2423382
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
SBIR Phase I: Drug discovery meets Moore's Law: synthesizing DNA-encoded libraries with electronics.
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to accelerate drug discovery.
Despite massive investment, the pace of drug development is slow and appears to be slowing further, with new drugs taking an average of 15 years from discovery to market approval.
This project aims to develop hardware that will permit the rapid and inexpensive synthesis of DNA-encoded libraries (DELS).
This will not only expedite finding drugs for challenging diseases but also generate valuable data for training artificial intelligence (AI) models to improve drug prediction.
Commercially, this technology will strengthen U.S. competitiveness in drug discovery and reinforce its leadership in automation and AI research.
It could also aid in biodefense, enabling faster responses to emerging biological and chemical threats.
The proposed project straddles three different disciplines: electronics, chemistry, and material science—requiring specialized knowledge and expertise in each.
Electronics have come to dominate our world as an information processing technology.
Its function is to manipulate voltage values, representing the 1's and 0's encoding data.
This project proposes a means of chemical processing with electronics.
The goal is to build a device that can perform combinatorial chemistry on nanoliter to picoliter volume droplets, on an electronic substrate.
This will be applied to the task of synthesizing DELS.
Unlike liquid-handling robots, the technology has no moving or mechanical parts.
Instead, it manipulates droplets with electric charge.
Software controls the switching of the voltages on a grid of electrodes, dispensing, moving, splitting, merging, and mixing droplets.
The research addresses key technical challenges, including the durability of dielectric and hydrophobic materials, and optimizing electric field control.
The chemical protocols for synthesizing DELS will be adapted to novel physical and chemical constraints, including very small volumes.
Mitigating contamination is a significant technical risk, requiring innovations in the design, material science, and chemical protocols.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to accelerate drug discovery.
Despite massive investment, the pace of drug development is slow and appears to be slowing further, with new drugs taking an average of 15 years from discovery to market approval.
This project aims to develop hardware that will permit the rapid and inexpensive synthesis of DNA-encoded libraries (DELS).
This will not only expedite finding drugs for challenging diseases but also generate valuable data for training artificial intelligence (AI) models to improve drug prediction.
Commercially, this technology will strengthen U.S. competitiveness in drug discovery and reinforce its leadership in automation and AI research.
It could also aid in biodefense, enabling faster responses to emerging biological and chemical threats.
The proposed project straddles three different disciplines: electronics, chemistry, and material science—requiring specialized knowledge and expertise in each.
Electronics have come to dominate our world as an information processing technology.
Its function is to manipulate voltage values, representing the 1's and 0's encoding data.
This project proposes a means of chemical processing with electronics.
The goal is to build a device that can perform combinatorial chemistry on nanoliter to picoliter volume droplets, on an electronic substrate.
This will be applied to the task of synthesizing DELS.
Unlike liquid-handling robots, the technology has no moving or mechanical parts.
Instead, it manipulates droplets with electric charge.
Software controls the switching of the voltages on a grid of electrodes, dispensing, moving, splitting, merging, and mixing droplets.
The research addresses key technical challenges, including the durability of dielectric and hydrophobic materials, and optimizing electric field control.
The chemical protocols for synthesizing DELS will be adapted to novel physical and chemical constraints, including very small volumes.
Mitigating contamination is a significant technical risk, requiring innovations in the design, material science, and chemical protocols.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE I", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23515
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Excelsior,
Minnesota
55331-9148
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/25 to 10/31/25 and the total obligations have increased 7% from $274,932 to $294,932.
Femtofluidics was awarded
Project Grant 2423382
worth $294,932
from National Science Foundation in January 2025 with work to be completed primarily in Excelsior Minnesota United States.
The grant
has a duration of 9 months and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
SBIR Phase I: Drug Discovery meets Moore's Law: Synthesizing DNA-Encoded Libraries with Electronics
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to accelerate drug discovery. Despite massive investment, the pace of drug development is slow and appears to be slowing further, with new drugs taking an average of 15 years from discovery to market approval. This project aims to develop hardware that will permit the rapid and inexpensive synthesis of DNA-encoded libraries (DELs). This will not only expedite finding drugs for challenging diseases but also generate valuable data for training artificial intelligence (AI) models to improve drug prediction. Commercially, this technology will strengthen U.S. competitiveness in drug discovery and reinforce its leadership in automation and AI research. It could also aid in biodefense, enabling faster responses to emerging biological and chemical threats.
The proposed project straddles three different disciplines – electronics, chemistry, and material science – requiring specialized knowledge and expertise in each. Electronics have come to dominate our world as an information processing technology. Its function is to manipulate voltage values, representing the 1's and 0's encoding data. This project proposes a means of chemical processing with electronics. The goal is to build a device that can perform combinatorial chemistry on nanoliter to picoliter volume droplets, on an electronic substrate. This will be applied to the task of synthesizing DELs. Unlike liquid-handling robots, the technology has no moving or mechanical parts. Instead, it manipulates droplets with electric charge. Software controls the switching of the voltages on a grid of electrodes, dispensing, moving, splitting, merging, and mixing droplets. The research addresses key technical challenges, including the durability of dielectric and hydrophobic materials, and optimizing electric field control. The chemical protocols for synthesizing DELs will be adapted to novel physical and chemical constraints, inclu
Topic Code
BT
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-515
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/12/25
Period of Performance
1/1/25
Start Date
10/31/25
End Date
Funding Split
$294.9K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$294.9K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 2423382
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2423382
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
P1BCQQFLAJP1
Awardee CAGE
None
Performance District
MN-03
Senators
Amy Klobuchar
Tina Smith
Tina Smith
Modified: 8/12/25