Announcements

• Watch the Impact of Biotech in Action - the Biotechnology Center's public awareness site to inform people about biotech in our state.
• Check out NC IDEA (Innovative Development for Economic Advancement) for information that will help young start-up companies commercialize their innovations.  The website offers news and grants as well as serves as a great resource on how young companies can potentially transition into a commercially viable high-growth enterprise.  Two grant cycles, in fall and spring, provide small grants to high-tech startup companies to support business activities that validate potential markets, reduce risk of early failure, and advance projects to the point of self-sustainability at which time they are suitable for private equity investment.
• Looking for Statistics? Check out State Library of NC, Log Into NC, NC Dept. of Commerce Community Demographics, US Census American Fact Finder, NC Libraries / NC LIVE databases, etc.
• Need a laboratory management guide for scientists in developing countries? See Burroughs Wellcome Fund's publication.
• Interested in funding for rural communities? Check out the Rural Center's list of grant programs and submission details.

Conferences/Webinars/Workshops

• FDA’s Innovative Pathways Program: The program is intended to deepen collaboration between FDA and innovators early in the process, prior to pre-market submission, with the goal of making the regulatory and product development process more efficient and timely.   The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) constructed the Innovation Pathway with help from the Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) program, which brings together professionals with diverse talents from inside and outside government to work together as a team on solution-oriented outcomes in a short and focused time frame. These outside experts worked alongside agency staff and leadership to address impediments to efficient and timely review processes and construct Innovation Pathway 2.0.  For more details about the program, visit the Innovation Pathway site.
• If you are interested in learning how to develop and write a grant proposal, the Grant Training Center offers a variety of workshops and online instruction to help you get started or fine-tune your proposal development skills!
• Foundation Center Webinars are offered for foundation fundraising, proposal writing, and all that goes into getting the grants you need.

Other Recent Funding Announcements

(This is only a partial list of open opportunities.)

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)- The Partnerships for Development of Vaccine Technologies (R01) invites research applications for projects focused on preclinical development of candidate technologies (including adjuvants) that would improve vaccine effectiveness and/or simplify vaccine delivery to patient populations during a natural outbreak of an infectious disease or following the intentional release of an infectious agent. Applications must include a Product Development Strategy attachment and demonstrate substantive investment by at least one industrial participant. Non-profits, for-profits, governments, and higher education institutions are eligible to apply. Deadline: May 26, 2012 (Letters of Inquiries Due--optional but encouraged; if invited to submit, full proposals due June 26, 2012)
• Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) - Sustainability Research - Submissions of scientific research proposals related to sustainable solid waste management practices are invited in the following areas:
  A. Waste minimization
  B. Recycling
  C. Waste conversion to energy, biofuels, chemicals or other useful products. This includes, but is not limited to, the following technologies:
      - Waste-to-energy
      - Pyrolysis/Gasification
      - Oxidation
      - Anaerobic digestion
      - Composting
  D. Strategies to promote diversion from landfills (e.g. separating organics, market analysis, optimized material management, logistics, etc.).                                                                                                         Awards will generally be made up to $500,000.  The foundation encourages submitting parties to form partnerships with other funding sources (real-dollars or in-kind services).   Eligibility is open.  Deadline: July 15, 2012 
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)-SHIFT Award - The primary objectives of the SHIFT SBIR (Small Businesses Helping Investigators to Fuel the Translation of Scientific Discoveries) initiative are: (1) to foster research that is translational in nature and (2) to transform academic scientific discoveries into commercial products and services.  Academic researchers can be a driving force for new products and services in a small business concern (SBC).  A major feature of the SHIFT program includes the requirement for an investigator who is primarily employed by a United States research institution at the time of application to transition to a small business concern (SBC) and be primarily employed (more than 50% time) by the SBC by or at the time of award.  A SHIFT SBIR grant enables an SBC to increase both its scientific research staff and its core competencies.  The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) may also facilitate SBC licensing of intellectual property (IP) from the PD/PI’s prior academic institutions, promote collaboration opportunities with academic investigators, and enable better access to academic resources.  Phase I awards normally may not exceed $100,000 total for a period normally not to exceed 6 months. Phase II awards normally may not exceed $750,000 total for a period normally not to exceed 2 years.  Small business concerns are eligible to apply.  Deadline: August 5, 2012 
• Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) - The Burroughs Wellcome Fund recognizes the important role that K-12 teachers play in the lives of students by stimulating a passion for science and mathematics innovations. In this time of tight budgets, BWF wants to support teaching professionals in their efforts to provide quality hands-on, inquiry-based activities for their students. BWF is launching a new program, Promoting Innovation in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), to support North Carolina K-12 teachers in their efforts to promote excitement for science and mathematics in the classroom by providing grants for materials, equipment, and supplies related to the implementation of high quality curriculum and activities in the classroom.  Equipment, materials, and supplies must be related to quality hands-on experiences for the students in science and/or mathematics. Items must be used directly by students in the classroom or in a structured afterschool time activity. Applying teaching professionals must currently hold a professional educator’s license to teach in a North Carolina K-12 public school. Teachers holding licensure in elementary education are eligible. Applying teaching professionals must currently be employed at a K-12 public school (including charters) in North Carolina.   Deadline: September 5, 2012 
• National Science Foundation (NSF) - Biophotonics - Biophotonics applies photonics technology to the fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology. Basic research and innovation in photonics that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation for new technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application in medical diagnostics and therapies. Advances are needed in nanophotonics, optogenetics, contrast and targeting agents, ultra-thin probes, wide field imaging, and rapid biomarker screening. Low cost and minimally invasive medical diagnostics and therapies are key goals. Examples of topics include Macromolecule Marker, Low Coherence Sensing at the Nanoscale, Neruophotonics, Micro- and Nano-photonic, and Optogenetics. The duration of unsolicited awards is generally one to three years. The average annual award size for the program is $100,000 for individual investigators and $200,000 for multiple investigators.  Eligibility is unrestricted but view program solicitation for details.  Deadline: September 18, 2012
• Greiner Bio-One- The Greiner Grant Program will award 4 startup labs $1000 in essential lab products using Greiner Bucks which can be redeemed as cash for whichever Greiner products are needed specific to the lab’s research. Products offered include those for cultivation and analysis of cell and tissue cultures, microplates for high-throughput screening, a complete line of dependable ready-to-use general labware tools and innovative biochip technologies. To be eligible for the grant, applicants must be researchers who have a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent who are starting a new lab or are currently at a lab which has been conducting research for less than two months at the date of application. Any new lab must have an affiliation with an educational organization, a startup company or a lab within an existing business. Deadline: The last business day of January, March, June and September
• The Mathers Charitable Foundation- The Foundation is primarily interested in supporting fundamental basic research in the life sciences.  Support is provided for specific projects from established researchers at top universities and independent research institutions within the United States.  Non-profits are eligible to apply and award amounts vary. Deadline: Grants are accepted on a rolling basis.

For more information about the Funding Gateway, contact Julie King.