2018 CEMB Seed Grant Applications

The NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering MechanoBiology

 

The Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB) is a multi-institutional Science and Technology Center funded by the National Science Foundation to advance the study of mechanical forces in molecules, cells, and tissues in plants and animals.

 

The CEMB welcomes applications for seed grants from any non-CEMB faculty at the rank of assistant or associate professor. Recipients of seed grants become faculty scholars in the Center and are expected to become active participants in Center activities. Proposals must address the CEMB mission and identify at least one relevant working group.

 

Mission:

Define how molecules, cells and tissues integrate mechanics within plant and animal biology to create new materials, biomedical therapies, and improved agricultural technologies. Utilize multidisciplinary approaches to interrogate and guide the formation of biological structures on multiple scales.

 

Working Group (WG) structure:

WG- 1: How do cells sense their mechanical environment?

• Mechanisms and molecular components of viscoelastic sensing
• Mechanosensing across proteins, supramolecular structures and organelles

 

WG- 2: How do cells adapt to and change their mechanical environment?

• Recursive feedback between cells and the wall/ECM
• Interaction between stress and soluble factors

 

WG- 3: How do cells remember their mechanical environment?

• Cytoskeletal, micro-environmental plasticity, and ECM plasticity
• Nuclear plasticity, mechanochemistry and epigenetics

 

WG-4: Crosscutting and Emerging Technologies Working Group

• Biomimetic platforms and standardized models for tissue remodeling, morphogenesis and development
• Engineered force sensors and stress channels

 

Additional detail is found at the Center’s website: CEMB's research thrusts

 

Award amount: The award level is $25,000 for one year, plus overhead. In special circumstances, awards of up to $50,000, will be considered.

 

Eligibility: any non-CEMB faculty at the rank of assistant or associate professor.

 

Deadline: All proposals are due by 11:59 PM (ET) on March 15, 2018, for a project start date of April 1, 2018.

 

Proposal submission: Submit a complete application as a single PDF document to James McGonigle, jmcgon@seas.upenn.edu.

 

See full Seed Grant guidelines attached.

 

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James McGonigle

Managing Director

Center for Engineering MechanoBiology

An NSF Science and Technology Center

University of Pennsylvania

215-898-5151