On May 29th, NIH Posted a Request for Applications (RFA-HD-09-017) looking to develop or improve new devices and instruments to help monitor and treat newborn infants and small children safely. The applications are due on July 31, 2009.
Devices and instruments developed to use for sick infants needs to be based on sound bioengineering principles. Despite major advances in biotechnology, research and development efforts have been limited at introducing new and innovative pediatric devices and instruments.
This may be due to the lack of collaboration between the clinical and bioengineering scientific communities to develop such devices. Collaborations between clinical and bioengineering research communities in the field of pediatric device development need to take place. This RFA seeks researchers to collaborate to develop these new devices or to improve existing devices and instruments.
There are several Institutes within NIH that are supporting the research work. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is supporting four applications with $900,000, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is supporting two applications with $450,000, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDKK) are each setting aside $225,000 to support one application each submitted to their Institute.
All small businesses are eligible to respond. The RFA uses the SBIR grant mechanism and runs in parallel with an RFA that seeks applications under the STTR program. For more information, go to www.grants.gov or go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-09-017.html.
