Biomedical Engineering/Research
to Aid Persons with Disabilities (BME/RAPD)
Program Directors
Gilbert Devey, Leon Esterowitz, and Semahat Demir
Contents
Overview
Biomedical Imaging and SensingBiomechanical/Cellular/Tissue
Engineering
Biomedical Photonics
Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities
Undergraduate Design Projects
Active Awards
Overview
The mission of the BME/RAPD programs is to provide opportunities
to develop novel ideas into projects that integrate engineering
and life science principles in solving biomedical problems that
serve humanity. The program focuses on high impact transforming
technologies for deriving information from cells, tissues, organs,
and organ systems, extraction of useful information from complex
biomedical signals, new approaches to the design of structures and
materials for eventual medical use, and new methods of controlling
living systems. This program is also directed toward the characterization,
restoration, and/or substitution of normal functions in humans.
Emphasis is placed on the advancement of fundamental engineering
knowledge rather than on product development. The research might
lead to the development of new technologies or the novel application
of existing technologies. Undergraduate engineering design projects
are also supported, especially those that provide prototype, "custom-designed"
devices or software for persons with mental and/or physical disabilities.
The program does not support clinical studies but initial evaluation
in a clinical setting is encouraged.
The Biophotonics area is part of BME but is broken out separately
because of its rapid growth in size and scope. Photonics is the
technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of
radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The unparalleled
combination of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and spectral specificity
of optical techniques has provided new biomedical research tools
for visualization, measurement, analysis, and manipulation. In 1998
the National Research Council published a report on "Optical
Science and Engineering for the 21st Century". The members
of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their
expertise by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy
of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. In their Summary
and Recommendations they state "NSF should increase its efforts
in biomedical optics and pursue opportunities in this area aggressively."
Innovative basic research in biomedical photonics that is very fundamental
in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation for new
technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application
in medical diagnostics and therapies. The goal of the Biophotonics
Program is to continue exploitation of the power of photonics to
advance biomedical engineering. Developing molecularly specific
sensing, imaging, and monitoring systems with high optical sensitivity,
and resolution would be an enormous accomplishment with powerful
applications to both biology and medicine. Low cost diagnostics
will require novel integration of photonics, molecular biology,
and material science. Complex biosensors capable of detecting and
discriminating among large classes of biomolecules could be important
not only to biology and medicine but also to environmental sensing
and homeland defense.
The Biophotonics Program focuses on the development of complex
new integrated bio-optical technologies utilizing advances in optical
technology (quantum-dots, novel waveguiding structures, plasmon
surface resonance, lens microarrays, nanochannel interconnects,
multi-function focal plane detector/emitter arrays, MEMS/NEMS..)
together with surface science, nanotechnology, microelectronics...
into integrated optics solutions for sensitive, multiplex, high
throughput, low volume (nanoliter-picoliter) characterization of
macromolecular properties of cells. Some examples of biophotonic
topical areas of interest are given but not limited to those below.
Areas not encouraged include a) incremental advances of existing
technologies; b) photon migration; c) two-photon and multi-photon
imaging and spectroscopy; d) terahertz technology; e) fiber delivery
systems and imaging catheters; and f) optical coherence tomography
(OCT), unless coupled with novel enabling technologies.
Continued growth of the field depends on the availability of highly
skilled individuals needed for the next generation work force.
Principal Investigators (PIs) of research projects are expected
to include a strong educational component in their proposal work
plan. The education of undergraduate engineering students
is enhanced through Undergraduate Design Project (UDP) awards supported
by the RAPD program. PIs in both the BME and the RAPD
Programs are encouraged to apply for supplemental funding under
the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Program and Research Experience for Teachers (RET)
Program.
In the interest of focusing the efforts and optimizing our resources,
the Biomedical Engineering / Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities
programs have consolidated some of the key research areas and identified
specific areas of interests. At present we intend to focus
on the following primary areas:
As always, exceptionally novel ideas in all areas of biomedical
engineering are strongly encouraged.
Examples of topics in Biomedical
Imaging and Sensing are:
-
Development of biocompatible implanted and/or minimally invasive
sensors/imagers
-
Minimally invasive detection of pathologic tissues such as
metastases and vulnerable arterial plaques
-
Methods for "endoscopic" optical imaging at the cellular and
subcellular level.
-
Image and data fusion between biomedical imaging modalities.
-
Noninvasive optical remote sensing to detect key physiological
and molecular concentrations in-vivo for anemia, jaundice, dehydration,
glucose levels, drug levels, etc.
Examples of topics in Biomechanical/Cellular/Tissue
Engineering are:
-
Development of basic science for the next generation of functional
engineered tissues
-
In vivo quantification/measurement of time-varying biomechanical
environment in tissues and characterization of the mechanical
properties of native tissues under sub-failure and failure conditions
-
Investigation of the in vivo physical regulation of cells during
cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
-
Minimally invasive application of monitoring techniques to
the study of tissue engineering, transplantation and tissue
viability
-
Characterization/quantification/relationship between mechanical,
chemical, electrical, optical, and biological properties of
tissues, cells, and biomolecules
Examples of topics in Biomedical Photonics
are:
-
Innovative methods for optical labeling of macromolecules,
new compositions of matter/methods of fabrication of multi-color
probes such as might be used for in-vitro marking and detection
of specific pathological cells
-
New optical approaches that permit specific molecular action
on cells which conjointly bind two or more different probes
with specificity for different macromolecular markers
-
Development of new biocompatible detection technologies that
could serve as massively parallel interfaces for communicating
with networks of cells such as brain tissue slices
-
Innovative miniaturized optical tools or devices for the interrogation
and manipulation or creation of specific reactions in complex
cell or organ culture
-
Functional molecular imaging and cellular chemical imaging
-
Fundamental studies of novel photonic properties of nanoparticles
or optical reporters and their interaction with cells and their
internal organelles
-
Novel transduction methods for imaging multiple macromolecules
in cells
-
Development of new classes of optical and sensory materials
for bio-inspired optical components that will allow the development
of multi-functional information gathering systems with capabilities
that greatly exceed the current state of the art
Examples of topics in Research to Aid
Persons with Disabilities and Home Healthcare Technologies are:
-
Novel acoustic wave processing and noise reduction techniques
for applications such as hearing aids
-
Development of biocompatible detection technologies that could
serve as massively parallel interfaces for communicating with
neural tissue such as used in artificial retina
-
Novel technologies for home healthcare, such as new approaches
for transdermal drug delivery and home healthcare medication
management/telemonitoring
Characteristics of Undergraduate Design Projects
to Aid Persons with Disabilities:
-
The primary goal of this thrust is to provide a meaningful
design experience for the engineering student that will directly
aid a specific disabled individual. Undergraduate student
engineers or engineering technology students provide prototype
"custom-designed" devices and software to aid persons with disabilities.
-
The PI and the students work with institutions providing care
or education for the disabled.
-
The PI provides an annual report that includes a description
of the successfully completed design projects during the previous
academic year.
-
Each PI is expected to implement a high percentage of projects
each year. It is also expected that the projects will contain
appropriate levels of quantitative engineering analysis.
Click below to view active awards:
Additional Information
Please check the latest Program Solicitation NSF
03-560 for information on deadline dates.
For more information you may contact:
G. Devey gdevey@nsf.gov
, 703.292.7943
L. Esterowitz lesterow@nsf.gov
, 703.292.7942
S. Demir sdemir@nsf.gov; 703.292.7950
FAX: 703.292.9098
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