NSF Funding Opportunities in the Biological Sciences

Paul Farel, Ph.D.Program Director

pfarel@nsf.gov

Biological Sciences Directorate

Directorate for Biological Sciences

BIO Mission:

To support the vitality of

the biological sciences

Biology for the 21st CenturyIntegrative and Multiscale

Broad participation

Education

Public understanding of science

Research infrastructure

International engagement

Population & Evolutionary Processes

Population & Evolutionary Processes

Directorate for Biological Sciences(BIO)

Directorate for Biological Sciences(BIO) Information and Automation

Resources Unit (IAR)

Information and Automation Resources Unit (IAR)

Division of Environmental

Biology(DEB)

Division of Environmental

Biology(DEB)

Ecological BiologyEcological Biology

EcosystemScience

EcosystemScience

Division of Integrative Organismal Systems

(IOB)

Division of Integrative Organismal Systems

(IOB)

BehavioralSystems

BehavioralSystems

Developmental Systems

Developmental Systems

Environmental &Structural Systems

Environmental &Structural Systems

Division of Molecular and

Cellular Biosciences

(MCB)

Division of Molecular and

Cellular Biosciences

(MCB)

BiomolecularSystems

BiomolecularSystems

Cellular SystemsCellular Systems

Genes and GenomeSystems

Genes and GenomeSystems

Emerging Frontiers (EF)

Systematic Biology &Biodiversity Inventories

Systematic Biology &Biodiversity Inventories

Functional & Regulatory Systems

Functional & Regulatory Systems

ResearchResources

ResearchResources

HumanResources

HumanResources

Division ofBiological

Infrastructure(DBI)

Division ofBiological

Infrastructure(DBI)

Plant GenomeResearch Program

Plant GenomeResearch Program

National Ecological Observatory Network

National Ecological Observatory Network

How is BIO a distinctive model?

1) Working across "boundaries" (clusters, divisions, directorates, agencies)

2) One biology - ALL of biology within a single administrative unit with extensive cooperation and coordination

3) Together, these allow us to focus on transformative research

Funding Opportunities

Unsolicited Proposals in Disciplinary Programs“Regular” research grants including RUICAREER programSGER and conference grantsSupplements for broadening participation and for enhancing research impacts

Solicited proposals for specific programsRIG-CAA (BIO only)Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)Training grants- IGERT, REU sites, GK12Priority areas (e.g., Cyberinfrastructure)

Regular Research Grants

Unsolicited

TopicsBIO Directorate does not consider disease related research proposals.

BIO Directorate does not consider duplicate proposals unless you are a beginning investigator.

Research Programs and Clusters are described on the BIO web page.

Visit the BIO Division Web Pages

Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)

Biomolecular SystemsStructure, function, dynamics, of biological molecules

Cellular Systems Structure, function, and regulation of plant, animal and microbial cells, and their interactions

Genes and Genome SystemsGenomes and genetic mechanisms in all organisms

Fundamental understanding of life processes at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels

Division of Integrative Organismal Biology (IOB)

Behavioral SystemsNeurobiology, hormonal mechanisms, behavior, plant-animal interactions

Developmental SystemsMorphogenesis, embryogenesis,, differentiation, Neuroscience

Environmental & Structural Systems

Physiological ecology, sensation & movement, evolutionary genomics

Functional & Regulatory SystemsPhysiology, immunology, functional morphology, neurophysiology

Division of Environmental Biology (DEB)

Ecological BiologySpecies interactions, community ecology, food webs, landscape ecology, paleoecology, co-evolution

Ecosystem ScienceWhole-system processes, biogeochemistry, decomposition, productivity

Population and Evolutionary ProcessesPopulation dynamics, evolutionary ecology, evolutionary genetics, molecular population biology

Systematic Biology & Biodiversity Inventories

Plant and animal classification, systematics, phylogenetics, taxonomy, biodiversity

Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)

Human ResourcesResearch Experience for Undergraduates – SitesPostdoctoral Research Fellowships for minorities and in Biological Informatics

Research ResourcesBiological Databases and InformaticsBiological Research CollectionsInstrumentation and Instrument DevelopmentImprovements in Field Stations & Marine Labs

Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program

Eligibilityuntenured assistant professors

FeaturesPlans for research and education for five yearsMinimum of $500,000 for five years in BIOOne deadline a yearSome CAREER awardees receive PECASE awards

Check the program announcement

RUI: Research in Undergraduate Institutions

ObjectivesTo support high-quality research by faculty members of predominantly undergraduate institutions

To strengthen the research environment in academic departments that are oriented primarily toward undergraduate instruction

To promote the integration of research and education

EligibilityInstitution: NSF-supported fields, more undergrads than grads, <10 doctoral degrees/year,

Department: No Doctoral program or participation in such program

Investigator: Does not advise doctoral students

Proposal must include “RUI Impact” Statement Describes the expected effects of the proposed research on the research and educational environment of the institution

Integrative And Multiscale

Some BIO Program Solicitations

Research

Training and Resources

Broadening Participation

Biological Databases and Informatics

Computational aspects funded in all programs in the BIO directorate

BDI focuses on generalizable applications and tools and solutions across biology areas

BDI covers all areas of biology, from ecoinformatics to microarrays

Plant Genome Research Program

Overall Program Goals:Support research on the structure, organization and function of plant genomes

Accelerate the acquisition and utilization of new knowledge and innovative technologies

Focus is on plants of economic importance and plant processes of potential economic value.

The 2010 Project: FY2006 To determine the function of

all genes in Arabidopsis thaliana by the year 2010

Arabidopsis Genome Sequenced, Dec 2000

NSF initiated the 2010 project in 2001

Emphasis AreasBenchmarking the Gene Function

• A function determined for the entire genome

Methods and Resources• Arabidopsis-specific

Exemplary Networks• Computational and

experimental tools

BudgetTotal

• $25M

Projects• Up to $5M for up to 5 years

• Resource projects no more than 3 years

Frontiers in Integrative Biological Research (FIBR)

Supports integrative research that addresses major under-studied or unanswered questions in the biological sciences

Encourages the integration of scientific concepts and research tools from across disciplines including biology, math and the physical sciences, engineering, social sciences and the information sciences

Other BIO-wide opportunities

Tree of LifeSystematics and classification of organisms

Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID)

Research Coordination Networks (RCN)Collaboration among scientists across geographic, disciplinary, and organizational boundaries, new research directions

Microbial Observatories (MO) and Microbial Interactions and Processes (MIP)

Microbial Genome Sequencing

REU: Research Experiences for Undergraduates - Sites

Provides support for a cohort of UG students who conduct individual research.

A well-defined common focus.

Goal: involve UG students who might not otherwise have the opportunity, particularly those from academic institutions where research programs are limited

Typically for 6 – 10 weeks in the summer

Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs

Awards for research and training

Applicants choose sponsoring scientist and provide research/training plan

Two-year awards

Two opportunitiesMinority Postdoctoral Fellowships

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biological Informatics

MRI:Major Research Instrumentation Program

NSF wide program, BIO managed reviewSupports acquisition of special purpose instrumentation used in research and research trainingAwards for instrumentation will range from $100,000 to $2 million. Deadline: 4th Thursday in January, annuallyProgram Announcement: NSF-05-515

RIG-CAA: Research Initiation Grants and Career Advancement Awards to Broaden Participation

in the Biological Sciences

ObjectiveTo provide funding for PIs in order to broaden participation and to enhance opportunities to obtain competitive research funding

EligibilityFaculty from underrepresented groups Minority serving institutions Others with plans to increase minority participation as PIs with research funding

TypesRIG – New InvestigatorsCAA – May have previous or current research funding

BudgetIncludes $150k - 24 months, $25k equipment

Award Supplement Opportunities

Research Experiences for K-12 Teachers (RET)Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)Research Opportunity Awards (ROA)Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS) International Research and Education Supplements

NSF on the web- An indispensable resource

www.nsf.gov