Integrative Research in Biology

This solicitation invites submission of collaborative proposals that tackle bold questions in biology and require an integrated approach to make substantive progress. Integrative biological research spans subdisciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery. The research should be synergistic and produce novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth. Such knowledge is critical to inform solutions to societal challenges, including natural resource management, resilience to environmental change, and global food security. Outcomes from integrative research will also inform and guide the development of new technologies that drive the nation’s bioeconomy. Integrative biological research depends on researchers who work in dynamic, diverse, and collaborative interdisciplinary teams. These teams should be fully engaged in the training and education of the next generation of scientists who will be future leaders in integrative research. A vibrant, inclusive, and integrative training environment will therefore produce a new generation of researchers who can navigate across subdisciplines and engage in integrative thinking.

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.