Author: Paul Sammak

Headshot of Paul Sammak.

Before moving to the Department of Energy in May 2021, Paul managed grants in technology development and collaborative science. His interest in interdisciplinary research was developed through his academic background in physics, cell biology, and pharmacology, and work in the biotech industry.

Posts by Paul Sammak

Nobel Laureate W.E. Moerner Seminar on Hidden Molecules in Caulobacter Bacterium, Coronavirus, and Cells

0 comments

Our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB) is hosting a free virtual seminar with Nobel Laureate W.E. Moerner:

A headshot of W.E. Moerner. W.E. Moerner. Credit: Linda Cicero, Stanford News Service.

Finding the Hidden Molecules in High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Tomograms With Single-Molecule Microscopy
Tuesday, May 18, 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET

Continue reading “Nobel Laureate W.E. Moerner Seminar on Hidden Molecules in Caulobacter Bacterium, Coronavirus, and Cells”

Request for Information: Biological Research Needs for High Spatial Resolution Imaging Supported by DOE and NIH

0 comments

NIGMS, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science seek input on approaches to apply high-resolution (sub-nanometer to micrometer) bioimaging technologies to samples ranging from atoms to cells. Input is requested on the specific needs of the biomedical research community to match existing technical approaches and instrumentation to significant biological questions, and on prioritizing the development of novel bioimaging technologies that might be in demand for potential biological and medical applications.

Continue reading “Request for Information: Biological Research Needs for High Spatial Resolution Imaging Supported by DOE and NIH”

Funding Opportunity: NIGMS Technology Research and Development

0 comments

UPDATE: The slides [PDF, 1.42MB] and video Link to external web site from the R01/R21 Webinar have been posted.

We’ve just re-issued two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for technology research and development grants that support biomedical research areas within the NIGMS mission.

They are:

Exploratory Research for Technology Development (R21)
PAR-19-254
Two-year grants that support innovative, high-risk concepts for developing a new technology or radically improving an existing one. The R21 supports only novel concepts that haven’t yet been tested for feasibility. Thus, unpublished data are not allowed. Because proof of concept must not already be developed, NIGMS expects the projects to be high risk.

Next application receipt date: June 16, 2019


Focused Technology Research and Development (R01)

PAR-19-253
Four-year grants that support development projects to validate and optimize a new technology. The R01 is for technologies that already have been shown to be feasible but need further technical work to produce a useful prototype. Projects with partial demonstration of feasibility but with substantial risk remaining could be submitted as a 3-year R01 with a reduced budget under this FOA.

Next application receipt date: June 5, 2019

Continue reading “Funding Opportunity: NIGMS Technology Research and Development”

New NIGMS Funding Opportunity: Collaborative Program Grants for Multidisciplinary Teams

0 comments

We’ve published a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to support multidisciplinary, collaborative team research in scientific areas within the mission of NIGMS. The Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams (RM1) aims to support highly integrated, interdisciplinary teams working toward a common scientific goal. The RM1 program replaces NIGMS Program Project Grants (P01) and most of NIGMS’ P50 centers programs (with the exception of the Structural Biology of HIV/AIDS centers). The first receipt date for the new program is January 25, 2018.

RM1 applications should have a unified scientific goal within the NIGMS mission that requires a team with diverse perspectives and expertise in a variety of intellectual or technical areas. We are seeking projects that are challenging, ambitious, and innovative, with the potential to produce lasting advances in their fields. Unlike many larger programs, NIGMS Collaborative Program Grants require one integrated research plan and a separate management plan that addresses shared leadership, responsibility for decision making and resource allocation, and opportunities for professional development and credit. Optionally, the team can expand to support early stage investigators (ESIs) in pilot projects that enrich program objectives and help the ESIs obtain independent funding.

In general, we expect that the research supported by Collaborative Program grants will be the primary focus of the principal investigators (PIs) rather than being in addition to the main work going on in their individual laboratories. Guidelines for investigator effort and details about how the PIs’ other support will be considered when making funding decisions can be found in the FOA and on the Institute’s website. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss research plans with NIGMS staff before submission.

If you have any questions about NIGMS Collaborative Program Grants, please contact Drs. Susan Gregurick or Paul Sammak.