News Archive Table Of Contents

DECEMBER 13, 2000 - DOE RELEASES BME RESEARCH PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

The Medical Sciences Division of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) in the Office of Science of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the release of DOE program announcement LAB 01-14 to support the development of innovative, high-risk technologies related to biomedical engineering. Research proposals must be multidisciplinary in nature, use DOE national laboratory resources, include an active medical research partner, and address major problems that have the potential of leading to the development of technologies that will make a significant impact in biomedicine. Research proposals in the following areas will be accepted: (l) artificial organs, (2) medical photonics, (3) "smart" medical instruments, and (4) biomedical imaging. One-to-two page pre-proposals are due to the OBER by January 18, 2001. Full proposals in response to announcement LAB 01-14 must be received by 4:30 PM, EDT, on May 1, 2001. Detailed information about this solicitation is available on the Internet at http://www.science.doe.gov/production/grants/LAB01_14.html.

DECEMBER 1, 2000 - BRP PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 2001 RELEASED

The program announcement (PA) for 2001 applications for the BECON bioengineering research partnerships (BRP) has been posted in the NIH Guide. The solicitation number is PA-01-024, and the PA can be accessed on the Internet at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-01-024.html. Deadlines for applications to be received at the NIH are February 16 and August 14, 2001. Deadlines for receipt of letters of intent are January 16 and July 13, 2001. The February application deadline is different from preliminary information provided for the BRP which indicated a January 16 initial receipt date. Program contacts listed in the INQUIRIES section of the PA can be contacted for further information.

NOVEMBER 27, 2000 - SUMMARY REPORT FOR JUNE 2000 NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM ISSUED

The summary report for the BECON Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Symposium has been issued and is available in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) on the SYMPOSIA page of this Web site. This symposium was conducted at the Natcher Center on the NIH Main Campus during June 25-26, 2000. Intramural co-chairs for the symposium were Jeff Schloss (NHGRI) and Eleni Kousvelari (NIDCR), and extramural co-chairs were Lynn Jelinski (LSU) and Richard Zare (Stanford). Almost 700 attendees from academia, industry, and government agencies attended this meeting which included plenary presentations, poster sessions, and breakout session dealing with applications of nanotechnology to biomedical research.

NOVEMBER 2, 2000 - ABSTRACTS AND EXHIBITS FROM THE JUNE 2000 NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM POSTED

A collection of abstracts of poster presentations and vendor exhibits from the BECON Nanotechnology Symposium conducted on June 25-26, 2000, has been posted on the SYMPOSIA page of the NIH's Biomedical Engineering Web site. The abstracts are divided into five categories including (l) Devices for Early Detection of Disease and Molecular Measurements, (2) Biological Nanostructures, (3) Electronic/Biological Interfaces, (4) Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair, and (5) Synthesis of Biomimetic Devices and Biological Nanostructures. Exhibits were provided by vendors who offered products or services involving nanoscale biomedical applications.

OCTOBER 31, 2000 - BECON 2001 SYMPOSIUM PLANNING WORKSHOP HELD

A workshop was held on Monday, October 31 to help the BECON Symposium Planning Committee form a framework for the 2001 Symposium with regard to scientific topics, recommendations for the keynote address, plenary speakers, breakout session chairs, and meeting format. The theme for this year's symposium is Reparative Medicine: Growing Tissues and Organs and will be held June 25-26 on the NIH Campus. Eleven members of the scientific community were present with three additional participants via teleconference. The format of the symposium was outlined to include six plenary talks, ten breakout sessions, a Government 101 session and posters and exhibits. The six plenary topics that were suggested include: scaffolds, cells, approach to tissue design, host response, in-vitro systems and functional assessment. The ten breakout session topics suggested include: angiogenesis, molecular signaling. stem cells, bioreactors, functional assessment of engineered tissues & elements of tissue design, in vivo remodeling, immune responses to engineered tissues, storage of cells and engineered tissues & translational issues for tissue repair, biomaterials/scaffolds for tissue repair and genetic approaches for tissue repair. The Government 101 session will include discussions of WTEC (MATES) summary of the status of tissue engineering over the world, ASTM standards for TE that are currently being developed, Guidelines for use of embryonic stem cells, FDA issues regarding tissue engineering products, Issue of reimbursement and Summary of TE programs at other agencies (e.g., DARPA, NIST, etc.).

OCTOBER 13, 2000 - VIDEO CLIPS OF JUNE 2000 NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM POSTED ON WEB SITE

Videotape clips of the announcements, plenary talks, and NIH-101 session have been posted on the SYMPOSIA page of the NIH's Biomedical Engineering Web site. These clips can be accessed through the "Previous Symposia" section of the SYMPOSIA page or at url http://www.becon.nih.gov/becon2000_video.cfm. This posting includes a menu of available clips with appropriate links so specific talks can be accessed without starting at the beginning of the symposium.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2000 - STATUS OF BECON BRP AND BRG SOLICITATIONS

In response to many inquiries concerning the status of the Bioengineering Research Partnership (BRP) and the Bioengineering Research Grant (BRG) program announcements that are coordinated by the NIH's Bioengineering Consortium (BECON), the following status report is released. With regard to the BRP's, the current solicitation in the NIH Guide (PAS-00-006) ended with the August 10, 2000, deadline for submittal of complete applications. The BECON will issue a new BRP solicitation in the near future (probably late October or early November) that will extend this program into CY 2001 with application receipt dates in January and August 2001 (exact dates will be determined in the near future). Notices of intent will be due about one month before the application receipt dates. The BRG program (PAR-99-009) is currently active with application receipt dates the same as those for the standard R01 receipt dates. The research partnerships require collaborations among several organizations with definite technological and clinical components, and the research grants are aimed at single researchers or small groups of investigators. Both solicitations are aimed at encouraging and supporting bioengineering research which is basically the application of physical, engineering, and computational science principles and techniques to address biomedical problems. As defined in the solicitation, bioengineering is very broad in scope and encompasses (but is not limited to) such areas as imaging, informatics, computational biology, nano- and micro-technology, tissue engineering, devices, prosthetics, drug production and delivery, gene function and therapy, and behavioral science. Information concerning the new BRP solicitation and changes to the BRG solicitation will be posted on the NIH Bioengineering Web site as soon as they occur.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2000 - ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES DNA SENSORS SYMPOSIUM FOR MARCH 2001

The Electrochemcial Society has announced a DNA Sensors Symposium for their 199th meeting which will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC, from March 25-30, 2001. The symposium will encompass several areas of DNA sensor research and development including (l) DNA sensors based on optical, electrochemical, or mass transduction mechanisms; (2) DNA sensor arrays; and (3) microfluidic devices for DNA sample processing and detection. Abstracts for presentations are due on October l, 2000. Detailed information about this symposium can be found on the Internet at http://www.electrochem.org/meetings/199/meet.html.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2000 - NASA ANNOUNCES CONFERENCE ON NANO- AND MICRO-TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS TO BIOMEDICINE FOR MARCH 2001

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a conference titled "Nanospace 2001: Exploring Interdisciplinary Frontiers - The International Conference on Integrated Nano/Micro Technology for Space and Biomedical Applications" for March 13-16, 2001, at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas. The Conference will focus on four themes related to nano- and micro-technology research and development: space applications, applications for biomedical research and treatment, risk assessment and system modeling, and technology commercialization. Abstracts are solicited in these areas and should be text-only and no more than 250 words in length. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is November 10, 2000. Information on the conference is available on the Internet at http://www.nanospace.systems.org.

AUGUST 23, 2000 - ENGINEERING TISSUE GROWTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED

The Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative (PTEI) and TissueInformatics, Inc. (tii) are cosponsoring the Engineering Tissue Growth International Conference and Exposition in March 2001. People who want to receive information regarding this conference should fax or e-mail their complete mailing address to Linda Christman of Jack Horner Communications at 412-473-3401 (Fax) or lindac@jackhorner.com.

AUGUST 3, 2000 - DEADLINE FOR BIOENGINEERING RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP APPLICATIONS IS AUGUST 10

Interested investigators are reminded that the deadline for Bioengineering Research Partnership applications in response to solicitation PAS-00-006 is August 10. This is the date that full application packages must be received at the NIH. Although the program announcement indicates that electronic submission will be used for this solicitation, submission will be by paper as in the past and not electronically. Additional information is available in the program announcement which can be accessed on the FUNDING page of this Web site.

AUGUST 3, 2000 - NCMRR, NICHD, AND BECON ANNOUNCE SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICAL REHABILITATION

The National Center of Rehabilitation Research, the National Institute of Child Health and Development, and the NIH's Bioengineering Consortium are sponsoring a symposium titled "Medical Rehab on the Move: Spotlight on BioEngineering" on January 4-5, 2001, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. This medical rehabilitation meeting will address the current status and future directions in medical rehabilitation engineering sciences and technology related to mobility to benefit persons with disabilities. Key topics to be covered include mobility disorders, efferent signals and sensory feedback, movement generation and control, modeling and simulation of motion and balance, and prosthetics and assistive technologies. Detailed information is available on the Internet at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/ncmrr/staff.htm.

AUGUST 3, 2000 - PHOTOGRAPHS FROM JUNE NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM POSTED

Photographs from the June 25-26 BECON Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Symposium held at the Natcher Center on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland, have been posted on the SYMPOSIA page of this Web site. To access the photographs, go to the "Previous Symposia" section on the SYMPOSIA page and access the file titled "Photographs from the Nanotechnology Symposium". To enlarge the photographs, click on the picture. To return to the collection of photos, use the "back" button. Photos showing the symposium chairs, plenary speakers, breakout session, poster session, and social events are available.

JULY 28, 2000 - CONFERENCE ON MOLECULAR MOTORS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 14-15

The Knowledge Foundation is coordinating a conference titled "Molecular Motors: New Data and Research in Applications for Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine" on September 14-15, 2000, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The conference is aimed at communicating the results of recent efforts in exploring the structure and function of biological and synthetic molecular motors and determining how these systems might be used to engineer and power nanoscale devices and their development for application in biomedical fields. Topic areas include force generation by molecular motors, bio-synthetic use of molecular motors for nanotech applications, and biomedical applications of molecular motors. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.knowledgefoundation.com/molecular2000.html.

JULY 13, 2000 - NIH ANNOUNCES NEURAL PROSTHESIS WORKSHOP ON OCTOBER 25-27

The Thirty-First Neural Prosthesis Workshop will be held in the auditorium of the Lister Hill Center (Building 38A) on the NIH Main Campus from October 25-27, 2000. This workshop is co-sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. There is no charge for this workshop, and abstracts and poster presentations are solicited. A special mini-workshop on safe stimulation of neural tissue will be included. Information on the agenda, registration, and poster presentations is available on the Internet at http://npp.ninds.nih.gov .

JUNE 30, 2000 - EIGHTH FORESIGHT CONFERENCE ON MOLECULAR NANOTECHNOLOGY SCHEDULED

A conference titled Eighth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology" is scheduled for November 2-5, 2000, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland. The conference will focus on nanotechnology applications to improve human health and on systems that will enhance public knowledge exchange, critical discussion, and policy decisions. An intensive tutorial on "Foundations of Nanotechnology" will be held on November 2, and technical presentations will be conducted during November 3-5. The deadline for abstract submittal is July 7, and the deadline for early registration is August 30. Details can be found on the Internet at http://www.foresight.org/Conferences/MNT8/index.html . The Foresight Institute is a non-profit organization which has a goal of guiding emerging technologies to improve the human condition.

JUNE 27, 2000 - BIOMEMS AND BIOMEDICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED

A conference titled "BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology World 2000" is scheduled for September 23-26, 2000, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. The conference encompasses all interfaces and intersections of the life sciences and clinical disciplines with microsystems and nanotechnology. Areas of interest include micro- and nanotechnology for drug delivery, tissue engineering, harvesting, manipulation, amplification, and sequencing of nucleic acids, proteomics, microfluidics and miniaturized total analysis systems (microTAS), biosensors, molecular assembly, nanoscale imaging, and integrated systems. The deadline for abstracts is July 28 with full papers due at the conference. Detailed conference information is available on the Internet at http://www.healthtech.com .

JUNE 27, 2000 - 650 ATTEND JUNE 25-26 NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

The third annual BECON symposium titled "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Shaping Biomedical Research" was held at the Natcher Conference Center on June 25-26. About 650 people attended the meeting which consisted of plenary presentations, eight breakout sessions, and over 80 poster presentations. The breakout sessions were aimed at determining potential applications of nanotechnology to biomedical research in areas associated with therapy, diagnosis, biomaterials, electronic/biology interfaces, and nanostructure synthesis. NIH Intramural Co-Chairs for this meeting were Dr's. Jeff Schloss of the NHGRI and Eleni Kousvelari of the NIDCR. Extramural Co-Chairs were Dr's. Lynn Jelinski of LSU and Richard Zare of Stanford. A summary report is in preparation and will be issued in the near future.

JUNE 15, 2000 - DIRECTOR SOUGHT FOR NEW NIH OFFICE OF BIOENGINEERING, BIOIMAGING, AND BIOINFORMATICS

The NIH has issued a vacancy announcement for a Director of the new Office of Bioengineering, Bioimaging, and Bioinformatics (OBBB) which has been established in the Office of the Director. The mission of the OBBB is to provide a focus for stimulating and coordinating the development of biomedical engineering, bioimaging, and bioinformatics activities among the 25 institutes and centers at the NIH; and to facilitate planning, development, and implementation of related research and training programs and activities. This position, which will report directly to the Director of the NIH, offers a unique opportunity to create and direct the new OBBB. Applications must be received no later than September 7, 2000.

JUNE 14, 2000 - JUNE 21 BECON MEETING LOCATION CHANGED TO NATCHER CENTER

The location of the June 21 BECON Meeting has been changed to Room H in the Natcher Center on the NIH Main Campus. The times of the meeting (3-5 PM) remain the same. A closed (business) session will be held from 3-4 PM followed by an open session on FDA activities with regard to general and restorative devices to be presented by Dr. Russ Pagano, Chief of the Restorative Devices Branch of the FDA.

JUNE 1, 2000 - BIOIMAGING SYMPOSIUM REPORT PUBLISHED

The summary report for the 1999 NIH/BECON Bioimaging Symposium has been published in the open literature. The citation for this report is "Radiology 2000"; 215: 634-638 (June issue). An electronic summary report for this conference is available in the "Symposia" section of this Web site.

MAY 25, 2000 - NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION CLOSES JUNE 5

Registration for the June 25-26, 2000, BECON Nanotechnology and Nanoscience Symposium closes on June 5. Prospective attendees are advised that registration is limited and very few spaces remain. Information about the conference can be obtained on the Web site at http://www.masimax.com/becon/index.html. Registration can also be accomplished electronically using the Web site. The symposium will consist of plenary talks, breakout sessions, poster displays, and vendor displays and is aimed at identifying areas where nanotechnology can address problems in biology and medicine.

MAY 25, 2000 - BIOENGINEERING RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP DEADLINES AND APPLICATION SUBMITTALS

Researchers interested in submitting proposals for the BECON Bioengineering Research Partnerships (BRP's - Program Announcement PAS-00-006) are advised that the next deadlines for notices of intent and full applications are June 30, 2000, and August 10, 2000, respectively. Potential applicants are also advised that despite indications in the program announcement, electronic submittals will not be used for this round of BRP solicitations. Full applications will be submitted by paper as in the past. Details concerning the BRP solicitation can be obtained in the "NIH Guide" or in the "FUNDING" section of this Web site.

MAY 19, 2000 - INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON BIOMEDICAL IMAGING IN ONCOLOGY ANNOUNCED

The NIH's National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) have announced the formation of an Interagency Council on Biomedical Imaging in Oncology. The multi-agency group will serve as a sounding board for investigators and manufacturers attempting to market emerging medical imaging technology. The Group currently consists of staff from the FDA, HCFA, and NCI with experience and knowledge concerning the decision-making processes for their agencies with regard to medical imaging products. Additional agency staff may be added when expertise on specific matters is required. The purpose of the Council is to provide multi-agency advice on projects or project proposals brought voluntarily by investigators and technology/advice developers in industry and academia. It offers a multi-agency perspective on communicating with government agencies that is not currently available to investigators and companies. Additional information about the Council can be found on the Internet at http://www.cancer.gov/scienceresources/announcements/imaging.html.

MAY 12, 2000 - NIH BIOINFORMATICS WEB SITE RELEASED

Bioinformatics or biomedical computing is the application of computer science and technology to address problems in biology and medicine. To realize the potential benefits that the fusion of biomedicine and computer technology offers, the Biomedical Information Science and Technology Initiative (BISTI) has been launched at the NIH. A BISTI Consortium (BISTIC) is being developed to serve as a focus for biomedical computing activities at the NIH. The BISTIC will be modeled after but separate from the BECON and will consist of senior-level representatives from each of the NIH institutes and centers plus representatives of other Federal agencies. A NIH Bioinformatics Web site has been developed to communicate information on the BISTIC, bioinformatics news, a calendar of related events, biomedical computing symposia, funding opportunities, and general information about the field. The new site is linked from the side bar of the OER Grants Web site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm. The direct url for this Web site is http://grants.nih.gov/grants/bistic/bistic.cfm.

MAY 10, 2000 - BECON NANOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE STATUS

Initial planning for the June 25-26, 2000, BECON Symposium titled Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Shaping Biomedical Research is complete and the final program and general information is available on the conference Web site at http://www.masimax.com/becon/. The conference consist of plenary talks, eight breakout sessions, poster displays, vendor exhibits, and an outreach session aimed at communicating information to researchers on how to work with NIH and other Federal agencies. Registration is limited and can be conducted electronically using the symposium Web site. The deadline for registration is June 5, and prospective attendees are advised to register as soon as possible.

MAY 10, 2000 - BECON 2001 SYMPOSIUM INFORMATION ANNOUNCED

The topic for the NIH/BECON 2001 symposium is "Tissuegenesis and Organogenesis". The conference, which is scheduled for June 25-26, 2001, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland, will be the fifth in a series of annual biomedical engineering symposia coordinated by the NIH's Bioengineering Consortium (BECON). Intramural Co-Chairs for this conference are Dr. Christine Kelley of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Dr. Lore Anne McNicol of the National Eye Institute. Initial planning has begun and preliminary information should be available soon.

MAY 10, 2000 - KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES TISSUE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE

The Knowledge Foundation has organized a conference titled "Advances in Tissue and Genetic Engineering for the Treatment of Arthritic Diseases". This meeting is scheduled for September 11-12, 2000, at the Wyndham Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. This international conference focuses specifically on state-of-the-art tissue and genetic-engineered approaches to the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Detailed information can be found on the conference Web site at http://www.knowledgefoundation.com/tissue2000.html.

MAY 3, 2000 - NIH BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM FOR 2000

The NIH's Biomedical Engineering Summer Intern Program (BESIP) will be conducted from June 12 through August 18, 2000. Sixteen interns will participate in this year's program which involves ten-weeks of mentored research at a NIH institute or office. The research will result in a collection of publications of the interns' work. Detailed information about the BESIP including a list of mentors and projects and application instructions is available on the Internet at http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/beps/besip.htm.

MAY 1, 2000 - NIGMS ANNOUNCES METALS IN MEDICINE CONFERENCE

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and several other NIH components are hosting a meeting titled (Metals in medicine: Targets, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics" on June 28-29, 2000, in the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Main Campus. The objective of the meeting is to explore the role of metals in the development of therapeutic drugs and in-vivo diagnostic agents. There is no registration fee for this meeting. Additional information and registration instructions are available on the conference Web site at http://pub.nigms.nih.gov/MIM/.

APRIL 11, 2000 - OFFICE OF BIOENGINEERING AND BIOIMAGING ESTABLISHED AT THE NIH

On April 5, 2000, Dr. Ruth Kirschstein, Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approved the establishment of an Office of Bioengineering and Bioimaging (OBB) at the NIH. The OBB was established in response to conference report language accompanying the FY2000 Appropriations Bill (P.L. 106-113) and will exist within the Office of the Director at the NIH. The purposes of the OBB are to serve as a focus for efforts in bioengineering and bioimaging at the NIH institutes and centers and to provide a mechanism for enhanced interagency activities. Since 1997, these activities have been coordinated by the Bioengineering Consortium (BECON) which will transition into the OBB. A search for an office director and staff is in progress.

APRIL 4, 2000 - ENTREPRENEURIAL BIOINFORMATICS WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 13

A workshop on Entrepreneurial Bioinformatics is scheduled from 7:30-11 AM on April 13 at CIT in Herndon, Virginia. The workshop is aimed at finding common ground among bioscience, infotech, and entrepreneurship and identifying associated issues and ways to address these issues. The April 13 meeting will begin with registration at 7:30 AM, three presentations on bioinformatics entrepreneurship from 8 to 10 AM, and networking from 10 to 11 AM.

APRIL 4, 2000 - CONFERENCE ON SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION BY ENGINEERED EXTRACELLULAR MATRICES

A conference titled "Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices" is scheduled for June 25-30, 2000, at the Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire. The objectives of this conference are to (1) explore the convergence of intracellular signaling pathways stimulated by growth and differentiation factors and extracellular matrices, (2) identify opportunities for potential application of basic research findings to the development of bioactive scaffolds, and (3) foster the initiation and development of enduring interdisciplinary interactions between the biological and physical scientists. Detailed information about this conference can be found on the Internet at http://www.grc.uri.edu/programs/2000/sigtrans.htm.

MARCH 22, 2000 - DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS AND EXHIBITS EXTENDED FOR BECON NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

To accommodate interested researchers and vendors who could not prepare submittals by the March 22 deadline, the deadline for receipt of abstracts and exhibit requests has been extended to APRIL 5 for the NIH/BECON Nanotechnology Symposium. Abstracts and exhibit requests can be submitted electronically using the symposium Web site at http://www.masimax.com/becon/index.html. The conference is scheduled for June 25-26, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The deadline for registration is June 5, and interested attendees are encouraged to register early.

MARCH 21, 2000 - DOE ANNOUNCES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IN IMAGING GENE EXPRESSION

The Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy has issued a notice (Program Notice 00-13) concerning receipt of grant applications in the area of imaging gene expression. The goal of this program is to develop nuclear medicine-driven technologies to image mRNA transcripts in real time tissue culture and whole animals. Preapplications are due on April 14, 2000, and complete applications are due on May 30, 2000. The complete program announcement can be accessed at http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

MARCH 20, 2000 - BECON 2000 NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM INFORMATION AVAILABLE

Complete information on the BECON 2000 symposium titled "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Shaping Biomedical Research" is available on the conference Web site at http://www.masimax.com/becon/index.html. The symposium is scheduled for June 25-26, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The Web site includes information on the conference agenda (plenary talks and workshop sessions), exhibits, abstract submittal, continuing education credits, maps, and hotels. Electronic registration and abstract submittal can be accomplished using the Web site. The deadline for registration is June 5.

Interested persons are requested to register as soon as possible since registration is limited.

MARCH 17, 2000 - SECOND ANNUAL NIH SBIR/STTR CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED

The second annual NIH SBIR/STTR Conference will be held during July 11-12, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Information about this conference including on-line registration can be found on the Internet at the following url: http://www.ncifcrf.gov/fcrdc/conf/sbir. In addition to plenary talks, one-on-one sessions will be conducted between 12:30 to 5:00 PM on July 11 and all day on July 12. The deadline for submittal of abstracts or exhibits is May 1, 2000.

MARCH 9, 2000 - WORLD CONGRESS ON MEDICAL PHYSICS AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

The World Congress on Medicla Physics and Biomedical Engineering (also known as Chicago 2000) is scheduled for July 23-28, 2000, at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Important dates for this meeting include May 15 (registration deadline to receive discounted registration fees and deadline for payment of abstract fee for accepted abstracts), May 26 (scietific program available on the conference Web site), June 19 (deadline for advance meeting registration), and June 23 (deadline for housing reservations).

FEBRUARY 24, 2000 - EXHIBITS DEADLINE FOR BECON NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM EXTENDED TO MARCH 22

The deadline for commercial vendors to indicate interest in providing an exhibit at the BECON Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Symposium scheduled for June 25-26, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center has been extended to March 22, 2000. Interested exhibitors should submit a description of their product, a description of its relationship to nanotechnology, and a description of the relevance of the product to biology or biomedicine to mbrown@masimax.com by this date.

FEBRUARY 24, 2000 - GREATEST ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY RELEASED

A Web site has been released describing the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th Century as determined by a 25-member committee which included Dr. John Watson of the NIH who is the BECON representative for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The site contains a history and timeline of engineering achievements in 20 technical categories including several that are related to bioengineering; e.g., health technologies, computers, optics (lasers and fiber optics), imaging, and materials. The url for this Web site is http://www.greatachievements.org/.

FEBRUARY 9, 2000 - COMPLETE NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM WEB SITE RELEASED

The complete Web site for the NIH/BECON Symposium on "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology:Shaping Biomedical Research" is now available on the Internet. This symposium is scheduled for June 25-26, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH's Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The complete Web site contains information on the conference program, travel and lodging, registration, abstracts, vendor exhibits, and continuing education credits. Important dates to remember are:

JANUARY 31, 2000 - NEW BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING WEB SITE RELEASED

A new Web site aimed at providing information and interactive opportunities on biomedical engineering for bioengineering researchers, biomedical program staff and managers, Bioengineering Consortium (BECON) members, and the general public was released on January 31, 2000. This site is a redesigned version of the current "Biomedical Engineering" Web page linked from the OER Home Page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm. The new self-contained site contains information on the BECON, news and events concerning biomedical engineering, bioengineering symposia, NIH-supported funding opportunities in bioengineering, and general information about the field. Questions or comments related to biomedical engineering at the NIH, BECON, or the Web site can be submitted using a "Feedback" option. The url for this site is http://grants.nih.gov/becon.htm. Please access the site and take advantage of the information features and interactive options.

JANUARY 31, 2000 - SBIR/STTR GRANT SOLICITATION PROCEDURES AND CONFERENCES ANNOUNCED

Prospective applicants for NIH SBIR/STTR grants are encouraged to use the electronic solicitation package with is available at the following url: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirsttr1/index.pdf. Applicants unable to access the solicitation via this route should request hard copies from the support services contractor: PHS SBIR/STTR Solicitation Office; 13685 Baltimore Avenue; Laurel, MD 20707-5096; Phone (301)206-9385; E-mail a2y@cu.nih.gov.

The following is a list of SBIR/STTR conferences scheduled during calendar year 2000 that may be of interest to applicants:

JANUARY 31, 2000 - CALL FOR ABSTRACTS ISSUED FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

The NIH's Bioengineering Consortium invites the submission of abstracts in all areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology that relate to biomedicine for presentation at its symposium on June 25-26, 2000, titled "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Shaping Biomedical Research". Only abstracts that provide a substantial contribution to the nanoscience and nanotechnology field as it relates to biomedicine will be accepted for review. The deadline for submission of abstracts is March 15, 2000. Notification of acceptance or rejection will be e-mailed no later than April 15, 2000. Information concerning abstract format and submittal instructutions can be found on the symposium Web site at http://www.masimax.com/becon/index.html. Electronic submission is strongly encouraged.

JANUARY 28, 2000 - DOE ANNOUNCES BIOENGINEERING CONTRACTORS MEETING

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Biological and Environmental Research will hold its first Biomedical Engineering Contractors Meeting during May 16-18, 2000, at the Hyatt Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The purpose of this meeting is to provide updates on DOE-sponsored biomedical research, to allow researchers to exchange scientific information, and to discuss future plans for the DOE's Biomedical Engineering Program. For more information, contact Dean Cole of the DOE's Office of Science or access the conference Web site at http://www.orau.gov/biomed2000/index.htm.

JANUARY 24, 2000 - MEDICAL IMPLANT PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE DRAFT REPORT AVAILABLE

The NIH Consensus Technology Assessment Conference (TAC) titled "Improving Medical Implant Performance Through Retrieval Information: Challenges and Opportunities" was conducted during January 10-12, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center. The draft consensus statement has been prepared and is available on the Internet at http://odp.od.nih.gov/consensus/ta/019/019_statement.htm. NIH Consensus statements are prepared by a nonadvocate, non-Federal panel of experts based on presentations by investigators during the two-day public session, questions and statements from conference attendees, and closed panel deliberations.

JANUARY 20, 2000 - NOTICE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ISSUED IN THE NIH GUIDE

The NIH's Bioengineering Consortium BECON issued a notice in the NIH Guide encouraging applications for research in the general areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology as related to (1) the development of new research tools for elucidating biological principles essential for the design and implementation of nanostructured materials for use in biomedicine, and (2) the transfer of nanotechnology advances in other fields of science and engineering to develop new ways to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disorders. The notice contains a list of existing NIH solicitations affording opportunities for funding nanotechnology and nanoscience research related to biomedicine.

JANUARY 17, 2000 - DARPA ANNOUNCES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR BIO/INFO/MICRO INTERFACE RESEARCH

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced a funding opportunity for university investigators in association with their new program titled "Fundamental Research at the Bio/Info/Micro Interface". The goal of this program is to create interdisciplinary teams of researchers drawn from the fields of biology, information technology, and Microsystems technology at institutions of higher education. The bio component includes studying biology from the molecular and cellular levels through the organism and population levels. The info component includes the disciplines contributing to the development of theories, algorithms, models, simulations, scalable parallel, and distributed systems. The micro component includes the development of sensors, materials, microfluidics, micromechanics, microphotonics, microelectronics, and large-scale systems created from such components. Information concerning objectives and application procedures is available on the Internet at http://www.darpa.mil/DSO/solicitations/00/index.htm. Proposals are due on March 31, 2000.