SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Development of microfluidics devices for use in dual-view selective plane illumination microscopy, for long term studies of C. elegans development
- Notice Date
- 2/13/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SS-EB-73-JES
- Archive Date
- 3/15/2014
- Point of Contact
- Jennifer Swift, Phone: 3014350358
- E-Mail Address
-
Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov
(Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement. Background: The mission of the intramural program of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the NIH is to improve human health by providing leadership for development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating engineering and physical sciences with the life sciences to advance basic research and medical care. The Intramural Research Program plays a key role in fulfilling the Institute's mission, particularly to advance knowledge in imaging and bioengineering research using a combination of basic, translational, and clinical science and to develop effective training programs in related fields. The Section on High Resolution Optical Imaging at NIBIB, invents new forms of microscopy with better spatial and temporal resolution than is otherwise available. Another priority of the lab is to build microscopes that are gentle and do not otherwise perturb delicate, live biological specimens such as cells and embryos. The lab has developed a dual-view selective plane illumination microscope (diSPIM) for imaging live specimens, such as the nematode C. elegans, over long periods, at high spatial resolution (330 nm in all 3 dimensions), and with high time resolution, as documented in the recent paper, Wu et al. Nat. Biotechnology, doi: 10.1038/nbt.2713. Although diSPIM is a powerful imaging technique, it suffers from one serious drawback: the sample must be ‘open' to the environment, i.e. it requires the use of an imaging chamber without a top. It is therefore impossible to immobilize live specimens in the same manner that a conventional microscope does, i.e with a conventional microfluidics chip. Purpose and Objectives: The ultimate goal is to develop an easy to use micro-fluidic platform for high-resolution light sheet microscopy of living adult C. elegans. A requirement for high-resolution analysis of whole live animals is immobilization during imaging and obstruction free visual access for distortion free light sheet microscopy. Image based animal analysis is needed for genetic screens that rely on the expression of fluorescently-tagged molecules to help identify mutants defective in a variety of biological processes, such as germline development1,2 and the regulated degradation of maternal proteins3. Sub-cellular imaging enables researchers to track microtubules in live cells in the context of a whole animal, it enables long term nuclear imaging during nematode embryogenesis and imaging of neural wiring during Caenorhabditis elegans brain development. This proposal requires initial delivery of a simple system without feedback control that positions a live C. elegans over a suction port within a microfluidics system. The xyz- stage on the light sheet microscope would then position the worm relative to the objectives, and controlled suction forces will gently immobilize the animal for obstruction-free whole animal imaging, after which the animal will be released and allowed to further develop for subsequent imaging. If the Government deems it necessary, after evaluating the initial system, the Contractor will combine the microfluidic platform with automated feedback control in which fluid flow will be modulated to position the worms over the suction port, without moving the xyz stage. Objective1: Demonstrate Proof-of-Principle Contractor will build a C. elegans immobilization device, using a design provided by the Government, that is compatible with dual view plane illumination microscopy, and demonstrate its capability to reliably immobilize adult C. elegans. Milestone 1: Build prototype for dual view plane illumination microscopy (diSPIM). Milestone 2: NIBIB's lab will validate the fabricated device by using it in conjunction with an existing NIBIB (diSPIM) microscope to generate volumetric images of an immobilized adult C. elegans. Demonstrate animal viability by conventional motion inspection to verify normal movement, feeding, and behavior after trapping. Objective2: Refine and automate immobilization process The contractor will refine and automate the immobilization mechanism, and demonstrate its capability to repeatedly immobilize a single mature C. elegans over an extended period of time. This system will include capabilities to feed the worm and control water levels in the imaging area. Milestone 3: Reliably immobilize a single C. elegans every 5 minutes, over a total imaging period of 4 days. Anticipated period of performance: 24 weeks starting within 1 week of contract award. Capability statement/Information sought: 1) Proximity to the NIBIB lab at 13 South Dr Bethesda MD 20814; 2) Evidence of a minimum of 10 years of experience, with microfluidics, including PDMS device fabrication. Provide documentation with either publications or referrals from other labs; and, 3) Evidence of a minimum of 10 years of experience,, working with or in an imaging or imaging-related lab. Provide documentation with either publications or referrals from other labs. Information Submission Instructions: One copy of the capability statement must be submitted to Jennifer Swift, Contracting Officer, at Jennifer.Swift@nih.gov no later than 3:00 PM February 28, 2014. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SS-EB-73-JES/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 13 South Dr, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, United States
- Zip Code: 20814
- Zip Code: 20814
- Record
- SN03288608-W 20140215/140213234331-41888aeb9187bc0eb9199410b3d8eafe (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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