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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Biophotonics Program (PD 15 7236)

1. What is the NSF Biophotonics program trying to fund?

The NSF Biophotonics program (Funding Opportunity Number PD 15 7236) supports fundamental engineering research at the intersection of photonics and the life sciences. The long-term goal is to enable the next generation of tools for medicine, biology, and biotechnology by advancing underlying photonics principles, devices, materials, and measurement approaches.

2. Is this program focused on basic research or near-term clinical products?

The emphasis is on pushing beyond technologies that are already mature and commonly used in clinical diagnostics or therapy. Proposals are expected to build foundational photonics engineering advances that could unlock new capabilities, rather than incremental improvements to established clinical technologies.

3. What kinds of real-world motivations does the solicitation highlight?

A recurring motivation is the development of low-cost and minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, especially where improved sensitivity, specificity, speed, and scalability could make a difference in real-world health settings.

4. What are the priority research areas named in the opportunity?

The program highlights multiple priority areas, including: macromolecule markers; low-coherence sensing at the nanoscale; neurophotonics; optogenetics; and micro- and nanophotonics (including nanoparticle-based tools and high-throughput characterization methods intended for biomedical use).

5. What does the program mean by "macromolecule markers" research?

This area includes innovative methods to label biological macromolecules, create new compositions of matter, and fabricate multicolor probes for marking and detecting specific pathological cells. It also includes work that pushes optical sensing toward the limits of detection, resolution, and identification.

6. What kinds of sensing advances are encouraged under macromolecule markers and optical sensing limits?

The solicitation points to proposals that credibly advance how faint, small, or complex a biological signal can be measured and interpreted, including improvements in limits of detection, spatial/temporal resolution, and identification capability.

7. What is "low-coherence sensing at the nanoscale" in this program?

The program calls out low-coherence sensing approaches such as low coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS), elastic light scattering methods in higher-dimensional measurement spaces, and angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry, particularly for early detection of cancer-related tissue changes such as dysplasia.

8. What neurophotonics topics does the program emphasize?

Neurophotonics topics include studying photon-based activation of neurons, especially at interfaces where nanomaterials are attached to cells. The program also emphasizes developing biocompatible photonic tools (for example, parallel interfaces and interconnects) that enable communication with and control of neural networks.

9. What optogenetics topics are within scope for this opportunity?

Optogenetics topics emphasize new research using light-activated channels and enzymes to manipulate neural activity with high temporal precision. The solicitation also mentions integration with nanophotonics, nanofibers, and genetic techniques to map and study physiological processes in real time in organs such as the brain and heart.

10. What does the program include under micro- and nanophotonics?

The program broadly includes development and application of fluorescent quantum dots and other nanoparticle-based tools, as well as sensitive, multiplexed, high-throughput methods for characterizing macromolecular properties in cells. It also includes nanomaterials or nanodevices intended for biomedical use.

11. Are proposals required to fit exactly into the listed topic areas?

No. The solicitation leaves room for strong ideas outside the named topics, as long as they fit the core mission of advancing photonics engineering frontiers for important biomedical and biotechnological problems.

12. What happens if a proposal is considered out of scope?

NSF signals that proposals judged out of scope risk being returned without review. If an idea falls outside the specified interest areas, investigators are advised to contact the Program Director before submitting.

13. When should an investigator contact the Program Director?

Early contact is encouraged if (a) the proposed idea is outside the specified areas of interest, or (b) the investigator plans to request a budget substantially higher than what the program typically supports. The program also notes prior discussion is important for certain mechanisms (for example, RAPID and EAGER proposals).

14. What is the typical project duration for unsolicited awards?

Unsolicited awards are generally expected to run one to three years.

15. What funding levels are typically supported per year?

Typical funding levels are about $100,000 per year for single-investigator projects and about $200,000 per year for multi-investigator projects.

16. Can an applicant request a budget above the typical levels?

Requests well above typical amounts are discouraged unless discussed in advance with the Program Director. Large deviations without consultation may be returned without review.

17. What total funding amount is listed for the opportunity?

The posting lists an estimated total funding amount of $6.6 million for the opportunity.

18. What are the award floor and ceiling listed in the posting?

The posting lists an award floor of $300,000 and an award ceiling of $600,000. These figures align with multi-year totals rather than annual budgets.

19. Is cost sharing required?

No. Cost sharing is not required.

20. Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.

21. What are the key NSF expectations for proposal content in this program?

Proposals should clearly explain what is novel and/or potentially transformative compared to prior work, why the research matters for engineering science (not only for application outcomes), and what the potential societal and/or industrial impacts could be if the work succeeds.

22. Where does NSF expect the novelty/transformative statement to appear?

NSF specifically notes that the novelty or transformative aspect should appear at minimum in the Project Summary.

23. Does the program encourage CAREER proposals?

Yes. The program encourages Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals, which typically run five years and follow the NSF Engineering CAREER deadline cycle (noted as July each year in the description).

24. Are conference, workshop, or supplement requests supported?

The announcement references these mechanisms and notes that investigators considering conference, workshop, or supplement requests are encouraged to discuss plans with the Program Director before submitting.

25. Are RAPID and EAGER proposals allowed under this program?

Yes, the program will consider RAPID and EAGER proposals when appropriate, but these require prior discussion with the Program Director before submission.

26. Are GOALI proposals encouraged?

Yes. GOALI proposals (industry-academic collaboration with a blend of fundamental and translational outcomes) are encouraged when they align with the program's application interests, and must be submitted during the relevant unsolicited proposal window.

27. What compliance rules apply to submissions?

Compliance with the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) is mandatory. The opportunity also notes that noncompliant proposals, or proposals submitted outside the announced proposal window, may be returned without review.

28. What are the posted dates for this opportunity?

The posting information shows the opportunity was originally posted July 24, 2015 with an original and current closing date of October 20, 2015, and an archive date of November 19, 2016.

29. What is the closing date shown for the solicitation?

The closing date shown is October 20, 2015.

30. What does it mean that the opportunity has an archive date?

The announcement lists an archive date of November 19, 2016, indicating the posting is archived under NSF's system as presented in the opportunity information.