Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding Agency:
- National Institutes of Health
The purpose of this engineering-oriented notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) announcement is to encourage submissions of exploratory/developmental Bioengineering Research Grant (EBRG) applications to demonstrate feasibility and potential utility of new capabilities or improvements in quality, speed, efficacy, operability, costs, and/or accessibility of solutions to problems in basic biomedical, pre-clinical, or clinical research, clinical care delivery, or accessibility. The rationale is to support first steps toward delivery of new capabilities to meet evolving requirements for technologies and methods relevant to the advance of research and/or medical care in pre-clinical, clinical and non-clinical settings, domestic or foreign, for conditions and diseases within the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers.
This NOFO utilizes the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) mechanism, which supports investigation of novel scientific ideas or new model systems, tools, or technologies that have the potential for significant impact on biomedical or biobehavioral research. An R21 grant application need not have extensive background material or preliminary information.
Research Objectives
Proposed research to solve a wide range of relevant problems is sought, and may explore, but is not limited to a 1) new multidisciplinary approach to a biomedical challenge; 2) high- or low-risk development of significance; or 3) data collection to support future research with potential significance. An EBRG application may propose, but is not limited to hypothesis-driven, discovery-driven, developmental, or design-directed research. It may draw upon engineering, physical sciences, biological/medical sciences, mathematics, informatics, machine learning or any other relevant source of science or knowhow. To facilitate these objectives, modifications of standard review criteria are made to accommodate features specific to engineering-oriented applications.
Background
The evolution and vitality of the biomedical sciences require a constant infusion of new ideas, techniques, and points of view. These may improve established technologies or may differ substantially from current thinking or practice. They may or may not yet be supported by substantial preliminary data. Therefore, an EBRG may propose evaluation of an unproven approach for which there are minimal or no preliminary data.
This NOFO encourages improvements to current art and/or new ideas that arise from applications of engineering's problem-solving approaches to model systems, tools, agents, targets, and technologies that would advance basic or applied biomedical research, clinical research, clinical care delivery, or accessibility.
Many major biomedical research problems are suitably addressed with a multidisciplinary approach that bridges the life and physical sciences. Principles and techniques in allied quantitative sciences such as engineering, physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer sciences, and informatics, among others, have been applied to good effect in serving the multitude of NIH missions. Bioengineering approaches to problem-solving draw from diverse technical and scientific fields. Multidisciplinary research results have provided improvements to existing capabilities, and contributed new basic and practical understanding, products, technologies, and methods that add knowledge and improve human health and quality of life.
The combined budget for direct costs for the two-year project period may not exceed $275,000. No more than $200,000 may be requested in any single year.
February 16, 2025; June 16, 2025; October 16, 2025
Miguel R. Ossandon, Ph.D.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-5714
Email: ossandom@mail.nih.gov
Asif Rizwan Ph.D
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-6607
Email: asif.rizwan@nih.gov
Yantian Zhang, Ph.D.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-5980
Email: yzhang@mail.nih.gov
Rao L. Divi, Ph.D.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Phone: (240) 276 6913
Email: divir@dc37a.nci.nih.gov