The following minutes are a summary of proceedings of the BECON meeting of December 15, 1999. Business conducted during the closed session is included in outline form only. Complete minutes including details of the closed session have been distributed to Consortium members.

A revised BRP program announcement was issued in the NIH Guide on November 30, 1999. The revised announcement differs from the one issued on October 15 in that (1) the deadline for receipt of notices of intent was extended from December 1 to December 15 and (20 the electronic processing pilot program is delayed until the second submittal period (notices of intent due on June 30, 2000 - full applications due on August 15, 2000). The number and topics of the notices of intent received to date were summarized. The Nanotechnology SBIR program announcement was issued in the NIH Guide on December 1, 1999.

2. Nanotechnology Activities

A. BECON Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Symposium - Progress concerning this symposium (scheduled for June 25-26, 2000, at the Natcher Conference Center) was reviewed. Current efforts are aimed at contacting and obtaining commitments from plenary speakers and workshop moderators, completing advertising posters and mailout information, developing lists and contacts of potential commercial exhibitors, and completing the final symposium Web site.

B. A lecture coordinated by the NHGRI and concerning nanotechnology was announced for noon on February 17, 2000, in the Building 31 Conference Room on the NIH Main Campus. The lecture will be given by Dr. David Deamer of the University of California- Santa Cruz) and is titled "Nanopore Analysis of DNA Structure".

3. Recommendations from the BECON Bioimaging Conference (June 1999)

The final report for the BECON Bioimaging Symposium conducted in June 1999 was approved at the November BECON meeting. A discussion was held concerning follow-up of the recommendations presented in that report.

4. Multi-Agency Tissue Engineering Science (MATES) Working Group

The MATES Working Group is proposed as a means for federal agencies involved in tissue engineering to stay informed of activities and to better coordinate efforts in the tissue engineering area. Current participating agencies include NIST, DOE, DARPA, FDA, NIH, NASA, and NSF. The goals of the group are to (l) facilitate communication across departments and agencies, (2) enhance cooperation through scientific meetings and workshops, and (3) monitor technology by undertaking cooperative projects and studies. The initial meeting of the MATES Working Group is scheduled for late January.

5. Institutional Training Grants

A proposed multi-site training program in the computational biosciences was discussed to make institutes aware of this initiative.

Open Session

Dr. Jane Alexander, Deputy Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), made a presentation on the DARPA Biofutures Program. Her presentation described DARPA programs in transdisciplinary research involving current DARPA strengths in information technology and microsystems and the biosciences. Although DARPA's mission is aimed at military applications of science and technology, there are potential synergisms that exist with NIH programs and missions. Dr. Alexander's presentation included potential areas for NIH/DARPA cooperation and specific projects that may be of interest to some NIH institutes.

Next Meeting

The next BECON meeting is scheduled for January 19, 2000, from 3 to 5 PM in Room 151 of Building 1 on the NIH Main Campus. The meeting will be an entirely closed (members only) session which will consist of a business meeting followed by a discussion of bioengineering training needs and directions.