1. Health Research at the NSF

2. Background NSF
Health research can be found in many areas in NSF and within the mission of several cross-directorate initiatives.
It is a case of use-inspired basic research. The scientific advances in basic science can be in computing, information science, engineering or social or behavioral science. The benefit to health research is important, but second to the advances in basic science.
Major homes for this research:
Smart and Connected Health (SCH)
Big Data
Cyber-physical Systems (CPS)
Core Programs (IIS, CCF, CNS)
QuBBD (NSF/MPS and NIH)

3. Smart & Connected Health (SCH) Inter-Agency Program National Science Foundation National Institutes of Health NSF Solicitation NSF (replace ) Deadline: Dec. 08, 2016 Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering, NSF

4. Smart & Connected Health (SCH) EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) NSF DCL NSF Deadline: Dec. 14, 2016 Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering, NSF

5. Overarching Goals of SCH
To transform health:
from reactive to proactive
from experienced-based to evidence-based medicine
From clinic-centered to patient center care
To wellness that extends to the home, workplace and community
Move focus from disease to health and wellbeing at the individual, system, and organizational level

6. Scope of SCH Program
Goal: Seek improvements in safe, effective, efficient, equitable, & patient-centered health through innovations in fundamental computer & information sciences, engineering & social, behavioral & economic sciences
Funded work must include & address:
A key health problem
Fill in research gaps that exist in science & technology in support of health & wellness
Include a research team with appropriate expertise in the major areas involved in the work
Activities should complement rather than duplicate core programs of NSF & NIH as well as those of other agencies (ex. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality / Veteran's Administration)
“advances in sociotechnical design, and in human system integration, that will ultimately produce scalable solutions that integrate well within hospital workflows and patients' lives”

7. Smart and Connected Health Research Areas
Integration of EHR, clinical and patient data
Access to information, data harmonization
Semantic representation, fusion, visualization
Digital Health Information Infrastructure
Informatics and Infrastructure
Datamining and machine learning
Inference, cognitive decision support system
Bring raw image data to clinical practice
Data to Knowledge to Decision
Reasoning under uncertainty
Systems for empowering patient
Models of readiness to change
State assessment from images video
Empowered Individuals
Energized, enabled, educated
Assistive technologies embodying computational intelligence
Medical devices, co-robots, cognitive orthotics, rehab coaches
Sensors, Devices, and Robotics
Sensor-based actuation
The fundamental research issues appear to naturally cluster into four broad research areas. I would like to emphasize that these are not mutually exclusive and do not represent a unique classification. Rather this classification should be used as a guide in selecting fundamental questions to be addressed by the SHB research.
Digital health information infrastructure is associated with continuous accrual and integration of Electronic Health Records (EHR), pharma and clinical research data in a distributed but federated system. The ultimate goal of this research area is to bring data such as EHR to where it is needed, when it is needed.
The second area Data-to-Knowledge-to-Decision comprises research concerned with making the best possible use of the data in support of evidence-based healthcare.
The third area is focused on how technology could empowered individuals to participate in their own healthcare that could lead to better and more affordable care.
Sensors, devices, and robotics represent technology for sensing and intervention that enables closing the loop using intelligent technologies
I will describe briefly each of these four areas in more detail

8. What NOT to do!
The following will likely result in a declined proposal:
Intellectual merit is exclusively focused in health/health care
SCH requires transformative advancements in computer science, engineering, behavioral and/or social sciences inspired by a need in health or healthcare
Collaborations with medical providers who have no experience in research
Appropriate research collaborators are key to integrating technical advancements with challenges in the health field
Proposal is written by yourself and health collaborator is only consulted just prior to submission
Proposed research should be influenced by health collaborators from its inception!
Consider attending grand rounds to immerse yourself in health challenges and meet collaborators, or attend technical conferences to meet computer scientists and engineering collaborators
Propose clinical trials or traditional disease-centric medical, clinical, pharmacological, biological, or physiological studies

9. Joint NSF/NIH Initiative on Quantitative Approaches to Biomedical Big Data (QuBBD)
Supports research that addresses important application areas at the intersection of the biomedical and data sciences
Encourages inter- and multi-disciplinary collaborations that focus on innovative and transformative approaches
Collaborative efforts that bring together quantitative scientists and biomedical researchers are a requirement
The program is designed to foster and support new inter- and multi-disciplinary teams of investigators.

10. Joint NSF/NIH Initiative on Quantitative Approaches to Biomedical Big Data (QuBBD)
Examples of application areas that are appropriate:
Development of methods for mobile health (mHealth) data, where mHealth includes new data not traditionally used in the biomedical sciences (e.g. data from mobile devices, social networks, wearable electronics, sensors)
Development of methods for precision (or personalized) medicine. The goal of precision medicine is to develop a targeted treatment (or prevention) regimen that takes into account unique characteristics of an individual such as genetic makeup, environmental factors, and lifestyle.
Deadline: September 12, 2017 (NSF )

11. Developing techniques to manage and analyze data
Critical Techniques, Technologies and Methodologies for Advancing Foundations and Applications of Big Data Sciences and Engineering (BIGDATA)
Cornerstone of the National Big Data R&D Initiative launched March 2012.
Two categories for submission:
Foundations: Encourages fundamental techniques, theories, methodologies and technologies of broad applicability.
Innovative Applications: Encourages novel techniques, methodologies, and technologies of interest to at least one specific application (special requirements).
Awards: $200K - $500K per year for years.
Cross-Directorate and Cross-Agency Solicitation: NSF CISE, BIO, EHR, ENG, GEO, MPS, and SBE with OFR.
Developing techniques to manage and analyze data
Proposals due: March 22, 2017

12. Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS)
Deeply integrating computation, communication, and control into physical systems
Aligns with the National Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Initiative, and helped to build the foundation for the National Smart Cities Initiative.
Aims to develop the core system science needed to engineer complex cyber- physical systems.
Serves multiple key national priorities.
Includes Transition to Practice option.
Cross-Directorate and Cross-Agency Solicitation: NSF CISE and ENG with DHS, DOT, NASA, NIH, USDA.
Transportation
Energy and Industrial Automation
Healthcare and Biomedical
Critical Infrastructure
Advances in CPS hold the potential to reshape our world with more responsive, precise, and efficient systems
Cross-agency program to develop core system science needed to engineer complex cyber-physical systems.
Multi-agency commitments: DHS, DOT, NASA, and NIH
NSF: CISE and ENG
Serves multiple key national priorities, including transportation, energy, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.
Includes Transition to Practice option.
NSF co-chairs, with NIST, interagency Cyber Physical Systems Senior Steering Group.
Transportation
Faster and safer aircraft
Improved use of airspace
Safer, more efficient cars
Energy and Industrial Automation
Homes and offices that are more energy efficient and cheaper to operate
Distributed micro-generation for the grid
Healthcare and Biomedical
Increased use of effective in-home care
More capable devices for diagnosis
New internal and external prosthetics
Critical Infrastructure
More reliable power grid
Highways that allow denser traffic with increased safety
Proposals due: March 6, 2017