Title:  Program Description and FAQ's
Date: 04/04/07



 Program Description:  Biomedical Engineering

 This program primarily supports fundamental, transformative, and
 discovery research applied to biological systems. The research
 projects should:

    * Develop novel ideas integrating engineering and life science
      principles in solving biomedical problems that serve humanity;
    * Focus on high impact transforming methods and technologies and
      include models and tools for understanding and control of
      biological systems; fundamental improvements in deriving
      information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems;
      new approaches to the design of structures and materials for
      eventual medical use; new methods of understanding and
      controlling living systems, and new novel methods of reducing
      health care costs through new technologies;
    * Emphasize the advancement of fundamental engineering
      knowledge, possibly leading to the development of new methods
      and technologies;
    * Emphasize novel application of existing technologies to
      advance fundamental knowledge of both engineering and life
      sciences;
    * Encourage initial evaluation of discovery-level  research in a
      clinical setting but not supporting clinical trials;
    * Highlight multi-disciplinary nature, integrating engineering
      and the life sciences; and
    * Balance theory, mathematical modeling, and experiment.

 The long-term impact of the projects can be related to disease
 diagnosis and/or treatment, improved health care delivery, or
 product development.

 ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

    * The duration of the unsolicited Biomedical Engineering (BME)
      awards is three years. The awards are $80,000-$100,000 per
      year including indirect costs. Please check the NSF Chemical,
      Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Division
      (CBET) web pages for the proposal submission window for the
      unsolicited BME program.

    * The duration of BME CAREER awards is five years. The awards
      are $80,000 per year including indirect costs. The submission
      deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every
      year.

    * Please refer to  the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 04-23)
      http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg  when
      you prepare your proposal.  Chapter II (Proposal Preparation
      Instructions, Pages 17-38), especially, will assist you.

    * The projects submitted to BME Program should advance both
      engineering and biomedical sciences.

    * The funding requests for conference and workshop support can
      be submitted anytime after talking with the Program Director.

    * The supplement requests for active awards can be submitted
      anytime after talking with the Program Director.

    * After you submit the proposal, it takes us about 180 days to
      process your proposal (i.e. proposal reviews, panels,
      releasing reviews, funding decisions).

    * Any proposal received outside the announced dates will be
      returned without review.  Please see
      http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501023&org=CBET
      .