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Biomaterials

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NSF 23-612

Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Supports research and education on biological, biomimetic, bioinspired and bioenabled materials, and on synthetic materials intended for applications where they will be in contact with biological systems.

Supports research and education on biological, biomimetic, bioinspired and bioenabled materials, and on synthetic materials intended for applications where they will be in contact with biological systems.

Synopsis

All proposals submitted to this Program that are not governed by another solicitation (such as CAREER) must be submitted to the solicitation: Division of Materials Research: Topical Materials Research Programs (DMR:TMRP) (NSF 22-609). Proposals under this solicitation are accepted any time.

Proposers should be aware that there is no change expected in the average time to decision and release of reviews. Considering that NSF’s fiscal year begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th, proposals submitted between February and August are more likely to be awarded in the following fiscal year.

The Biomaterials program supports fundamental materials research related to 1) biological materials, 2) biomimetic, bioinspired, and bioenabled materials, 3) synthetic materials intended for applications in contact with biological systems, and 4) the processes through which nature produces biological materials. Projects are typically interdisciplinary and may encompass scales from the nanoscopic to the bulk. They may involve characterization, design, preparation, and modification; studies of structure-property relationships and interfacial behavior; and combinations of experiment, theory, and/or simulation. Proposals involving biomaterials realized through synthetic biology; fueled biomaterials; stimuli-responsive biomaterials; antimicrobial or antiviral biomaterials; biodegradable, renewable, and sustainable materials; and plant- or fungal- based biomaterials are also encouraged. The emphasis is on novel materials design and development, and discovery of new phenomena.

Projects involving in vitro demonstration of biological compatibility and efficacy are appropriate, but the program can support only limited in vivo studies. Tissue engineering and drug/gene delivery projects must have a specific focus on fundamental materials development and characterization. Studies of the mechanical behavior of hard and soft biological materials and tissues, and projects in molecular biophysics may be more appropriate for one or more of the NSF programs listed below under Related Programs. Projects with an emphasis on device design and fabrication are generally more appropriate for a program in the NSF Engineering Directorate.

Program contacts

Name Email Phone Organization
Nitsa Rosenzweig
nirosenz@nsf.gov (703) 292-7256 MPS/DMR
Daniel Savin
dsavin@nsf.gov (703) 292-4644 MPS/DMR

Awards made through this program

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Map of recent awards made through this program