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Title: Instrument
Development for Biological Research (IDBR)
Program Solicitation: NSF 10-563
[Replaces Document(s):NSF 08-566]
Funding Agency: National
Science Foundation - Directorate for Biological Sciences
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's
local time): August 27, 2010;
July 29, 2011; Last Friday in July, Annually Thereafter
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 12
of type (A) and 2 to 5 of type (B).
Anticipated Funding Amount:
$3,000,000 (approximately) will be available for new IDBR awards in FY
2011, pending availability of funds.
Synopsis of Program:
The Instrument Development for Biological
Research (IDBR) Program supports the development of instrumentation that
addresses demonstrated needs in biological research, in areas supported by NSF
Biology programs (see http://www.nsf.gov/bio).
The program accepts two types of proposals:
1. Innovation
Proposals: Proposals for the development of innovative instrumentation that
permits new kinds of measurements, or instruments that significantly improve
current technologies by at least an order of magnitude in fundamental aspects
(such as accuracy, precision, resolution, throughput, flexibility, breadth of
application, cost of construction or operation, or user-friendliness).
2. Bridging
Proposals: Proposals for transforming, ‘one of a kind' prototypes or
high-end instruments into devices that are broadly available and utilizable
without loss of capacity. If appropriate, PIs should seek SBIR, STTR or similar
support mechanism for implementation of broad distribution following an IDBR
award.
The goal is to produce systems that would
benefit a broad user community through mass distribution of the
technology. This program does not support access to an individual
instrument in a user facility, or to data collected thereby; such proposals
should be submitted to other relevant programs or agencies. Projects focused on
enhancing research capabilities in a specific research lab, institution, center
or consortium are not eligible for IDBR support. Similarly not eligible are projects
for the development of methods, assays, or software for instrument operation,
data acquisition or analysis, except as a component of the instrument
development and testing. Interdisciplinary collaborations are strongly
encouraged, as are partnerships with U.S. industries that can facilitate
knowledge transfer, commercialization and broad utilization in the research
community.
In addition to NSF's standard merit
review criteria the following points will be considered in proposal evaluation:
Innovation Proposals: Need and potential
impact on biological research, novelty of the device, or clear demonstration of
at least an order of magnitude improvement over available technologies, and
feasibility of the technical plan.
Bridging Proposals: The magnitude of the
potential user community and demonstrated strength of need, technical plan, and
the dissemination plan for making the technology available to the community.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:
There is no limit on the number of
proposals that may be submitted by an investigator or institution. However,
multiple submissions (including submissions to the CMI program) must be
distinct. Moreover, the program seeks to diversify numbers of PI, gender,
geography, etc. in each competition, so it is unlikely that multiple awards to
a single PI or institution would be made.
Rachael Andel Basnett
Research Administrator
Office of Research Development
Northwestern
University
600 Foster Street, Chambers
Hall, Room 235
Evanston IL 60208-4056
847-467-0373 (Direct)
847-467-0398 (Fax)
http://www.research.northwestern.edu/ord