American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research (RFA-OD-09-003)

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

NIH has received new funds for Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010 as part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), Pub. L. No. 111-5. The NIH has designated at least $200 million in FYs 2009 – 2010 for a new initiative called the NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research.

This new program will support research on topic areas that address specific scientific and health research challenges in biomedical and behavioral research that would benefit from significant 2-year jumpstart funds.

The NIH has identified a range of Challenge Areas that focus on specific knowledge gaps, scientific opportunities, new technologies, data generation, or research methods that would benefit from an influx of funds to quickly advance the area in significant ways. Each NIH Institute, Center, and Office has selected specific Challenge Topics within the broad Challenge Areas (Adobe PDF 1.7M) related to its mission. The research in these Challenge Areas should have a high impact in biomedical or behavioral science and/or public health.

NIH anticipates funding 200 or more grants, each of up to $1 million in total costs, pending the number and quality of applications and availability of funds. In addition, Recovery Act funds allocated to NIH specifically for comparative effectiveness research (CER) may be available to support additional grants. Projects receiving these funds will need to meet this definition of CER: "a rigorous evaluation of the impact of different options that are available for treating a given medical condition for a particular set of patients. Such a study may compare similar treatments, such as competing drugs, or it may analyze very different approaches, such as surgery and drug therapy." Such research may include the development and use of clinical registries, clinical data networks, and other forms of electronic health data that can be used to generate or obtain outcomes data as they apply to CER.

The application due date is April 27, 2009.

Broad Challenge Areas and Specific Challenge Topics

Note: Those marked with an asterisk (*) are the highest priority topics; however, applicants may apply to any of the topics.

For NIBIB, these areas are:

(01)  Behavior, Behavioral Change, and Prevention

• 01-EB-101 – Technologies to Enhance Patient Safety and Avoid Errors in the Clinical Setting
  Many people die each year from accidental medical errors in the hospital. The behavior and actions of medical personnel need to be changed through the incorporation of intelligent communication reminders, safety checks, and skill retraining. Proposals for the development of intelligent medical devices and tools, training simulators, work flow systems, standards, and a plan for rigorous testing, validation and evaluation to prove a reduction or elimination of medical errors are encouraged. Contact: Dr. Grace Peng, 301-451-4778, penggr@mail.nih.gov

(02) Bioethics

• 02-OD(OSP)-101* – Unique Ethical Issues Posed by Emerging Technologies
  Advances in biotechnology and biomedical science raise novel ethical, legal, and social issues. Research in this area is needed to understand the unique ethical concerns related to emerging technologies (e.g. biotechnology, tissue engineering, nanomedicine, and synthetic biology). These include issues such as dual use research, privacy, safety, intellectual property, commercialization and conflict of interest, among others. Research is also needed to assess how these novel issues are addressed under current oversight and regulatory structures and identify where there may be gaps and/or need for revised or new oversight approaches. OD(OSP) Contact: Abigail Rives, 301-594-1976, rivesa@od.nih.gov; NIBIB Contact: Dr. Belinda Seto, 301-451-6768, setob@mail.nih.gov
   
• 02-OD(OSP)-103* – Ethical Issues Associated with Electronic Sharing of Health Information
  The development of an electronic health information infrastructure and the sharing of health information for patient care and research offer enormous promise to improve health care and promote scientific advances. However, the broad sharing of such data raises numerous ethical issues that may benefit from additional studies (e.g. those related to privacy and confidentiality). Examples include studies to assess risks associated with health information technology and the broad sharing of health information for research, and novel approaches for mitigating them. Examination could also include analysis of current oversight paradigms and suggestions for enhancements, as well as assessments of how privacy risks may change in the future. OD(OSP) Contact: Abigail Rives, 301-594-1976, rivesa@od.nih.gov; Dr. Belinda Seto, 301-451-6768, setob@mail.nih.gov

(03) Biomarker Discovery and Validation

For this RFA, there is no NIBIB-specific Challenge Topic in this Challenge Area.

(04) Clinical Research

For this RFA, there is no NIBIB-specific Challenge Topic in this Challenge Area.

(05) Comparative Effectiveness Research

• 05-EB-101* – Comparative Effectiveness of Advanced Imaging Procedures
  Medical imaging is the fastest growing component of medical spending in the United States. This is due to increases in both the cost and utilization of advanced imaging procedures. The NIH invites applications that explore the comparative effectiveness of advanced imaging procedures in providing optimal clinical treatment. Evaluation of hybrid imaging such as combined PET-CT is particularly encouraged. Contact: Dr. Alan McLaughlin, 301-496-9321, mclaugal@mail.nih.gov
   
• 05-EB-102* – Screening Methodologies for Breast Cancer
  Phase II trials suggest that dedicated breast CT approaches can detect earlier stage cancer (i.e., smaller lesions) than mammography. Comparative effectiveness studies are invited to determine if the information obtained from earlier detection can be used to better treat breast cancer, and improve clinical outcome in terms of survival and quality of life. Contact: Dr. Hector Lopez, 301-451-4775, lopezh@mail.nih.gov
   
• 05-EB-103* – Comparative Effectiveness of Non-Invasive Ultrasound Techniques
  Non-invasive High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) techniques have the potential to destroy tumors without the need for invasive surgery. Comparison of non-invasive HIFU approaches with invasive or minimally-invasive surgical procedures are encouraged. Comparison of technologies for assessing the level and extent of non-invasive tissue ablation are also encouraged. Contact: Dr. Hector Lopez, 301-451-4775, lopezh@mail.nih.gov
   
• 05-EB-104* – Comparative Effectiveness of Robotic Surgery
  Compared to standard invasive surgical procedures, minimally-invasive robotic surgical procedures have the potential to provide a safer and more precise treatment for a variety of conditions including prostate cancer. Comparison of robotic procedures with standard invasive treatments should demonstrate the comparative effectiveness and comparative cost of robotic interventions for the clinical treatment of disease. Contact: Dr. John Haller, 301-451-3009, hallerj@mail.nih.gov
   
• 05-EB-105* – Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Implants
  The utilization of medical implants such as artificial hips varies significantly between different locations and between different countries. Proposals are invited that would make use of this utilization variability to assess the comparative effectiveness of medical implants. Contact: Dr. Richard Conroy, 301-402-1846, conroyri@mail.nih.gov

(06) Enabling Technologies

• 06-EB-101* – Development of Minimally-Invasive Image-Guided Systems
  Target areas include: (1) improving the accuracy of biopsy sampling/staging of disease such as in the evaluation for prostate cancer; (2) reducing the incidence of complications such as in improving prostate nerve bundle sparing; (3) reducing recovery time such as in thoracic cancer resection; and (4) improving the safety of interventional procedures such as in lead placement in deep brain stimulation. Contact: Dr. John Haller, 301-451-3009, hallerj@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-102* – Development of Biomedical Technologies and Systems
  Focus areas include: (1) providing immediate diagnostic information for multiple conditions at the point-of-care; (2) a robust, consistently accurate glucose sensor with extended functional lifetime, improved accuracy and low variability of readings; or (3) low cost diagnostic or therapeutic systems. Also, development of such devices engineered to work in low resource settings. Contact: Dr. William Heetderks, 301-451-6771, heetderw@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-103 – Development of Non-Invasive Therapies and Treatment Procedures
  Non-invasive ultrasound and RF techniques go one step further than minimally-invasive technologies in eliminating invasive surgery. Also, nanotechnology-based therapies can be externally activated to deliver drugs to specific organs. NIH invites applications that will develop these (and other) non-invasive approaches for clinical applications. Contact: Dr. Hector Lopez, 301-451-4775, lopezh@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-104 – Fast MR Imaging for Routine Clinical Examinations
  Many MR imaging technologies hold substantial biomedical promise, but have not been translated into routine clinical applications because of the long exam times, which can cause problems with patient compliance and patient through-put. Two ways to decrease the exam time are (1) to use "parallel" imaging approaches, which simultaneously collect data from an array of "detectors," and (2) to use novel k-space sampling approaches. NIH invites applications that will significantly reduce the MRI exam times for routine clinical procedures, such as a "complete cardiac exam," using these approaches. Contact: Dr. Guoying Liu, 301-594-5220, liug@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-105 – Quantitative Molecular Imaging
  Many molecular imaging approaches have not been translated into routine clinical applications because of difficulties in quantitating the observed results. Examples could be quantitation of (1) the number of labeled immune cells "tracked" to target organs (e.g., the pancreas in type 1 diabetes); (2) gene expression of biochemical markers for disease; or (3) regional increases in cerebral oxygen consumption that occur during brain activation. NIH invites applications that will allow accurate and precise quantitation of molecular imaging approaches that can be used in clinical settings. Contact: Dr. Yantian Zhang, 301-402-1373, yzhang@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-106 – Optical Imaging of Internal Organs in Humans
  Due to the limited penetration of light in biological tissue, many optical microscopy and spectroscopy techniques that have shown exquisite tissue/cell contrast in basic biological research cannot be easily translated to clinical applications. NIH invites applications that develop novel biomedical optical approaches that can overcome the light penetration depth limitation, and unleash the potential of optical imaging for clinical applications. Contact: Dr. Yantian Zhang, 301-402-1373, yzhang@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-107 – Point-of-Care Technologies
  Despite recent interest in advancing the field of point-of-care (POC) testing, major challenges remain in the development of new POC technologies, including a clinical needs-driven approach, appropriate clinical testing of prototype devices, and connectivity to health information systems. Multidisciplinary technology development efforts are required to facilitate device design that is appropriate for a given healthcare setting with the potential to significantly impact the delivery of healthcare in low-resource or remote settings. Contact: Dr. Brenda Korte, 301-451-4778, kortebr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-108 – Imaging of Drug and Gene Delivery Systems
  Three major challenges in the field of drug and gene delivery are: targeting of therapies to tissues, cells, and intracellular compartments; monitoring exactly where the therapies localize after administration; and determining if the agents delivered are doing what they were intended to do. We encourage proposals to develop multifunctional systems that: (1) are capable of targeted delivery of drugs, proteins, genes, or nucleic acids to specific cells, or compartments within cells in vivo; and (2) possess imaging capabilities to track delivery, assess function, and determine therapeutic efficacy. Contact: Dr. Steven Zullo, 301-451-4774, zullo@helix.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-109 – Model-Driven Biomedical Technology Development
  Progress in the development of many biomedical technologies (e.g. neuroengineering technologies, drug and gene delivery systems, tissue engineering) could be greatly accelerated with the development of in silico modeling and simulation methods to drive hypothesis formation, experimental design, data collection, data analysis and synthesis, and re-formulation of the original hypothesis. In a systematic and robust manner, models should identify the gaps in knowledge and the limitations of the engineering design. Proposals that encourage the integration and translation of knowledge from in vitro to in vivo systems are being sought. Contact: Dr. Grace Peng, 301-451-4778, penggr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-110  –  Methods for Assessment of Imaging Technologies
  Proposals to develop mathematical, statistical or computation models that can be used by technology developers to assess or calibrate their medical imaging technologies are encouraged. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-111 – Validation of Image Analysis Methods
  Applications are sought that provide an infrastructure for the evaluation of image registration and segmentation algorithms. This infrastructure is expected to include a database of test images, a web-based interface with public access, consensus-driven evaluation metrics, and a system for storing and reporting measures associated with different algorithms. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov
   
• 06-EB-112 – Large-Scale Kinetics of Multiple Signaling Pathways
  Building upon successful efforts in detailed kinetic modeling of highly-complex chemical reactions (e.g., turbulent combustion), large-scale kinetic models of multiple and integrated molecular signaling pathways are sought. This will help determine under which conditions particular pathways may dominate or interfere, and begin to form a predictive framework as new kinetic data and signaling molecules are identified. Construction of these models will highlight important kinetic information gaps and pave the way toward ultimately being able to perform in silico simulations of inflammatory and immune response to new materials and engineered therapies.  
   
• 06-EB-113 – Bioprocess Sensors
  Concomitant with the increasing demand for protein-based therapeutics is the need for more sophisticated real-time monitoring of bioprocess cell culturing reactions, separations, end product characterization, and rapid detection of contaminants. Rapid assays and/or robust, on-line, sterilizable sensors are needed for: raw material characterization; quantifying feedstocks and cellular metabolites during fermentation; rapid proteomic analysis of fermentation intermediates; monitoring of separations, glycosylation and protein structure/folding; and rapid/standardized tests for endotoxin, mycoplasma, viral clearance and other contaminants. High throughput screening tools are also needed to optimize fermentation conditions and to help develop improved process models.  
   
• 06-AG-101* – Neuroscience Blueprint: Development of Non-Invasive Imaging Approaches or Technologies that Directly Assess Neural Activity
  This could include research on imaging neuronal electrical currents, neurotransmitter changes and/or neuronal/glial cell responses to brain circuit activation. This scientific area could be advanced by improvements/refinements in existing imaging technology or use of emerging technology that could be developed in two years. The outcome of this challenge could have high impact by connecting the system-level, large population view afforded by fMRI with the cellular processes and responses that contribute to the BOLD-fMRI signal. Two-year challenge projects could stimulate the development of human brain imaging techniques that link cell activity underlying neural communication to the structure and function of brain circuits, and could complement other brain connectivity imaging modalities. NIA Contact: Dr. Bradley Wise, 301-496-9350, wiseb@nia.nih.gov; NIBIB Contact: Dr. Yantian Zhang, 301-402-1373, yzhang@mail.nih.gov

(07) Enhancing Clinical Trials 

• 07-EB-101 – Enhancing Multi-Site MR Imaging Studies
  Translating the full potential of MRI/MRS into future benefits for multi-site clinical trials requires a framework that standardizes data acquisition and data processing across imaging platforms and centers. The NIH invites proposals that develop novel approaches for standardizing MRI approaches used in multi-site clinical studies. Contact: Dr. Guoying Liu, 301-594-5220, liug@mail.nih.gov

(08) Genomics

For this RFA, there is no NIBIB-specific Challenge Topic in this Challenge Area.

(09) Health Disparities

• 09-EB-101 – Health Disparities
  Health disparities result in more than 80,000 premature deaths each year from a variety of diseases including heart disease, HIV/AIDS, infant mortality, diabetes, and breast cancer. New, affordable and appropriate diagnostic devices and treatments are needed that address health disparities in low-resource settings. Contact: Dr. John Haller, 301-594-3009, hallerj@mail.nih.gov

(10) Information Technology for Processing Health Care Data for Research

• 10-EB-101* – Engineering Improved Quality of Health Care at a Reduced Cost
  Target areas include: (1) developing informatics systems for electronic records that integrate image data with clinical data for more efficient health care decision support; or (2) developing a "universal interface" to effect transmission of image data across institutions/hospitals to reduce duplication. Contact: Dr. William Heetderks, 301-451-6771, heetderw@mail.nih.gov
   
• 10-EB-102 – User-Friendly Computing Infrastructures for Biomedical Researchers and Clinicians
  Openly available computing infrastructures that link to shared research and clinical databases as well as robust analysis and visualization tools need to be available to users who do not have prior computing expertise. Rather than spending time on understanding how to use the tools, these infrastructures will allow researcher to focus on synthesizing knowledge. The infrastructures should be seamlessly integrated in the research and clinical environment and provide optimal usability for all researchers. Projects should focus on linking existing databases, models, algorithms, visualization tools and developing the user-friendly interface environment. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov
   
• 10-EB-103 – Content-Based Image Retrieval
  Develop and validate automated methods for retrieving images from a database based on quantitative features of the images. Such techniques will directly improve clinical decision-making and will have far-reaching applications in alleviating the burden of image data overload in the clinical setting. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov
   
• 10-EB-104 – Medical Image Compression
  Develop and validate image compression protocols to enable storage within an electronic health record and fast transmission of image data. Protocols should be intelligent in that different sections of the image will be compressed to different extents based on automatic assessment of image content. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov
   
• 10-EB-105 – Intelligent Systems for Enhancing Patient Safety and Avoiding Errors in the Clinical Setting
  Develop an interface between medical devices or an embedded system within a medical device to analyze clinical data and recognize dangerous conditions. Such a system may provide alerts or directly control the device in question to address the concern. Contact: Dr. Zohara Cohen, 301-451-4778, zcohen@mail.nih.gov

(11) Regenerative Medicine

• 11-EB-101* – Vascular Networks in Engineered Tissues
  Research on the design, optimization, and formation of a complete vascular network capable of delivering oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products in engineered tissues (i.e., vascularization of engineered tissue constructs). Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 11-EB-102 – Advanced Biomaterials to Support Engineered Tissues
  The critical role of cell-matrix interactions in designing functional engineered tissues is increasingly appreciated. Scaffolds need to be: biocompatible (i.e. non-immunogenic, non-toxic, able to fully integrate with existing structures), biomechanically robust (i.e. capable of withstanding a wide array of stresses and strains), biomimetic (i.e. approximating the function of a target tissue as well as the native structure – at the nano- through macro- scales), complex (i.e. incorporating spatial-temporal-structural gradients as needed), and appropriately biodegradable (i.e. decomposing into non-toxic component parts as host remodeling occurs). Proposals addressing novel structural aspects of known materials, or the development of new synthetic or natural materials are encouraged. Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 11-EB-103 – Modular Platforms for Regeneration and Development
  Current state-of-the-art for assessing the developmental/differentiation potential of a stem cell involves transplantation to an animal, waiting, and a full histological and physiological analysis upon autopsy. This process is slow, cumbersome, costly, and unwieldy. In vitro tissue models offer a more reliable system with tighter control, greater access to spatio-temporal variables, and many other advantages. Stem cells can be introduced into the basic tissue model platform to study development and how specific interventions affect outcomes becomes more accessible. Such surrogate developmental assays can establish a new toolkit for "tissueomics" – the collection and analysis of complex, multi-scale, rigorous, structured, quantitative data at the tissue level. Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 11-EB-104 – Living Human Tissue Microarrays
  Prototypes of in vitro tissue models of target organs (e.g. skin, liver, lung, muscle) currently exist. However, these systems are not user-friendly, robust, or flexible – preventing their use for high throughput assays that would underlie the next generation of drug/toxicity screening systems for predicting human tissue responses. Proposals are invited to generate organotypic platforms that are complex yet modular, hardened, standardized, simplified, and validated against traditional animal models. Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 11-EB-105 – Advanced Imaging Systems for Tissue Engineering
  The ability to monitor complex cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in engineered tissues in vitro and in vivo is critically important. The imaging needs to be functional – able to assess meaningful changes non-destructively and non-invasively; intrinsic – using inherent signatures of normal biological processes (e.g. intermediates of energy metabolism, conformationally-based changes in light scattering); and dynamic – monitoring events as they are occurring. Proposals to develop tools for characterizing engineered tissues in vitro and in vivo are encouraged. Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 11-EB-106 – Technologies for Expanding Stem Cells and Producing Engineered Tissue
  Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving field, but current production and manufacturing technologies are confined to the laboratory scale and grossly inadequate to ensure sufficient quantity and quality on an industrial scale. New measurement tools, and engineering methods and design principles, that can model, monitor, and influence the interaction of cells and their environment at the molecular and organelle level are urgently needed. Projects are sought to develop scaleable bioreactors to precisely control the chemical and mechanical environment for functional 3D tissue growth or for rapidly expanding stem cells; quantitative, non-invasive tools to monitor structure, composition, quorum sensing, and function of heterogeneous tissues in real time; and technologies for preservation, sterilization, packaging, transport, and ensuring cell and tissue health and phenotypic stability.

(12) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

For this RFA, there is no NIBIB-specific Challenge Topic in this Challenge Area.

(13) Smart Biomaterials – Theranostics

• 13-EB-101* – Theranostics – Combined Delivery of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Agents
  Development of novel approaches to deliver combined diagnostic and therapeutic agents to appropriate sites with high specificity and in adequate concentrations to realize the promise of combined diagnosis and treatment of diseases in a single sitting ("theranostics"). Contact: Dr. Steven Zullo, 301-451-4774, zullo@helix.nih.gov 
   
• 13-EB-102 – Non-Viral Gene Delivery Systems
  The major barrier to success of gene therapy in the clinic is the lack of safe and efficient DNA delivery methods. Although viral delivery systems allow efficient and long-term gene expression, they generally do not permit targeted delivery to particular cells and tissues and pose problems with regard to immune response. Proposals are invited to develop novel, safe, and targeted, synthetic or viral mimetic vectors for gene delivery including quantitative studies that relate their structure and properties to function. Contact: Dr. Steven Zullo, 301-451-4774, zullo@helix.nih.gov 
   
• 13-EB-103 – Feedback-Controlled Drug Delivery Systems
  Current drug delivery technologies allow controlled dosing but are limited in that they don't respond to actual biological status so there is no feedback loop. To address this, a transformation that shifts the current controlled release paradigm from passive (one drug at a single dose over time) to a “smart” active delivery system that includes sensing and biofeedback is needed. Proposals are sought to create smart, active biomaterials that respond to physiological/pathological stimuli by delivering a drug only when necessary and that can be turned off when the stimulus changes with the overall goal of optimizing treatment outcomes. Contact: Dr. Stephen Zullo, 301-451-4774, zullo@helix.nih.gov 
   
• 13-EB-104 – Active Biomaterials
  Atomic-level control and production methods have the potential to usher in a new generation of active biomaterials with unprecedented capabilities and applications. New materials are sought with highly-specific molecular recognition capabilities that can undergo drastic changes in conformation and/or chemical functionality when bound to a target. Advanced materials are also sought that can actively adapt to their surrounding environment. This includes materials that can modify their behavior or properties to perform new functions in response to changing conditions, or materials that can sense damaged or malfunctioning portions and initiate repair or restoration.

(14) Stem Cells 

• 14-EB-101 – Synthetic Delivery Systems for Generating Pluripotent Stem Cells
  Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) are rapidly becoming an important new source of cells for regenerative medicine. Recent publications indicate that the expression of a small number of endogenous pluripotent factors for a short period of time, can reprogram differentiated cells back to a pluripotent state. The method so far has required the use of viral vectors and thus has limited therapeutic potential due to the increased potential for tumor formation. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new delivery methods for the transient expression of the relevant reprogramming genes, without permanent integration into the genome. Applications focused on the development of synthetic delivery systems for the safe, effective and efficient targeting and delivery of genes to produce iPSCs is encouraged. Contact: Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, 301-451-1609, hunzikerr@mail.nih.gov
   
• 14-EB-102 – Imaging Stem Cell Migration and Differentiation
  Stem cells, which have the ability to differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types, have the potential to dramatically change the treatment of human disease. Imaging will play an important role in monitoring stem cell therapy. NIH invites applications that will allow imaging of stem cell migration and differentiation in vivo using novel molecular imaging approaches. Contact: Dr. Guoying Liu, 301-594-5220, liug@mail.nih.gov

(15) Translational Science

• 15-EB-101 – Towards the Virtual Patient
  Disease prediction, now more than ever, can benefit from the wealth of knowledge of gained from decades of basic biomedical research. Computational models provide the critical tools to integrate this knowledge with a systems approach to diseases. Disease prediction will require the integration of existing physiome models and multiscale models from multiple biological systems. In addition, standardized shared datasets will need to be created to achieve model validation. Contact: Dr. Grace Peng, 301-451-4778, penggr@mail.nih.gov

For general information on NIBIB's implementation of NIH Challenge Grants, contact:

William Heetderks, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Director for Extramural Science Programs
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institutes of Health
301-451-6771
NIBIBChallenge@mail.nih.gov

For Financial or Grants Management questions, contact:

Nancy Curling
Director, Office of Grants Management
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institutes of Health
301-451-4782
curlingn@mail.nih.gov

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