DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in development of integrated biological and computational research to gain a mechanistic understanding of the effects of low dose radiation exposure on cellular functions. The long-term goal is to build on the understanding of radiation effects on cellular function and establish comprehensive datasets amenable to incorporation into increasingly capable AI/ML models to identify both transient and persistent changes in cellular metabolism that may be linked to adverse health outcomes. This announcement builds on BER’s past efforts in low dose radiation research but seeks to take advantage of rapid technological changes in high throughput genomics, ‘omics and computational (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning [AI/ML]) technologies in recent years to advance a more mechanistic understanding of low dose and low dose rate effects on cellular metabolism. Developing a large compendium of high-quality datasets coupled with advances in AI/ML computational techniques trained on such data and integrated within the larger scientific literature on cellular processes affords the ability to explore a more mechanistic understanding of the impact low dose radiation has on cellular function. Over the long-term, this approach can provide a mechanistic basis for identifying markers and/or patterns in altered cellular function that may be indicative of or associated with an adverse health outcome. These approaches may also provide new insights into the uncertainties of health effects seen in epidemiological studies due to low dose radiation exposure and provide a basis to explore links to health effects other than cancer.
Deadlines:
- Required Pre-Applications: Feb. 6, 2024
- Full Applications: April 2, 2024
This funding opportunity calls for biological research applications conducted with well-defined and/or known exposures to low energy transfer (LET) radiation sources (high energy electrons, protons, x- and gamma rays) across a range of low dose exposures (<100mGy encompassing 10mGy) and dose rate ranges encompassing 5mGy/hr within four topics.
1) Development of experimental laboratory model systems representative of human systems for combined experimental and computational analyses.
2) Combined Experimental and Computational Approaches for Low Dose Radiation Research.
3) Assembly and Analysis of Harmonized Datasets to Support Biological Research.
4) Computational Tools Supporting Low Dose Radiation Research.
All types of domestic applicants are eligible to apply, except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.
Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one pre-application and one application for each PI at the applicant institution.
Ceiling
$500,000 per year
Floor
$250,000 per year