Beckman Center for Advanced Light-Sheet Microscopy and Data Science

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Image of cellular membrane acquired by combining lattice light sheet and point accumulation for imaging of nanoscale topography (PAINT) microscopy with new fluorescent probes. Image credit: 2019BYI Wesley Legant in collaboration with Lavis and Betzig labs

Image of cellular membrane acquired by combining lattice light sheet and point accumulation for imaging of nanoscale topography (PAINT) microscopy with new fluorescent probes. Image credit: 2019BYI Wesley Legant in collaboration with Lavis and Betzig labs

Info Beckman Center for Advanced Light-Sheet Microscopy and Data Science

Information:

This program is closed for new applications.

Request for Proposal Documentation and Addendums

Request for Proposals issued November 2019

Addendum to Request for Proposals issued Nov 18 2019

Program Summary

Advanced microscopy, enabled by recent advances in physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and biology, is opening new windows into the anatomy and behavior of cells and tissues. While established modalities such as confocal, two-photon and super-resolution microscopies have contributed greatly to experimental investigations in many fields, the tradeoffs in speed, photo-damage, and resolution often limit our ability to capture complex cellular processes. Emerging light-sheet microscopy tools, however, are enabling rapid three-dimensional (3D) imaging of single molecules, living cells, organs, and even whole animals over time with minimal toxicity. The impact of technological breakthroughs using advanced light-sheet microscopy instrumentation and accompanying methods have the potential to create an unprecedented understanding of the intricate dynamics of cells and their components within living specimens.

Institutions that have made investments in advanced light sheet microscopy have observed that the size and complexity of the data obtained with these new 3D imaging capabilities have created a bottleneck to the advancement and wide-scale adoption of these technologies. There is a critical need for new strategies to address data collection, storage, image registration and organization, and subsequent image quantification and interpretation. This need will only be addressed through the close integration of data processing and analysis personnel together with imaging specialists and biologists to maximize the impact of these promising new technologies and will be central to future biological discoveries.

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation’s mission is to provide funding for promising technologies, particularly in cutting edge instrumentation and interfaces between disciplines. In support of this mission, the Foundation is requesting proposals for a one-time grant opportunity for the procurement and potential further development of groundbreaking advanced light-sheet instrumentation capabilities, including establishment of robust multidisciplinary science/technology teams involving data scientist collaborations within the research group. The Foundation will provide support of up to $1.2 million per site, which can be used for instrumentation acquisition, development, and maintenance; support for data science collaborations within the research teams; and costs for the proposed research programs. Applicant institution(s) must demonstrate their commitment for additional funding beyond the $1.2 million support from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, if necessary to complete the objectives of the program described below. Additional information on the institutional support requirements can be found in the template in the online application portal.

The Foundation will use a two-stage submission process, starting with an open call for Pre-Proposals followed by a request for Full Proposals from invited institutions.

Program Objectives

Proposals should be centered around core biological problems (update: or chemistry, materials science, or…

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health, General and Cross-cutting R&D.

Funding amount

This grant provides Varies in funding.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; there is no single fixed deadline.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Not specified by the program.

Eligibility

The program did not publish a separate eligibility statement. See the official opportunity page for the full eligibility criteria.

Agency

Beckman Center for Advanced Light-Sheet Microscopy and Data Science is administered by Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation (Beckman), listed via Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.