Integrative Research in Biology | 21 622

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Integrative Research in Biology (FON 21-622; CFDA 47.074)

1) What is the name of this NSF funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Integrative Research in Biology" and is run by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

2) What are the identifying numbers for this opportunity?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 21-622 and the CFDA number is 47.074.

3) What type of projects does this program support?

This program supports collaborative, interdisciplinary biology projects that tackle ambitious, high-impact questions that cannot be answered within a single subdiscipline of biology.

4) What does NSF mean by "integrative" research in this solicitation?

NSF is looking for projects that are genuinely integrative, not just multi-topic. The collaboration should create clear synergy, where the combined effort produces discoveries or understanding that would not emerge from separate, parallel projects.

5) Do projects have to be interdisciplinary within biology only, or can they include other fields?

The solicitation emphasizes combining concepts, approaches, datasets, and tools from multiple areas of biology and, where appropriate, bringing in cutting-edge methods from adjacent fields.

6) What kinds of biological "scales" are emphasized in the research?

NSF emphasizes connecting biological understanding across multiple scales of organization. Examples include molecules to cells, cells to tissues, tissues to organisms, organisms to populations, populations to ecosystems, and even Earth-scale biological processes.

7) Is it enough to include multiple scales, or does the proposal need to justify that integration is essential?

Competitive projects are expected to show why integration across scales is essential to the core research question and how the team will translate that integration into substantive biological insight.

8) What is the overall goal of encouraging cross-scale integration?

The goal is to produce a more holistic picture of how living systems function and interact, rather than isolated findings confined to one level of analysis.

9) Does NSF expect societal relevance from projects funded under this program?

Yes. NSF frames integrative biological knowledge as practically important for society and points to potential outcomes that can inform solutions to major challenges.

10) What kinds of societal challenges are mentioned in the solicitation?

The solicitation specifically mentions managing natural resources, improving resilience to environmental change, and strengthening global food security.

11) Is this opportunity focused only on applied research?

No. The program is positioned to support basic, discovery-driven science as well as longer-term translational pathways that can grow out of deeper biological understanding.

12) How does NSF connect integrative biology to innovation and the U.S. bioeconomy?

NSF highlights that foundational discoveries from integrative biology often feed into new technologies and innovations, helping drive the United States bioeconomy.

13) What does NSF expect in terms of team structure and collaboration?

The opportunity emphasizes projects carried out by dynamic, diverse, and collaborative teams that can work effectively across disciplinary boundaries, integrate different perspectives, and build shared frameworks for addressing complex systems.

14) Are training and education components important in this program?

Yes. Alongside the research, the program strongly values training and education as part of the project design.

15) Who is expected to benefit from the training and education components?

Teams are expected to actively involve and mentor the next generation of scientists, including students and early-career researchers, in an inclusive training environment.

16) What kind of skills or perspectives should trainees gain from supported projects?

The solicitation emphasizes developing integrative thinking skills and preparing trainees to operate across subdisciplines, positioning them to lead future interdisciplinary efforts.

17) What type of grant program is this administratively?

It is described as a discretionary grant program run by NSF in the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" category.

18) What was the original closing date listed for the solicitation?

The original closing date listed was January 25, 2022.

19) About how many awards did NSF anticipate making?

NSF anticipated making about 20 awards.

20) Is there a maximum award amount (award ceiling) stated in the listing?

The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a fixed maximum was not specified in the public summary. Applicants are expected to rely on the full solicitation guidance and budget justification expectations.

21) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." This indicates applicants would need to consult the full solicitation for specific eligibility rules and any partnership requirements.

22) What is a common pitfall this solicitation is trying to avoid?

Based on the language in the opportunity description, a key pitfall is submitting a proposal that is merely multi-topic or composed of parallel subprojects, rather than demonstrating true integration and synergy across participating disciplines and scales.