The NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks small businesses through the SBIR program to develop new devices and instruments or find ways to improve existing equipment that will effectively monitor and treat newborn infants and small children. Despite major advances in biotechnology, R&D efforts so far have been limited.
This FOA hopes to foster the collaborations and partnerships needed between clinical and bioengineering research communities and small business concerns to move the field of pediatric device development forward.
The FOA (RFA-HD-12-192) was issued on June 14, 2011 by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Up to $250,000 total costs per year may be requested by the proposer.
Studies need to be done to establish the accuracy and safety of devices under varied clinical conditions. Studies many range from concept to developmental phases but the goal is to develop accurate devices that can be marketed and used in clinical settings to help newborn infants of varying gestational age, postnatal age, and illness severity The major topic areas for the R&D effort include but are not limited to cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, metabolic, infections, and hearing, speech, and swallowing functions.
The application for the FOA “Safe and Effective Instruments and Devices for Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units” (SBIR) (R43) is due September 19, 2011. Go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-12-192.html for more information or mail Tonse N. K. Raju M.D at rajut@mail.nih.gov.
