/machine learning/computational modeling tools, smart biomaterials for self-adjusting implants, molecular imaging, synthetic biology, and nanotechnologies, as applied to HLBS-related issues. Research funding under this NOSI will be limited to early-stage concept development that can ultimately feed into other translational program funding, such as the NHLBI Catalyze Program, for further development. Possible research interests include, but are not limited to, the following:

Artificial Intelligence & Data-Driven Approaches

• Use AI/ML to analyze large-scale genomic, proteomic, and other ’omics’ data to identify biomarkers, improve risk assessment and diagnosis, guide interventions, and enhance patient screening for HLBS disorders.
• Integrate AI-driven modeling and data-driven decision-making into research and development to streamline medical device design, shorten development timelines, and improve outcomes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating HLBS conditions.
• Use of wearable medical devices, augmented by AI, to enhance clinical decision-making through improved diagnosis, treatment prescription, and patient monitoring.

Imaging & Diagnostics

• Develop and implement novel noninvasive imaging technologies for screening, early detection, and treatment monitoring of coronary artery disease in asymptomatic individuals to reduce coronary artery disease-related mortality.
• Develop novel molecular imaging agents for HLBS applications.

Advanced Therapeutics & Regenerative Medicine

• Develop novel nanomaterials and novel medical devices to improve therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
• Advance repair and regeneration strategies, including genetically modifying cells for tailored medicine and reducing immunosuppression to prevent rejection in HLBS therapies.
• Develop alternative oxygenation and extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal technologies.

Bioengineering Innovations & Health Systems

• Develop novel engineered biological systems to study HLBS disease progression and severity.
• Apply new bioengineering technologies to address health inequities.
• Assess the effectiveness and implementation of new bioengineering technologies in diverse health system contexts.

Application and Submission Information

Submit applications for this initiative using the following Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement (NOFO) or any reissues of the announcement through the expiration date of this NOSI.

• PA-25-304 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the funding opportunity announcement used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-HL-24-037” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.

Although NHLBI is not listed as a Participating Organization in all the NOFOs listed above, applications for this initiative will be accepted.

Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will be withdrawn from consideration for this initiative.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the contacts in Section VII of the listed notice of funding opportunity with the following additions/substitutions:

Scientific/Research Contact(s) 

Division of Cardiovascular Sciences
Songtao Liu, M.D.
Telephone: 301-443-0646
Email: [email protected]

Simhan Danthi, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-451-5170
Email: [email protected]

Rahul Thakar, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-827-8151
Email: [email protected]

Division of Lung Diseases
Marishka K. Brown, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-435-0199
Email: [email protected]

Qing Sara Lin, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-435-0222
Email: [email protected]

Division of Blood Diseases and Resources
Crystal Hill-Pryor, Ph.D
Telephone: 301-443-9337
Email: [email protected]

Ronald Warren, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-827-8288
Email: [email protected]

Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science
Fernando Bruno, M.D.
Telephone: 301-496-0886
Email: [email protected]

Peer Review Contact(s)

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Alyse Burton
Telephone: 301-827-8019
Email: [email protected]