NIH Support of Biotechnology R&D in Visual Science
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The National Eye Institute (NEI), which is one of twenty-seven institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health, provides financial support for biomedical research to understand and treat diseases and disorders of the eye. In recent years, a rapidly growing part of that research includes biotechnology and bioengineering. This presentation will be two-fold: first, describing research topics where biotechnology and engineering are important elements and, second, providing information about obtaining grant funds to support your research and development projects. The NEI has research interests in several areas where engineering can play a significant role. One area is the design and fabrication of new or improved ophthalmic instruments for imaging and measuring parameters various anatomical and functional components of the eye. These instruments can be used for diagnosis, as well as treatment of eye disorders. Research to develop these instruments requires engineering expertise in optics, materials, electrical circuitry, computer software, and MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, to name a few. Similar skills are required for design and fabrication of assistive devices needed by the visually impaired; these devices range from Braille graphic printers and wayfinding instruments to retinal implants for restoring vision. Better devices for relieving excess fluid pressure within the eye in patients with glaucoma represent another area of research interest. A different research topic is that of drug delivery; the unique characteristics of the eye pose unusual problems in this critical area. Here, knowledge in polymer chemistry, nanomaterials, and manufacturing are some of the requisite R&D skills. To reach these goals of understanding and alleviating eye disorders, the NEI provides financial support to non-profit research institutions and to small companies for carrying out visual science R&D. This presentation will concentrate on the two main funding mechanisms available to small companies: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. Aspects of preparation of the application, the electronic submission, and the review process will be discussed. |
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MetroCon 2007 |
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“Innovating for Society” |
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Biotechnologies |
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Dr. Wujek received his Ph.D. in Anatomy from Case Western Reserve University Medical School (Cleveland, OH) in 1981. He has held research positions at the University of Maryland Medical School, Children’s Hospital Research Foundation (Cincinnati, OH) and the National Institutes of Health. His neuroscience research during this period focused on spinal cord injury, nerve fiber outgrowth and its regulation at the cellular and molecular levels. In 1990, he joined a start-up biotechnology company, Gliatech, Inc. (Cleveland, OH). He was instrumental in developing a gel to prevent surgical adhesions, secured SBIR grant funding to develop artificial peripheral nerve grafts, and participated in the Alzheimer’s Disease drug discovery program. Later, he moved to the Cleveland Clinic to carry out research on Multiple Sclerosis. In 2003, Dr. Wujek was recruited to the Center for Scientific Review at the National Institutes of Health. As a Scientific Review Administrator, he managed two committees of scientists who reviewed the scientific merit of Small Business grant applications in the areas of Neuropharmacology and Visual Sciences. In 2006, he took the position of Research Resources officer at the National Eye Institute, where he currently oversees the funding and administration of Small Business grants. These research & development grants cover areas ranging from assistive devices for visually impaired to drugs for eye diseases (e.g. dry eye, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy), as well as ophthalmic instruments for diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.
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About the Speaker: |
