Office of Research update: September 2026

September 4, 2026

See whose work is getting funded, browse upcoming events and learn about available funding resources in the September update from the Office of Research.

A graphic with a navy blue background displaying the logo of the UM-Dearborn Office of Research

The Office of Research would like to congratulate the following faculty on their achievements in receiving the following externally funded awards:

Principal Investigator: Yunus Zeytuncu
Project Title: REU Site: Mathematical Analysis and Applications 
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award amount: $366,029
The REU Site in Mathematical Analysis and Applications at the University of Michigan-Dearborn gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work with faculty mentors on research projects at the intersection of mathematics and computer science. Students investigate topics such as mathematical analysis, geometry, spectral and operator theory, numerical methods, discrete mathematics, computational algebra, and optimization, with several projects incorporating programming, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and computer-assisted mathematical exploration. Through these projects, students learn how to formulate research questions, develop and test conjectures, use computational tools alongside rigorous mathematics, and communicate their results, preparing them for graduate study and careers in mathematics, computer science, data science and related fields. 

Principal Investigator: Hugo Casquero
Project Title: Untangling and quality improvement of hex-dominant meshes using feedforward neural networks 
Sponsor: Honda
Award amount: $32,000
Even one bad element in a mesh used for engineering applications can make the whole simulation fail, therefore coming up with meshes in which all elements have high quality is needed. This project uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve the quality of hex-dominant meshes, which are meshes that have predominantly hexahedral elements, but also tetrahedral and pentahedral elements. 

Principal Investigator: Foyzul Hassan
Project Title: SHF: Small: Towards a Unified Approach for DevOps Configuration Drift Detection
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Award Amount: $600,000 
Modern software systems rely on Development and Operations (DevOps) practices to automate how applications are built, tested, and deployed. In this project, Dr. Foyzul Hassan, in collaboration with Dr. Mohamed Wiem Mkaouer (UM-Flint), will investigate how inconsistencies arise across the configurations that support these processes and develop approaches to detect and manage them effectively. The project aims to improve the reliability and efficiency of software systems that support critical sectors such as healthcare, transportation, and technology, while reducing the effort required by developers to maintain them. The project outcomes will also support education and workforce development and contribute to more dependable software systems for everyday use.

Principal Investigator: Lei Chen
Project Title: Microstructure Engineering for Development of Rare Earth Element Free Permanent Magnet
Sponsor: General Motors Company
Award Amount: $162,557
This project goal is to develop a physics-based, microstructure-guided computational-experimental framework to develop high-performance rare-earth-element-free (REE-free) permanent magnets. By integrating AI-assisted materials screening, thermodynamic analysis, and large-scale phase-field simulations with experimental synthesis and characterizations, the project will establish predictive links between magnet elements and compositions, microstructure evolution, and macroscopic magnetic performance. The framework will enable systematic optimization of saturation magnetization, coercivity, and energy product through microstructure engineering, providing a rational alternative to trial-and-error development of REE-free permanent magnets.

U-M Principal Investigator: Antonios Koumpias
Project Title: Legalized Sports Betting: Unpacking the Trade-Offs for Health, Households, and Social Fabric
Sponsor: Laura and John Arnold Foundation through Indiana University
Award Amount: $14,949
Since a 2018 Supreme Court decision allowed states to legalize sports betting, access—especially through mobile platforms—has expanded rapidly. With support from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Dr. Antonios Koumpias is collaborating with researchers from Indiana University Bloomington and Georgia Tech to study the effects of legalized sports betting. Using health insurance claims, consumer transactions, and sports-engagement data the team will assess how legalized sports betting affects mental and behavioral health, family members in vulnerable households, and economic activity. The findings will help policymakers and the public better understand how the economic and entertainment benefits of legalized sports betting compare with its potential health and social costs.

U-M Principal Investigator: Mathumai Kanapathipillai
Project Title: Tunable multi-thrombolytic nanoformulations to treat complex clots with minimal hemorrhagic risk
Sponsor: National Institute of Health
Award Amount: $567,166
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and worldwide. Treatment approaches with current thrombolytic drugs are not very effective and often result in systemic side effects. Dr. Mathumai Kanapathipillai in collaboration with Drs. Daniel Lawrence and Enming Su aim to develop novel thrombolytic nanoformulations to treat stroke with minimal side effects. In addition, the project will provide research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students while enhancing the research scope of the bioengineering program and the college.

Announcements

Funding Resources, Tools and Workshops

Join the OVPR Office of Research Development for the Fall 2026 Grant Prix Webinar Series, held on the third Thursday of each month, 12-1 p.m. Learn more and register for the sessions:

  • Warp Speed: Rapid Proposal Development & Team Assembly - Sept. 17
  • Writing for Action: From Great Science to Compelling Proposals - Oct. 15
  • Finding Funding in a Changing Landscape - Nov. 19

Early- to mid-career researchers are invited to apply for the NIH STAGE TRIALS Training Program, an NIA-funded initiative designed to advance expertise in behavioral interventions and clinical trials. The virtual program runs from May through Aug. 2027, with applications due Oct. 19.

Federal Updates and Funding Intelligence

  • NIH Collaboration Letters. NIH has announced plans to align its letter of support practices with those used by NSF. Letters designed to endorse the application without an intent to collaborate or provide material support will no longer be permitted. Further details will be issued before implementation. 
  • DARPA BTO will host the Generative Optogenetics (GO) Workshop on Oct. 20-21 in Leesburg, VA, inviting researchers to collaborate on light-driven nucleic acid synthesis technologies and submit research synopses for presentations by Sept. 22.
  • NIH Workshops provide opportunities to engage with funders, influence future funding, and find collaborators:
  • NIH is inviting comments and suggestions for the NIDCR Strategic Plan for FY 2027-2031 by Sept. 14.
  • U-M is seeking input from researchers and research administrators by Sept. 18 on an NIH proposal to change how the agency reports the outcomes of peer review for grant applications. U-M research community members are encouraged to complete this form. Feedback received through the form will help inform the university’s response to NIH ahead of the agency’s Oct. 13 public comment deadline. If you would like to submit a comment directly to NIH and choose to upload a file, indicate you are submitting as an individual and do not use U-M letterhead.
  • NIH Common Fund requests ideas for biomedical and behavioral research challenges and opportunities by Sept. 19. These ideas may inform activities, including scientific workshops, pilot initiatives, and/or future Common Fund programs.
  • Renaissance Philanthropy, supported by Google.org, is conducting a landscape study to map out where AI can most effectively accelerate scientific discovery and overcome domain-specific bottlenecks. Experts and practitioners can actively engage by participating in interviews, which could shape recommendations for future funding.
  • National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) RFI on Regional Water Systems, due Sept. 9, seeks to better understand regional water system reliability, energy efficiency, and cross-sectoral power benefits using non-traditional water sources and types of NAWI resources needed for the required modeling and analytical tools.
  • IARPA Solutions Marketplace. IARPA has launched a Solutions Marketplace designed to accelerate the identification and acquisition of innovative solutions. Current thematic priorities include secure communications; cyber and AI security; automating the business of research and development; biometric recognition and multimodal privacy preservation; and other intelligence community-relevant solutions. 

Events

IRB On-the-Road: Drop-In Sessions for UM-Dearborn

Elizabeth Molina, UM-Dearborn’s Health and Services and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB-HSBS) liaison, will offer IRB On-the-Road drop-in sessions during Fall 2026. These sessions provide faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students with an opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance on IRB processes prior to proposal or application submission.

Format: Zoom Room - access the room and wait to be invited by the host.
Session Dates, Fall 2026:

  • September 16 | 2–3:30 p.m.
  • October 21 | 2 –3:30 p.m.
  • November 18 | 2 –3:30 p.m.
  • December 16 | 2–3:30 p.m.

AI & Health Symposium 2026

The University of Michigan's annual AI & Health Symposium brings together researchers, clinicians, students, and industry partners to explore advances in artificial intelligence and healthcare. The event provides opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, networking, research showcases, poster presentations, and discussions on emerging AI applications in health and medicine. UM-Dearborn faculty with relevant research are invited to attend:

NSF BIO Virtual Office Hour Updates from the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences

This virtual office hour series provides updates from the National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences on funding opportunities, priorities, and initiatives relevant to the biological sciences research community.

Session date:

Amplifying Access: Funding Solutions for Scholarship that Matters

Amplifying Access brings together scholars and partners for conversations focused on funding solutions that support scholarship with meaningful impact.

Navigating the Foundation Funding Landscape

This session will help researchers navigate the foundation funding landscape and better understand opportunities for aligning their work with foundation funders.

Celebrate Invention

Celebrate Invention highlights U-M inventors and the growing impact of U-M innovations. The event includes demonstrations from U-M startups and projects, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and the Distinguished University Innovator of the Year Award presentation.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) for K Awardees – Summer 2026

This seminar series is designed to meet NIH Responsible Conduct of Research requirements for K awardees and other career development grant recipients.

NIH R01 Proposal Writing Workshop

The U-M Medical School Office of Research will host a full-day workshop addressing practical and conceptual aspects of preparing competitive NIH R01 proposals. The workshop is open to U-M faculty, postdocs, and administrative staff.

Collaborating with Community Partners in Grant Seeking

Community partnerships can strengthen proposals, expand resources, and make your work more compelling to funders. Building these relationships requires trust, shared goals, and clear communication.  This session will show you how to identify the right partners, structure collaborations that benefit all parties, and craft proposals that demonstrate collective impact.​

MXO Spark Tank

DARPA's Multi X Office (MXO) is hosting Spark Tank, an in-person event for prospective proposers, future collaborators, and innovators interested in engaging with DARPA. Participants will hear directly from MXO Program Managers, learn about emerging research priorities, and schedule one-on-one sidebar meetings to discuss research alignment and strengthen future funding competitiveness. The event is designed to help researchers better understand DARPA's mission, identify collaboration opportunities, and prepare more competitive proposals. 

Assessing Alignment & Competitiveness in Grant Prospecting

While many grant seekers have access to a wealth of information about funding opportunities, finding the right fit can still be a challenge. This session focuses on the art of grant prospecting beyond the initial identification of potential targets—helping you to achieve meaningful alignment with funder priorities by spotting key indicators and red flags in your evaluation process.​

Research Resource Highlight

The University of Michigan’s AI & Digital Health Innovation (AI&DHI) provides data, computing, technical, and research support to U-M researchers across campus working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital health, biomedical science, engineering, and data science. AI&DHI helps researchers access the data and infrastructure needed to develop, test, and advance interdisciplinary research.

How can UM-Dearborn faculty use this resource?

Dearborn faculty can work with AI&DHI to:

  • Access de-identified health data: Explore multimodal data from more than 5 million U-M Health patients, including electronic health records, medical images, clinical notes, surveys, mobile health data, and other research datasets.
  • Obtain data consultation and access support: Work with the Data Solutions Team to define research data needs, identify appropriate datasets, and determine the best approach for accessing data through resources such as DataDirect and the de-identified Research Data Warehouse.
  • Receive data deidentification support: Access honest-broker services to deidentify clinical data containing protected health information and, when appropriate, link it with other deidentified multimodal research data.
  • Access genetic data expertise: Receive assistance with cleaning, curating, and analyzing genetic data available through the Michigan Genomics Initiative (MGI).
  • Use secure research computing resources: Access secure, HIPAA-compliant computing and storage environments through AI&DHI’s partnership with U-M Advanced Research Computing, including resources for data processing and machine-learning research. These resources are available to U-M researchers.
  • Connect across disciplines: Identify potential collaborators and expertise across U-M for projects combining health with AI, machine learning, engineering, computer science, data analytics, and other disciplines. AI&DHI’s research community spans numerous U-M schools, colleges, and departments.

This resource may be particularly valuable for UM-Dearborn faculty developing interdisciplinary projects in AI, machine learning, computer science, engineering, data analytics, sensors, digital health, or other technology-driven areas with potential healthcare applications.

Request Services

UM-Dearborn faculty who would like to explore AI&DHI support should submit a Campus-MM-AI & Digital Health Innovation Service Request and provide information about their research project and the type of assistance needed.

Funding Opportunities

Below are selected external funding opportunities. For assistance in finding additional federal and private funding opportunities, researchers may access the U-M Library's Research Funding & Grants Guide, the PIVOT Database, or U-M Corporate and Foundation Relations. The OVPR Office of Research Development maintains a database of large-scale opportunities (U-M login required).

NIH S10: Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions

  • Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Opportunity: PAR-27-067 – Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions
  • Proposal Due: Jan. 26, 2027
  • Funding Amount: $25,000–$250,000
  • This limited-competition S10 program supports research instrumentation at resource-limited institutions. At least three Major Users are required at the time of application. Neither the PD/PI nor the Major Users are required to hold an existing NIH award.

NIH S10: Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program

  • Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Opportunity: PAR-27-021 – Seed Instrumentation Support Program
  • Proposal Due: Sept. 25, 2026
  • Funding Amount: $50,000–$400,000
  • The SIS program supports acquisition of a single shared research instrument that can strengthen or expand the research capabilities of NIH-funded investigators. A minimum of two NIH-funded users must be identified.

NIH S10: Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program

  • Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Opportunity: PAR-27-022 – Shared Instrumentation Grant Program
  • Proposal Due: July 1, 2027
  • Funding Amount: $300,000–$5 million
  • The SIG program supports acquisition of a single, expensive, state-of-the-art commercial instrument or integrated system shared by NIH-funded investigators. At least three NIH-funded Major Users are required.
  • Note: NIH’s former Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) pathway has been reissued under the SIG program.

NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15)

  • Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Opportunity: PAR-25-134 – NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions
  • Proposal Due: Oct. 25, 2026
  • Funding Amount: Up to $375,000 in direct costs over a project period of up to three years
  • The AREA program supports small-scale biomedical research projects at eligible undergraduate-focused institutions that receive limited NIH funding. Projects are intended to provide meaningful biomedical research experiences for undergraduate students while strengthening the institution’s research environment.

NIH Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) Award (R16)

  • Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Opportunity: PAR-25-414 – NIH Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) Award
  • Proposal Due: Sept. 28, 2026
  • Funding Amount: Up to $100,000 in direct costs per year for up to four years
  • The SuRE program supports investigator-initiated biomedical research at eligible resource-limited institutions while strengthening institutional research capacity and providing undergraduate and/or graduate students with research experiences.

NSF Engineering Research Initiation (ERI)

  • Sponsor: National Science Foundation
  • Proposal Due: Oct. 9, 2026
  • Funding Amount: Up to $200,000 total, including indirect costs, over 24 months
  • The ERI program supports new engineering faculty as they establish independent research programs and generate the preliminary results that lead to future externally funded research. 
  • NSF Contacts
    We strongly encourage you to contact the NSF ERI program officers before writing and submitting a proposal. Cognizant Program Officer(s):
    Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See the program website for any updates to the points of contact.
  • Rosa Lukaszew, telephone: (703) 292-8103, email: [email protected]
  • Shahab Shojaei-Zadeh, telephone: (703) 292-8045, email: [email protected]
  • Janis P. Terpenny, telephone: (703) 292-2487, email: [email protected]

If you have questions about your eligibility after reviewing the solicitation, please reach out to our office for help: [email protected]

NSF Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)

  • Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Proposal Due: Nov. 4, 2026
  • Funding Amount: Planning grants up to $200,000; Impact awards up to $2 million; Flagship awards up to $5 million
  • The AI Datasets program supports efforts to unlock the value of existing scientific datasets by making them more accessible, easier to integrate, and ready for automated AI-driven analysis and scientific discovery. Activities may include AI-enabled feature extraction and metadata generation, dataset integration, and development of robust data pipelines for automated analysis.
  • Learn more about NSF AI Datasets

Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)

  • Sponsor: U.S. Department of War
  • Proposal Due: Nov. 6, 2026
  • DURIP supports the purchase of research instrumentation that sustains university research in areas important to national defense. Faculty may submit the same proposal to all three DOW offices:

●   Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

●   Office of Naval Research (ONR)

●   Army Research Laboratory (ARL)

Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering

  • Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Proposal due: Rolling Deadline
  • Funding amount: varied. Consult with PO to discuss project scope and budget before applying. 
  • Program: supports fundamental research to advance energy, water, and resource management and to safeguard health. Better use of domestic resources will make U.S. manufacturing, energy, and water systems more efficient and secure. 

MI Water Energy Technology Research Program

  • Sponsor: Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
  • Proposal due: October 30, 2026
  • Funding amount: $2,500,000 total
  • Program: The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Energy Unit is offering a grant for a college or university in the state of Michigan to research an emerging, responsible clean energy technology that utilizes this state’s water resources in an efficient and/or sustainable manner and produce a corresponding research document. The State anticipates the grant period will start upon execution of a grant agreement and will end on August 31, 2028.

Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems

  • Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Proposal Due: Rolling Deadline
  • Funding Amount: Varies; applicants are encouraged to consult with the program officer regarding project scope and budget.
  • This program supports fundamental engineering research that advances understanding and control of biological and physiological systems to improve human health. Research may include novel biomedical technologies, biosensing platforms, biomanufacturing innovations, rehabilitation engineering, and mechanistic studies that integrate engineering principles with biological sciences. The program does not primarily support drug design, drug delivery, or animal model development.

Limited Submissions and Internal Opportunities

The following is a select list of Calls for Intent to Submit and Limited Submissions internal competitions, coordinated by the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research and the Medical School. For a full list of currently open opportunities, visit OVPR's Research Commons.

FY27 MACC Grant: Experience Support Program

Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists

Arts Research: Incubation & Acceleration (ARIA): Faculty Research Funding Program

  • Internal Deadline: Oct. 21, 2026, 5 p.m.
  • Funding: Up to $25,000 (individual faculty) or up to $50,000 (research teams), for up to two years
  • A joint U-M Arts Initiative and OVPR program supporting arts-centered research and creative practice across all three U-M campuses, including UM-Dearborn. Interdisciplinary teams of two U-M faculty co-PIs are especially encouraged.
  • Learn more and apply to the ARIA Faculty Research Funding Program

Bold Challenges Accelerate Program 2027

  • Applications: Rolling (internal deadline June 30, 2027)
  • Funding: Up to $250,000 in incentive-based support, plus proposal-development services
  • An OVPR Bold Challenges program supporting interdisciplinary teams that are actively pursuing a transformational, large-scale external grant, with personalized proposal-development support — team facilitation, project management, graphic design and proposal review — alongside incentive-based funding.
  • Learn more and apply to the Bold Challenges Accelerate Program

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