Biophotonics

The Biophotonics program, administered by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET), supports fundamental engineering research at the interface of photonics, biology, and medicine. It is part of the broader Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which also includes related programs such as Biosensing, Cellular and Biochemical Engineering, Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering, and Engineering of Biomedical Systems. The core objective of this funding opportunity is to catalyze innovation and engineering advancements in photonics that can transform diagnostics, therapeutic methods, and biomedical applications. This program invites research that pushes beyond mature technologies to explore novel approaches in biophotonics. The focus areas include nanophotonics, optogenetics, contrast and targeting agents, ultra-thin probes, wide field imaging, and rapid biomarker screening. A particular emphasis is placed on developing low-cost, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. Eligible projects must demonstrate engineering novelty and potentially transformative impact on both the scientific field and broader society. Proposals should clearly articulate their novelty compared to existing work, and outline the prospective societal or industry impact. Research topics of interest range from second near-infrared (NIR-II) window imaging, which offers deep tissue visibility, to the development of multicolor macromolecule markers, advanced optical sensing for early cancer detection, and neurophotonics tools for interacting with neural networks. Other areas include micro- and nanophotonics applications in medicine, and the use of optogenetics for real-time physiological studies. Applications to this program can be submitted at any time; there is no specific annual deadline. Proposals must be compliant with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), and non-compliant submissions will be returned without review. The expected award duration for unsolicited proposals is generally up to three years. Budgets typically support one graduate student and one month of PI time annually, although larger budgets for multi-investigator projects may be considered. Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals are encouraged and have a fixed July deadline each year with a five-year performance period. Additionally, NSF encourages submissions for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements, as well as specific grant mechanisms such as Rapid Response Research (RAPID), EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), and Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI). These require prior consultation with the program director and can be submitted anytime. Prospective applicants are advised to contact the cognizant program director if their research falls outside the defined focus areas to avoid return without review. For assistance or questions, the designated contact for this program is Steven M. Zehnder, reachable via email at [email protected] or phone at (703) 292-7014. The Biophotonics program provides consistent opportunity for researchers to contribute transformative innovations in biomedicine and biological sciences through photonics, with a focus on engineering rigor, scientific impact, and societal benefit.