The U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is putting more than $22 million into nine research projects that will support new manufacturing technologies in industries ranging from biopharmaceuticals to renewable energy and electronics. NIST's Technology Innovation Program (TIP) is funding the awards.

"Keeping our nation's high-tech industries at the forefront of innovation is a key component to maintaining and improving U.S. industrial competitiveness in an increasingly competitive world," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. "Through these TIP awards, we will help advance cutting-edge research in major growth sectors of 21st century manufacturing, including renewable energy and advanced pharmaceuticals."

TIP funds research projects for small- and medium-sized businesses ranging from educational institutions to nonprofit research organizations and national laboratories. The recipients of this award are:

 Isogenis, Inc. - The Aurora, Colorado, bio firm will invest in transfer vehicles for vaccines, gene therapy, and tissue transplants. ($2.7 million in TIP funding)
 ActaCell, Inc. - The Austin, Texas, company will invest in nanocomposites for its lithium-ion batteries. ($3 million)
 Engineered BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. - The Manchester, Connecticut, firm will invest in its freeze-dried powder process. ($3 million)
 Arsenal Medical, Inc. - The Watertown, Massachusetts, business will invest in high-throughput, electrospun core-sheath fibers. ($2.3 million)
 Kent Displays, Inc. - The Kent, Ohio, firm will invest in high-tech manufacturing of flexible liquid crystal displays. ($3 million)
 Precision BioSciences, Inc. - The Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, company will invest in reprogramming mammalian cell lines to optimize biopharmaceutical production. ($2.7 million)
 Ginkgo BioWorks - The Boston-based business will invest in volatile reporters for monitoring biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins. ($1 million)
 Sinmat Inc. - The Gainesville, Florida, company will invest in surface-engineered substrates for next-generation electronic and photonic devices. ($2.4 million)
 Polyera Corporation - The Skokie, Illinois, corporation will invest in the synthesis of high-efficiency organic photovoltaics for cost-effective manufacturing. ($2 million)