This document has been archived and replaced by NSF-95-138

Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
Integrative Biology and Neuroscience
Environmental Biology
Biological Instrumentation and Resources

Support may also be provided for research workshops, symposia, conferences, the purchase of scientific equipment for research purposes, the operation of specialized research facilities, and the improvement of research collections. Supplemental support is available for undergraduates who are working on individual projects that will allow them to have a meaningful research experience through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, and for faculty at institutions with limited research opportunities through the Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) Program. Selected programs provide support for doctoral dissertation research. There is also support for postdoctoral research fellowships for ethnic minorities, in Biosciences Related to the Environment, and in Molecular Evolution. See the Chapter "Other Research Activities," for details on these and other cross-directorate programs.

In addition, BIO has launched a directorate-wide initiative, the Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program. This special program of postdoctoral research fellowships helps prepare exceptionally trained minority scientists to assume positions of scientific leadership in academia. The fellowships are awarded to underrepresented minority scientists for scientific research in disciplines covered by BIO. Travel awards are available to help potential fellows identify, meet, and select prospective mentors.

To provide reasonable assurance of long-term support for continuing projects of high scientific merit, funding may be provided for periods of up to 60 months in annual increments, contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory progress of the research.

Institutions are required to share in the cost of unsolicited research projects supported by NSF grants or contracts.

Before submitting a proposal for research support, consult the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 94-2) and Proposal Forms Kit (NSF 94-3) for guidance in preparing the application. A recommended format and some standard forms are in the brochure.

Eligibility
The most frequent recipients of support for basic scientific research in the biological sciences are academic institutions and nonprofit research groups. In special circumstances, grants also are awarded to other types of institutions and to individuals. In these cases, preliminary inquiry should be made to the appropriate program officer before a proposal is submitted. Support may be provided for projects involving a single scientist or a number of scientists. Awards are made for projects confined to a single disciplinary area and for those that cross or merge disciplinary interests.

Deadlines
Proposals may be submitted at any time. For review within six months, proposals should be submitted on or before target dates, which vary by division and by program. Target dates are published regularly in the NSF Bulletin, or contact the appropriate division or program for the dates.

For More Information
For further information, contact the responsible division director, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

Areas of Research
The major research areas funded by programs in the BIO Directorate are summarized below. Note: Support is not provided for clinical research, biomedical research, or research with disease-related goals. Examples of areas of research that will not be considered are epidemiology; toxicology; the development or testing of drugs or procedures for their use; diagnosis or treatment of disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings or animals; and animal models of such conditions. Investigators with questions regarding appropriateness of their research are encouraged to contact the most appropriate program prior to submitting a proposal.

Molecular and Cellular Biosciences

• Cell Biology--Supports research through programs in Cellular Organization and Signal Transduction and Regulation on the structural and functional organization of plant, animal, and microbial cells and on signaling pathways and regulation at the cellular level. Cellular organization includes the assembly and function of structural elements in the cell such as the cytoskeleton, membranes, organelles, intracellular compartments, intranuclear structures, and the extracellular matrix (including walls). Also included are both structural and dynamic aspects of cellular and intracellular motility, meiosis and mitosis, and cell shape and cell polarity. Related topics include the mechanisms of endocytosis, exocytosis, and intracellular trafficking of membranes and macromolecules. Signaling and regulation include intracellular and transmembrane signal transduction mechanisms such as ion channel activity and second messenger cascades, cellular mechanisms of recognition and defense, and the control of cell cycle progression and cell growth.

• Biochemistry and Molecular Structure and Function--Supports basic research through programs in Molecular Biochemistry, Metabolic Biochemistry, and Molecular Biophysics aimed at understanding the structure, function, and dynamics of biological macromolecules. Studies consider the molecular basis of the mechanisms and regulation of enzyme catalysis; protein synthesis and ribosome structure; protein and nucleic acid synthesis; the synthesis and properties of biomolecular materials; the three-dimensional structure of macromolecules; the relationship between structure and function; assembly and architecture of supramolecular structures; energy transduction; photosynthetic reaction centers; and mechanisms of electron transfer in biological systems. Research on the characterization of primary and secondary metabolic pathways, biogeochemical cycles, and xenobiotic and polymer degradation is also supported. Theoretical as well as both in vivo and in vitro experimental studies are considered in all areas.

• Genetics and Nucleic Acids--Supports a wide range of studies through programs in Microbial Genetics, Eukaryotic Genetics, and Biochemical Genetics directed toward answering significant questions of genetic organization, recombination, transcription, genome replication and function, and transmission of heritable information in all organisms from viruses to plants and animals. Such questions can be asked of either the nuclear or organelle genome. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, mechanisms of gene regulation, recombination, meiotic and mitotic mechanisms, sex determination, interactions at the genetic level between organisms, and molecular evolution. Approaches to the questions can utilize Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics, or biochemical methods, or, ideally, any combination that will be optimally effective.

Integrative Biology and Neuroscience

• Developmental Mechanisms--Supports research on the nature and control of those processes that comprise the life cycle of organisms. Approaches range from molecular genetic analysis of developmental processes to the experimental manipulation of whole organisms. Research in microorganisms, plants, and animals is supported. Activities include gametogenesis, fertilization, embryogenesis, differentiation, pattern formation, morphogenesis, seed and fruit development and ripening, incompatibility, and senescence.

• Neuroscience-Supports research on all aspects of nervous system structure, function, and development. Integrative approaches to basic research range from fundamental mechanisms of neuron function at the molecular and cellular levels to adaptations of the brain for appropriate behavior in particular environments. The development and use of a wide diversity of organisms as biological models for understanding fundamental principles underlying nervous system organization and behavior are a major focus. Multidisciplinary collaborative research projects that involve the application of different types of research techniques to single, focused problems in neuroscience are encouraged. Activities include:
  1. Behavioral Neuroscience--Supports research on the neural regulation of behavioral events ranging from simple movements to complex adaptive and interactive responses. Approaches that use novel molecular and cellular techniques to study behavior within an evolutionary and ecological context are encouraged.

  2. Computational Neuroscience--Supports research in the computational functions of neurons, neural circuits, and nervous systems. This activity encourages development and testing of mathematical or computer models of neural systems, and the study of these systems including invertebrates. The activity also welcomes theoretical approaches in all areas of neuroscience that develop innovative, testable concepts that clarify and extend current experimental observations.

  3. Developmental Neuroscience--Supports research on development, regeneration, and aging of the nervous system. Studies supported by this activity seek to elucidate basic mechanisms and principles typically having applicability to many neuronal systems. Current studies are probing aspects of morphogenesis, cell division, cell determination, cell migration, axon growth, synapse formation, and cell death, as well as other areas. These studies may employ a wide range of approaches, ranging from the use of cellular and molecular techniques to the study of development at the system or behavioral level.

  4. Neuroendocrinology--Supports research on the multifaceted relationships among the central nervous system, hormones, and behavior, especially in relation to environmental factors. This includes how the brain controls endocrine secretion, and the effects of steroid and peptide hormones on the brain. Research ranges from the basic mechanisms underlying neuroendocrine development and regulation to the use of molecular biological tools to examine the interaction between physiologically and behaviorally related events and gene expression.

  5. Neuronal and Glial Mechanisms--Supports research on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal and glial cell function, including energy metabolism, ion and substrate transport, and synaptic mechanisms with emphasis on neurotransmitter-neuromodulator metabolism, storage, release, and reuptake. Major thrusts are the genetic and biophysical basis of membrane electrical properties, their regulation by intracellular second messengers, and the integration of metabolism and signaling activity by interactions between neurons and glia in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

  6. Sensory Systems--Supports research on the mechanisms by which the nervous system acquires, encodes, and processes information about the environment. This includes research on neural processes at the molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels, and psychophysical correlates of sensory neural processes. Topics include sensory transduction; neural coding and integrative mechanisms; and comparative aspects of sensory capabilities, including vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, equilibrium, electrosensory, magnetic, and other senses.

• Physiology and Behavior--Supports integrative studies of physiological functions at the cellular, systemic, and organismal levels and animal behavior in both field and laboratory settings. Activities include:
  1. Animal Behavior--Supports research on mechanisms, development, functions, and evolution of behavior, studied observationally and experimentally in laboratory and natural settings. Areas include animal learning; behavioral ecology; and the environmental, genetic, motivational, and cognitive processes underlying the behavior of animals. Interdisciplinary collaborations and other projects that integrate diverse approaches to the study of behavior are particularly encouraged.

  2. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology--Supports research on organismal biology in the areas of functional morphology and physiological ecology of plants, animals, protists, fungi, and bacteria. The activity also supports research on comparative physiology and biomechanics that addresses ecological or evolutionary questions. The studies, which focus largely on whole organisms, concern the physiological or morphological mechanisms that account for environmental adaptation or performance, how these mechanisms have evolved, and how they may influence evolutionary pathways or interactions between organisms and their biotic or physicochemical environment.

  3. Integrative Animal Biology--Supports research on basic physiological mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and integrated system levels. Its encompassing theme is "how animals work." The program includes research on integrative aspects of comparative physiology, functional morphology, endocrinology, and biomechanics. Studies that focus on the nervous system are supported by the Neuroscience Program.

  4. Integrative Plant Biology--Supports research on the plant as a functional unit, integrating molecular, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to the understanding of plant form and function. Examples include whole-plant, tissue, and organ physiology, sensory mechanisms, and hormonal regulation of plant function. Biochemical and physiological interactions of plants with pathogens, nitrogen-fixing organisms, mycorrhizae and other rhizosphere organisms, epiphytes, endophytes, and plant parasites are included. The emphasis is on understanding the physiological and metabolic basis of plant response to such interactions. Also included are investigations of the physiological and biochemical responses of plant function to environmental factors.

Environmental Biology

DEB also supports (1) the curatorial improvement and computerization of research collections; (2) the network of long-term ecological research sites; (3) doctoral dissertation research; (4) research conferences and workshops that relate to the described programs; and (5) a variety of NSF-wide activities summarized in the Chapter "Other Research Activities."

• Systematic and Population Biology Cluster--Supports research on the patterns and causes of diversity among organisms, populations, species, and macroevolutionary clades. Research projects may involve all groups of organisms including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine taxa, from microbes to multicellular plants and animals. Two panels consider proposals submitted to the cluster: Population Biology and Systematics. When appropriate, proposals are considered by both panels or jointly with other programs in the Foundation.

  The Population Biology Panel reviews proposals in areas such as (1) molecular population studies, including analyses of the causes and consequences of variation and change in biochemical characteristics, RNA and DNA sequences, the population genetics of mobile elements, the evolution of genic and genomic organization and functioning, and the evolution of organismal development; (2) population and quantitative genetics, directed to understanding the genotypic and phenotypic variation of populations during microevolution, geographical differentiation, organismal adaptation to changing environments, natural hybridization, and speciation; and (3) studies of life history and life cycle phenomena from ecological and evolutionary perspectives, animal and plant demography of age- and stage-structured populations, and population dynamics, including linear, nonlinear, and stochastic approaches.

  The Systematics Panel reviews proposals in area such as (1) morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses that produce or test phylogenetic hypotheses or models, and use of derived phylogenies to elucidate patterns of structural, developmental, or molecular evolution; (2) taxonomic and classification studies that lead to improved classifications, better methods of taxonomic identification, contributions to classificatory theory, nomenclatural reform, and increased understanding of processes that underlie the origin of taxonomic diversity; and (3) theoretical and empirical studies of biogeographical, co-evolutionary, and paleobiological patterns to develop models of the origin, diversification, distribution, and extinction of species and evolutionary lineages, and to determine the tempo and mode of evolutionary change.

• Ecological Studies Cluster--Supports research on natural and managed ecological systems, primarily in terrestrial, wetland, freshwater, and estuarine habitats. Research includes experimental, theoretical, and modeling studies on the structure and function of complex biotic-abiotic associations, and the coupling of small-scale systems to each other and to large-scale systems. Current areas of emphasis include the role of biological diversity in ecological systems, the ecological effects of global change, and the ecological basis of sustainability.

  Two panels consider proposals submitted to this cluster. The Ecosystems Panel reviews proposals on mechanistic or empirical investigation of whole-system ecological processes and relationships in the following areas: (1) biogeochemistry such as studies of decomposition, global and regional elemental budgets, and biotic versus abiotic controls of nutrient cycles; (2) primary productivity, particularly ecophysiology within an ecosystem framework; and (3) landscape dynamics with an emphasis on quantitative models of disturbances, ecosystem resilience, and successional patterns.

  The Ecology Panel focuses on community ecology and population interactions in such areas as (1) dynamics and processes within specific communities or habitats; (2) food-web structure and landscape patterns formed by community dynamics and paleoecology; and (3) organismal interactions such as mutualism, plant-animal interactions, competition, predation, co-evolution, and chemical or evolutionary ecology. The Ecological Studies Cluster encourages projects that develop conceptual and synthetic linkages among the research areas in ecological studies, such as theoretical and modeling studies conducted at one or at several scales of ecological organization, and studies that synthesize empirical and theoretical findings into new ecological paradigms.

• Long-Term Projects in Environmental Biology Cluster--Supports projects in areas that require continuing investments over long periods of time, including: (1) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects, which investigate whole ecosystems and their component organisms and processes at sites representing major biomes. Projects are multidisciplinary and actively encourage collaborative research with other investigators; (2) Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) projects, which are smaller studies focused on evolutionary or ecological phenomena and require long-term investigation; (3) Land-Margin Ecosystem Research (LMER) projects, which are supported jointly with the Biological Oceanography Program and are aimed at understanding land-margin ecosystems and their links with adjacent terrestrial and marine ecosystems; (4) Research Collections in Systematics and Ecology, which support projects for the improvement of research collections and their preservation and accessibility to the research community. Production of computerized databases openly available through electronic networks is especially emphasized; and (5) Biotic Surveys and Inventories, which are supported to collect, census, record, and understand the diversity of life on Earth. Well-curated permanent collections and computerized databases are strongly encouraged as products of such support.

Biological Instrumentation and Resources

• Multiuser Biological Instrumentation--Provides cost-shared support for the acquisition of major items of specialized, multiuser instrumentation. The instrumentation must be used in the conduct of research that falls within the purview of the BIO Directorate. Cost-sharing of the capital cost on the part of the institution is required. In special cases, support is provided for technical improvements associated with the use of new, very expensive commercial instruments, or partial support for instrumentation resources providing access to novel instruments. Further information can be found in Instrument Development for Biological Research/Multi-User Biological Equipment and Instrumentation Resources Program Announcement (NSF 92-126).

• Instrument Development for Biological Research--Supports the development of new instrumentation that will increase the accuracy, range, or sensitivity of observations for BIO research fields. Related activities for enhancing the value of existing instrumentation are supported and include the development of new techniques and software to extend the range or improve the performance of specialized instrumentation. Research demonstrating proof-of-concept and the development of working prototypes is also supported. Further information can be found in Instrument Development for Biological Research/Multi-User Biological Equipment and Instrumentation Resources Program Announcement (NSF 92-126).

• Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories--Supports refurbishment, rehabilitation, enhancement, and construction, including laboratory renovations, at these research resources. Sites are required to have a plan for archiving (in electronic form) and making shareable scientific databases available on the unique data they obtain. Support can be provided for necessary computer equipment, connectivity, and development of these scientific databases. For further information, contact the BIR Division, 306-1483.

• Living Stock Collections--Supports repositories for seed, stock, cell lines, and clones, as essential national or international scientific resources for BIO research areas. Funds are also provided for curator databases and for linking the information associated with the collection with other information resources or scientific databases. Long-term support of a collection or repository will require the development and use of such databases. Further information can be found in Guidelines for Proposals for Support of Living Stock Collections Program Announcement (NSF 90-107).

• Research Training Groups--Supports the operation of programs designed to train biologists in research areas that cross traditional disciplinary lines. Typically, awards provide stipends for graduate students and support training of undergraduate and postdoctoral students. These five-year awards also provide funds for training expenses. The next competition is planned for awards in fiscal year 1996. Further information can be found in BIO Research Training Groups Program Announcement (NSF 93- 137).

• Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and Supporting Activities--Is designed to encourage ethnic minority scientists in the BIO disciplines to seek the very best postdoctoral training available. This goal is addressed through two mechanisms. First, an award of up to $3,000 may be made to eligible graduate students to visit up to three potential postdoctoral training sites to discuss their plans with possible mentors. Second, fellowships may be awarded to eligible applicants for two years of support while pursuing postdoctoral training at the institution of their choice. Study abroad is encouraged for some portion of the fellowship tenure. Fellows are also eligible for some matching funds to establish their research program if they obtain a tenure-track position at the end of the fellowship. Eligibility is limited to Native Americans (American Indians and Alaska Natives), Blacks, Native Pacific Islanders (Micronesians and Polynesians), and Hispanics. Applicants may not have completed more than two years of postdoctoral support. Further information can be found in Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and Supporting Activities Program Announcement (NSF 94-133).

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biosciences Related to the Environment--Selects recipients from all subdisciplines of biology. These two-year awards will permit fellows to pursue innovative and imaginative research on the fundamental mechanisms underlying the interaction between organisms and their environment at the molecular, cellular, organismal, population, and/or ecosystem level. By focusing on environmental biosciences, NSF seeks to strengthen the basic biological sciences integral to a complete understanding of environmental processes; to generate fundamental, new knowledge of the environment; and to provide a solid scientific basis for the Nation's analysis of and decisionmaking on environmental issues. Applicants must earn a doctoral degree by June 15 following the deadline date of the application or no earlier than three years preceding the deadline date. The program has the following objectives beyond the support of excellent research: to encourage the scientist at an early stage of his or her career to benefit from new experiences and exposure to new concepts in a new institution and research environment, and to provide opportunities to work abroad, to spend extensive periods in the field, or to work at unique research sites and facilities. Further information can be found in Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biosciences Related to the Environment Program Announcement (NSF 94-114).

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Molecular Evolution--Is administered jointly by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences to increase support for basic research in molecular evolution. Molecular evolutionary studies involve the theoretical, comparative, computational, and experimental analyses of biological patterns and processes at the molecular level, within the framework of organismic evolutionary change and adaptation. The fellowship provides recipients with the freedom to define and pursue their own research programs while developing relevant interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in a host laboratory or field station. Applicants must have received a doctoral degree within the past four years or receive one in the next year, and are expected to submit research plans that differ from the plans followed during their doctoral training or their current postdoctoral research. The two-year awards may be held at any appropriate nonprofit institution, domestic or foreign. In recognition of the value of international perspectives, applicants who choose a U.S. host institution may include a visit of at least six months to an appropriate foreign site. Further information can be found in the revised program announcement for 1994, Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Molecular Evolution (NSF 93-151, rev.7/94)

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• Arabidopsis Genome Research Initiative--Is one of the special initiatives of the Directorate for Biological Sciences. It is part of the multinational coordinated research effort to develop and use Arabidopsis thaliana as a model experimental system for studies on the biology of flowering plants. The scope of the initiative encompasses all areas of plant biology under the purview of BIO, ranging from individual research projects to technique/method/resource development to training of graduate and postdoctoral students. All proposals under this initiative must compete for support with other non-Arabidopsis proposals in appropriate BIO programs.

• Plant Science Opportunities--Supports new opportunities for plant biology research. Currently the interagency program Collaborative Research in Plant Biology is being supported by the NSF, the Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. BIR will consider proposals in plant biology that are outside the normal scope of activities of research programs within the other BIO divisions.

• Scientific Databases for the Biological Sciences--Provides support for cross-disciplinary efforts to design, develop, implement, and use database resources. Research collaboration among biologists and computer scientists and information retrieval specialists from both academic and commercial organizations is strongly encouraged. To facilitate access to current information technology, support is provided for planning, design, prototyping, implementation, and distribution of biological databases, of algorithms and software relevant to analysis of biological information, and of new methods and software supporting construction, operation, and access to biological databases. The Database Activity (DBA) also supports research into development of new data structures and data management systems for biology, development of data dictionaries and common nomenclature for biology, activities that will facilitate exchange of ideas among those engaged in database work, training that will increase the number of individuals with expertise in both biology and database technology, and activities that promote development and use of biological information resources. DBA encourages the use of techniques to enhance information accessibility, retrieval, and sharing via the network, as well as other innovative uses of the network. Further information can be found in Database Activities in Biological, Behavioral, and Social Sciences (NSF 90-70).

• Computational Biology--Promotes, supports, and facilitates the development and use of computational tools, algorithms, and related research that will enhance biological sciences research and infrastructure. Toward this goal, the Computational Biology Activity (CBA) will encourage collaborations of biological scientists with computer, computational, and mathematical scientists and engineers, in the form of research, workshops, and training at all levels. To be supported, a research project would be expected to have a large impact on the biological sciences by providing tools for this community or by developing novel computational or mathematical approaches, especially those involving high performance computing environments and techniques, to biological problems. Further information can be found in Computational Biology Activities in the Biological Sciences Program Announcement (NSF 92-62).

• Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions (C-RUI)--Is a new initiative designed to support multidisciplinary, collaborative research groups at predominately undergraduate institutions. These groups are composed of three faculty members representing at least two disciplinary areas, and up to 10 undergraduates who will work on a biological research project that requires a cross-disciplinary approach. Further information can be found in Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions Program Announcement (NSF 94-90).

• Cross-Directorate Activity--Encompasses a collection of Foundation-wide initiatives that provide support for human resources development and infrastructure improvement. These activities include programs such as Research in Undergraduate Institutions, Minority Research Planning Grants and Career Advancement Awards, Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students, Research Opportunity Awards, Presidential Faculty Fellowships, and other programs targeting faculty in their early careers. Information on these and other cross- directorate programs can be found in the Chapter "Other Research Activities." To facilitate communication within the biology community, questions about any cross-directorate activity may be directed to either BIR or the appropriate disciplinary program.