Miniaturization and Automation of Tissue Chip Systems (MATChS) (U43/U44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking applications for the development of Miniaturization and Automation of Tissue Chip Systems (MATChS) using the SBIR cooperative agreement mechanisms. The goal of this project is to develop tools and turnkey technologies for higher throughput automated measures with on-line sensing, rapid acquisition, and analysis of data to reduce manual handling. Funded projects will result in an increased availability of miniaturized automated tissue chip platforms for use in drug development and across multiple applications as a major research tool in biomedical research laboratories. Some key points to consider include: • The development of milestones and benchmarks by small business concerns (SBCs) in cooperation with NIH staff. • The expectation of progress in the aims of the project to develop an automated system and demonstrable pathways to commercialization. • The importance of reducing manual handling and increasing the availability of miniaturized automated tissue chip platforms. • The potential applications of the developed technology in drug development and biomedical research laboratories.