The Department of Health and Human Services, specifically the National Institutes of Health, is seeking proposals for the development of novel tools and devices for animal research facilities and to support the care of animal models. The Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) is encouraging applications from small business concerns (SBCs) for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects in this area.
The goal of this solicitation is to improve animal welfare, ease the management of individual animals and animal colonies, and enhance the monitoring and control of environmental conditions that affect outcomes and reproducibility in animal model research. The variation of extrinsic factors between different animal facilities has been cited as a source of irreproducibility in animal research, and this solicitation aims to address this issue.
The solicitation specifically calls for the development and implementation of novel tools and devices to monitor environmental conditions, identify pathogens and contaminants, and enable noninvasive or minimally invasive monitoring of animal behavior and bodily functions. The devices should be discreet, robust, easy to apply, and mobile. Additionally, the solicitation seeks new software that can combine data from different monitoring devices and be compatible with different data formats.
The solicitation emphasizes the importance of innovation and encourages the adaptation of technologies from other fields to improve animal research. It applies to a broad range of animal models, including invertebrate and vertebrate animals, and excludes disease-specific devices, reagents, and experimental protocols.
Examples of specific tools and devices that can be developed include portable software for managing and evaluating animal colonies, noninvasive tracking and monitoring technology, automated feeding systems, devices for drug delivery and measurement, improved systems for data collection and analysis, better phenotyping devices, improved holding and transfer devices, and enhanced air and water filters for animal facilities.
The solicitation is open for applications until September 6, 2024, and applicants are advised to discuss their projects with the Scientific/Research contacts before submitting an application. More information can be found on the grants.gov website.