In recognition of the need for novel approaches to predict or detect the emergence of new infectious diseases, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a new Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). Titled “Sentinel Cells for Surveillance and Response to Emergent Infectious Diseases (Sentinels),” the DCL (NSF 20-105) highlights the interest of existing programs within the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Directorate for Engineering in interdisciplinary approaches to the development of novel biological platforms capable of sensing and responding to emerging infectious agents.

Researchers are encouraged to think broadly about innovations leveraging biology and engineering that may be easily adapted to respond to a range of emergent threats.

Proposals should be submitted to the most relevant program listed below and proposal titles should be prefaced with “Sentinels:”.

• Systems and Synthetic Biology Cluster (SSB) in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) (NSF 18-585); or
• Engineering Biology and Health Cluster in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET), via either the
  • Biosensing Program (PD 20-7909) or
  • Biochemical Engineering Program (PD 20-1491)

Proposals in the participating programs are accepted without deadline and reviewed on a rolling basis. Investigators interested in submitting a proposal are strongly encouraged to contact one of the program directors listed below for further information:

Anthony Garza, BIO/MCB/SSB, aggarza@nsf.gov
Aleksandr Simonian, ENG/CBET/Biosensing, asimonia@nsf.gov
Steven Peretti, ENG/CBET/CBE, speretti@nsf.gov