BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

A Message from the Assistant Director for Biological Sciences

Dear Colleagues,

As you likely know, the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Budget Request was released at the end of May. It includes just over $10 billion for NSF, a 20 percent increase over FY 2021 levels. It also includes the creation of a new Directorate for translation, innovation, and partnerships.

As Dr. Panchanathan said, "This request will bolster the U.S. economy and our leadership in critical and emerging areas of research and technological advancements, which are essential to our long-term economic and national security,"

The budget process will continue on Capitol Hill over the next few months. At NSF, however, and in BIO specifically, we will not pause in funding cutting edge science and engineering, supporting the research community through physical and human infrastructure, and broadening participation in STEM.

To that end, I encourage you to review the funding opportunities below, including the newly released interdisciplinary Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention Phase I: Development Grants (PIPP Phase I). I also encourage you to engage with Program Directors through Division virtual office hours or direct one-on-one conversations. I also encourage you to share highlights from your work -- publications, broader impacts, or otherwise -- with your cognizant Program Officer as early as possible so we can raise up the great efforts happening across the biological sciences.

Additionally, if you are interested in being a part of supporting that research, we are always looking for Rotating Program Officers -- I am proud to say that NSF was ranked 5th among midsize agencies in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government and BIO placed 5th among 411 agency subcomponents across the entire government! Finally, NSF will begin accepting nominations for the 2022 Alan T. Waterman Award on July 19. The award recognizes outstanding young researchers in any field of science or engineering supported by NSF and the fact sheet linked above provides a list of past awardees. I encourage you to consider nominating one of the rising stars in the biological sciences at your institution. Take a look at the Waterman Award website for information on criteria and tips on how to apply. The portal will close mid-September. Sincerely,

Joanne Tornow
NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences

Highlights from Our Awardees

Researchers reveal the inner working of a viral DNA-packaging motor Researchers have discovered the inner workings of the molecular motor that packages genetic material into double-stranded DNA viruses.

World's lakes losing oxygen as planet warms Oxygen levels in the world's temperate freshwater lakes are declining rapidly -- faster than in the oceans -- a trend driven largely by climate change that threatens biodiversity and drinking water quality.

NSF announces major investment in spectroscopy to advance critical imaging technologies NSF is advancing biomolecular research through a geographically distributed Network for Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

Discovery increases likelihood of growing food despite drought Scientists have obtained genetic data that will help food crops like tomatoes and rice survive longer, more intense periods of drought as the planet warms.

Reminder: Share your highlights and outcomes with your Program Officer as soon as possible. We also encourage you to illustrate how an NSF award enabled your work when discussing it publicly and promoting it.

Announcements

Update on COVID-19 Recovery Efforts
Read more

Statement by NSF Director on NSF ranking in Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
Read more

Events

July 13, 2021
Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention: Development Grant (PIPP Phase I) Program Webinar
Program Webinar

July 28-29
Convergence Accelerator Expo 2021
Virtual Event/Exhibition

Funding Opportunities

BIO Core programs:
As a reminder, the core programs in all BIO Divisions accept proposal submissions at any time and have no deadlines. Submissions to these programs must now be made through Research.gov or Grants.gov.

• Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
  • Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (Innovation)
  • Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research (Capacity)
  • Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research (Sustaining)
• Division of Environmental Biology (DEB)
  • DEB Core Programs
• Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS)
  • IOS Core Programs
  • Plant Biotic Interactions
  • Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP)
• Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)
  • MCB: Investigator-initiated research projects
  • Transitions to Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Research (Transitions)

Newly released:

• Dear Colleague Letter: Research Experience for Post-Baccalaureate Students (REPS) in the Biological Sciences Supplemental Funding Opportunity (Target date for FY 2021 funding was July 2, 2021. Submissions for FY 2022 accepted on a rolling basis.)
• Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention: Development Grant (PIPP Phase I) (Full proposal deadline: October 1, 2021)

Upcoming deadlines:

• Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) (Full Proposal deadline: July 26, 2021)
• ADVANCE: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE) (Letter of Intent deadline: August 2, 2021)
• Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis (OPUS) (Full Proposal deadline: August 2, 2021)
• Research Experiences for Teachers Sites in Biological Sciences (BIORETS) (Full Proposal deadline: August 2, 2021)
• Coastlines and People (CoPe) (Letter of Intent deadline for Focused Hubs: August 10, 2021; Letter of Intent deadline for Large-Scale Hubs: September 28, 2021)
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) (Full Proposal deadline: August 25, 2021)

SciComm Corner

From broader impacts to innovative ways to explain biological science, NSF and the community are communicating the value of fundamental research. Check out these recent stories!

NSF Discovery Files: CARBIVORE! Anthropologists' analyzed the fossilized dental plaque of a one-hundred-thousand-year-old Neanderthal to explore the evolution of the oral microbiome.

Blog Post: Science, Art, and Culture: Cicadas Impact Our Lives More Than Just Once Every 17 Years Periodic swarms of cicadas can disrupt or enliven everyday life for humans and are a critical event for researchers to better understand everything from climate change to disaster preparedness to our cultural history.

Blog Post: Researchers Apply COVID-19 Lessons to Prevent Future Pandemics Building on decades of NSF research, scientists and engineers were able to quickly respond to the country’s needs. Their contributions also laid the foundation for the rapid development of treatments and vaccines.

NSF 101: Five Tips for Your Broader Impacts Statements  The Broader Impacts statement is a critical component of any research proposal submitted to NSF. Broader impacts strengthen the relationship between the science community and society. Here are five tips from NSF program officers to help you with your Broader Impacts statement.

BIO Blogs and Outreach

Each division hosts regular office hours on topics of relevance to the community that provide investigators the opportunity to communicate with and ask questions of program officers. Notices are posted on NSF.gov, and more information is available on each division's blog. 

• Division of Biological Infrastructure
  Office hours scheduled as appropriate
• Division of Environmental Biology 
  Second Monday of each month from 1-2 p.m.
• Division of Integrative Organismal Systems  Third Thursday of each month from 1-2 p.m.
• Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences  Second Wednesday of each month from 2-3 p.m.

To get the latest on what’s happening in BIO and learn about announcements, opportunities, upcoming deadlines and more, visit our directorate page.

BIO Divisions

Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
DBI supports development and enhancement of resources for research, human capital, and mid-to-large-scale infrastructure and centers to promote advances in all areas of biological research.

Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)
MCB supports quantitative and interdisciplinary approaches to deciphering the molecular underpinnings of complex living systems.

Division of Environmental Biology (DEB)
DEB supports fundamental evolutionary and ecological research on species, populations, communities and ecosystems, across all spatial and temporal scales.

Emerging Frontiers (EF)
EF supports multidisciplinary research opportunities and networking activities that arise from advances in disciplinary research.

Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS)
IOS supports fundamental research aimed at understanding organisms as units of biological organization, encouraging the use of integrative, interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex problems in organismal biology