1

NIST BIOSCIENCE PROGRAMS

Laurie E. Locascio, PhD

Material Measurement Laboratory Director
2

In the ~ $70M Bioscience programs, what are 

the 4-5 areas of most significant investment? 

How do you anticipate this may differ, or not, in 

2020?
3

TARGETED AREAS OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE FROM 

2005-2015 

Cell and System Analysis

New methods and technologies for probing 

cells and systems including tissue and 

organism level measurements (health)

Biomanufacturing

Develop measurement science, 

standards and technologies for 

biopharma industry focusing on 

protein therapies (health, 

manufacturing)

Omics Measurements

Develop the measurement capabilities to 

support growing needs in genomics, 

proteomics, metabolomics (health)

Additional significant investments in:

• Environmental health and safety aspects of nanotechology (Nano-EHS, initiative funds)

• Clinical standards (SRM-WCF funds)

• DNA forensics (OA funds)
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AREAS OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE (2015-2025) 

Quantitative Tools for Characterization of 

Complex Biologics 

Define complex biomolecules/biologics 

through quantitative measurements to enable 

prediction of biological function in healthcare 

applications (manufacturing, health)

Microbial Measurements

Develop measurement 

infrastructure for microbial 

measurements (health, 

environment)

Engineering biology

Develop the measurements and models for 

engineering biology to map out the 

fundamental principles that drive development 

of next generation bio-based products (high 

tech manufacturing, health)

Precision Medicine 

Develop measurement science and 

standards to ensure confidence in 

clinical decision-making, and 

ultimately enable adoption of 

precision medicine (health)

Data and Informatics

Provide validated data and 

informatics tools to support 

confident decision-making (all 

sectors)
5

-Omics (25%)

-Clinical standards (5%)

-Biomanufacturing (25%)

-Cell and System Analysis 

(15%)

-Forensic DNA – continue (5%)

-NanoEHS - decrease (5%)

-Precision Medicine (20%)

-Microbial measurements (5%)

-Quantitative Tools for 

Characterization of Complex Biologics 

(25%)

-Engineering Biology (15%)

-Data and informatics – increase (15%)

MAPPING PAST AND FUTURE
6 www.forbes.com

KNOWLEDGE

2M investment this 

year from MML 

discretionary funds
7

There are 10 sites where NIST has partnerships 

with embedded staff; it would be helpful to 

better understand the range of partnership 

models and how these remote entities best 

partner with NIST headquarters.
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Boulder, CO

Gaithersburg, MD

Inst. for Bioscience and 

Biotech. Research (IBBR)

University of Maryland

Hollings Marine 

Laboratory (HML)

Charleston, SC

Joint Initiative in 

Metrology for Biology 

(JIMB)

Stanford Univ, CA

Main Campuses Strategically 

established 

partnerships

NIST researchers located 

on all sites and NIST on 

governing and science 

strategy boards;

Remote sites engaged in 

meetings, and quarterly 

visits from Lab Office

Opportunistic 

partnerships

BIOSCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS
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Are staffing needs met successfully? How can NIST 

improve exposure, image, etc. to ensure policy 

makers are more aware of the success stories and 

at the same time improve visibility to potential 

staff candidates?