CZI’s new Deep Tissue Imaging RFA aims to advance the field of deep tissue imaging and support the development of technologies that will allow researchers to view information at cellular resolution, in complex tissue and through skin and bone, in living organisms. CZI invites scientists to apply for this 2 1/2-year grant opportunity, and grants will be for $1 million in total costs per grantee. 

In the first phase of the RFA, grantees will develop a pilot project. Successful outcomes could include the development of imaging technologies and biological probes needed to visualize and label important cellular processes throughout the body, or new computational techniques and algorithms for deep tissue signal extraction and analysis. In the second phase of the RFA, successful grantees will be eligible to apply for four-year, $10 million technology development grant awards. Final determination of awards and numbers will depend on the quality of the applications received. 

Scientific Scope

The long-term goal of this initiative is to drive technology development aimed at visualizing cellular structure and function throughout the body. During this pilot phase, they especially seek proposals that support the development of tools for visualizing cellular level processes in deep tissue. This funding opportunity is explicitly aimed at technology development. It is not intended to support question-driven basic or translational research, clinical trials, or drug development.

Examples of research themes:

·         Bioacoustic probe, hardware, and/or method development

·         Biomagnetic probe, hardware, and/or method development

·         Biochemical probe or method development

·         Multi-photon hardware or method development

·         Deep imaging tissue techniques with potential human applicability

The Deep Tissue Imaging RFA will accept Letters of Intent starting Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 9 a.m. Pacific time until Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 5 p.m. Pacific time. For more information and application instructions, please visit CZI’s online grants management portal. For administrative and programmatic inquiries, technical assistance, or other questions pertaining to this RFA, please contact sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg.com. Learn more about CZI’s Frontiers of Imaging effort.

CZI’s Imaging Scientists Cycle 2 RFA is also currently open until July 30, 2020 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Read more about CZI’s Imaging program.

More information about CZI’s Deep Tissue Imaging RFA: https://chanzuckerberg.com/rfa/deep-tissue-imaging/