The Bush Administration has requested an 8.4%, or $9.36
million, increase for the National Institute of Biomedical
Imaging and Bioengineering. Under this request, the budget
for this new institute at NIH would increase from $112.02
million to $121.38 million. The NIBIB was recently
established, and is described as follows in its budget
justification document:
"The mission of the NIBIB is to improve health by promoting
fundamental discoveries, design and development, and
translation and assessment of technological capabilities in
biomedical imaging and bioengineering, enabled by relevant
areas of physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science,
information science, and computer sciences. In carrying out
its mission, the Institute will be actively planning,
conducting, fostering, and supporting an integrated and
coordinated program of research grants and research training
that can be applied to a broad spectrum of biological
processes, disorders, diseases and organ systems. The research
promoted and supported by NIBIB will be multidisciplinary and
strongly synergistic with the other NIH Institutes and Centers
(ICs) as well as across government agencies, and will have the
potential for direct positive medical application. Ultimately,
NIBIB will seek to translate research findings from the
laboratory into practical solutions that will benefit the
public health." The document describes this time as a
"coming of age" for biomedical imaging and bioengineering.
Later in the document, the research that will be sponsored by
the Division of Biomedical Imaging and the Division of
Bioengineering is described: "The Division of Biomedical
Imaging will support research that is focused on the following
areas: development of imaging devices for evaluation of all
levels of biological material; improvement of imaging
techniques including image reconstruction, image processing
and image display; design and synthesis of target-specific
contrast agents to enhance images; and study of informatics
and computer sciences related to imaging." "The Division of
Bioengineering will support research that is focused on the
following areas: development of biomaterials including
implants, prostheses, and artificial organs; enhancement of
biosensor technology; exploitation of novel properties and
phenomena at the nanoscale level for the eventual application
to nanotechnology; and improvement of bioinformatic
capability."
On-going research currently funded by NIBIB in biomedical
imaging includes integrated functional brain imaging,
improvements in Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Imaging and the development of a low-cost, high quality
Magnetic Resonance Imaging head scanner. In FY 2003, NIBIB
anticipates expanding its support to include research in
nanoscale materials for drug production, discovery and
delivery; biomedical imaging technology development; real time
and multi-measurement sensors for research and medicine;
informatics in biomedical imaging; and a training initiative.
As a measure of the new institute's activities, the document
states: "Future promises for advancement in medical research
rest in part with new investigators with new ideas. In the
Fiscal Year 2003 request, NIBIB will support an estimated 74
pre- and postdoctoral trainees in full-time training
positions, the same number as in FY 2002. Stipend levels for
NRSA trainees will increase by 4 percent over Fiscal Year 2002
levels. The Fiscal Year 2003 request includes funding for 2
research centers, 14 other research grants, including 6
clinical career awards, and 9 R&D contracts. Research
Management and Support receives an increase of close to 9.9
percent over FY 2002."
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