NSF Directorate for Engineering | Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ( CB

1. NSF Directorate for Engineering | Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Bioengineering and Engineering Healthcare Cluster Biosensing Program Director - Alex Simonian - asimonian@nsf.gov The term “biosensing”  Biosensing Program Mission  Biosensing Unsolicited Projects  Biosensing Topical Examples  Biosensing Typical Research Project 1

2. The Term “Biosensing” The term “biosensing” is used here to mean not just devices but systems that produce verifiable signals for detecting biological occurrences through a variety of means, for a variety of purposes. Biosensing systems can include electrical, electronic, photonic, or mechanical devices; biological materials such as tissue, enzymes, or nucleic acids; means to provide chemical analysis; and advanced imaging and information processing technologies. Biosensors, which are devices that employ biological mechanisms or materials to provide selectivity and amplification for sensing biochemical materials, often are components of biosensing systems. 2 Source: http://www.wtec.org

3. Program Mission The Biosensing program primarily supports innovative fundamental and applied research with applications to the biomedical, food safety, energy, environmental and security needs The program is targeting activities in the area of monitoring or identification of biological phenomena and will support potential technological breakthroughs that exist at the intersection of life science, engineering, nanotechnology and information technology 3

4. Biosensing Unsolicited Projects Should be fundamental, transformative, and discovery research Develop novel ideas integrating engineering and life science principles in solving biosensing problems that serve humanity in the long-term Emphasize the advancement of fundamental engineering knowledge, possibly leading to the development of new methods and technologies Emphasize novel application of existing technologies to advance fundamental knowledge of both engineering and life science Highlight multi-disciplinary nature, integrating engineering and the life sciences 4

5. Topical Examples Slide 1 of 4 Biosensing-oriented Research is aimed at: Development of novel robust and easy to operate sensors with a highly selective response to multiple analytes, with reduced false positive and false negative responses  New approaches in probe development BioMEMS/BioNEMS applied to actuators Integrated sensor systems 5

6. Topical Examples Slide 2 of 4 Cell-based sensors:  To monitor environmental, physiological and genetic responses  To use genetically engineered cells with expressed different reporter molecules for drug candidates or environmental toxins monitoring 6

7. Topical Examples Slide 3 of 4  Highly sensitive & discriminative biosensors based on functionalized micro- and nano- structures (CNT, metal-oxide nanostructures, dendrimers and switchable polymers, etc.) and advanced material concepts (e.g., single molecule techniques) Stimuli-responsive materials in bioengineering and biosensing 7

8. Topical Examples Slide 4 of 4 Development of novel bio-recognition elements: Engineered proteins and signaling aptamers Ionophores  Natural and artificial ion-channels  Bio-designed and molecular-imprinted polymers 8

9. A Typical Research Project Smart Particles to Control Properties Sergiy Minko - Clarkson University Directed self-assembly of particles can be used for amplification of biochemical signal and transformation of biochemical signals into electrical or optical signals CBET - 0636186 9