National Science Foundation announces much-anticipated Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program

The MRI Program will increase access to scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in higher education institutions, research museums, and nonprofit research organizations. The program seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, and to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation for research-intensive learning environments.  

This funding cycle includes two big changes as mandated by Congress in the America COMPETES Act (signed into law in August):
 
1. Cost sharing is back.  In this announcement, the MRI program requires 30 percent cost-sharing on all proposals submitted by PhD granting institutions and non degree-granting institutions.    
 
2. The maximum award size for single instrument acquisition has been raised from $2 million to $4 million.  (Instrument development grants, and grants for acquisition of suites of connected instruments, are still limited to a maximum of $2 million.)
 
As in the past, an institution can only submit three proposals, only two of which can be for instrument acquisition.  Proposals are due January 24, 2008.  (For instrument acquisition proposals over $2 million, a letter of intent is required by Dec. 21, 2007.)
 
For more details, visit NSF-wide Major Research Instrumentation program announcement

The NIH Public Trust Initiative launches the "Partners in Research" program

The Public Trust Initiative (PTI), an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces the release of a new Request for Applications (RFA) for the Partners in Research program. The purpose of this program is to support studies of innovative programs designed to improve public understanding of health care research and promote collaboration between scientists and community organizations. In turn, these studies should help in the development of strategies to increase the public awareness and trust in both the role of NIH and the importance of new directions of research for advancing the public health.

The NIH Partners in Research program is intended to engage the energy of a diverse group of scientists, community leaders, members of the public, and patient advocacy groups. It will seek to develop partnerships between scientific or research institutions and community organizations, and evaluate a variety of approaches in a range of target audiences or communities. The goals of the program are to:

-- identify and implement new ways to increase science literacy;

-- communicate the research needs and interests of communities; and

-- encourage understanding of biomedical and behavioral research by partnering with community-sanctioned organizations, such as voluntary and professional organizations, health groups, faith-based groups, and housing organizations.

The NIH Partners in Research RFA is available on the NIH Guide website

Transfer of Bioengineering and Physical Science Division brings summer internship opportunities

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) today announced the integration of the Division of Bioengineering and Physical Science (DBEPS), formerly part of the NIH Office of Research Services, into the NIBIB Intramural Research Program.

In addition to the added staff and laboratory space, the transfer brings to the NIBIB Intramural Research Program some unique training opportunities for undergraduate biomedical engineering students and postdoctoral scientists and engineers through the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program, and the National Research Council NIH/NIST Research Associateship Program.