The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) is a niche program that supports innovative basic research into fundamental biological problems with emphasis placed on novel and interdisciplinary approaches that involve scientific exchanges across national and disciplinary boundaries.  The participation of scientist from disciplines outside the traditional life sciences such as biophysics, chemistry computational biology, computer science, engineering, mathematics, nanoscience or physics has made biological research increasingly quantitative and will continue to do so.

a. Scientific Scope:

       - Novel combinations of expertise are a major feature of HFSP-sponsored projects and those involving truly interdisciplinary collaborations will be given clear preference (special conditions apply for Young investigators).

       - Applicants are expected to develop new lines of research through the collaboration.  Project must be distinct from applicants' other research funded by other sources.

       - The collaboration between all team members must be absolutely necessary to achieve the aims of the project.  "Concerted action" programs, in which each team member performs a self-contained project under a general theme without extensive interaction with the other team members are not considered to be collaborative.

       - The HFSP funds basic research.  They aims to support teams of scientifics at the forefront of research in their respective areas, whose collaborative projects open up new frontiers in fundamental biology.  Projects of a primarly pathophysiological nature are not supported. Nor does the HFSP support projects of a purely applied nature: e.g. projects aimed specifically at developing methods of treatment or diagnosis.  Studies related to disease are only considered if they allow new insights into fundamental biological mechanisms.  Projectes which involve only extensive genome mapping or sequencing are not eligible to receive HFSP funding.  However, this does not exclude functional studies based upon use of genome data.  Systematic screening approaches geared to identifying new biological components or reagents are outside the scope of the HFSP.  Projects using "-omics" approaches that will generate large datasets but provide no convincing methodology for their analysis are not eligible.

b. Feature common to both Young Investigators' Grants and Program grants:

       - Amount of award: Teams will receive up to $450,000 per year for the whole team depending on the size of the team: $250,000 for a team of 2; $350,000 for a team of 3; $450,000 for a team of 4 or more.

       - Interdisciplinarity: Applicants may establish a national interdisciplinary collaboration involving scientist with widely differing expertise, but this must be integrated into an international team (with almost exxclusive emphasis on intercontinental collaborations).

       - Each grant is awarded for a period of three years.

c. Types of award:

       - Young Investigators' Program: Newly appointed investigators will be expected to propose projects with team members having distinct expertise and coming from different areas of the life sciences (if not from outside the life sciences).  ALL memers of a Young Investigators' gran team must be within 5 years of obtaining an independent position, but must have obtained their first doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent) no longer than 10 years before the deadline for submission of the letter of intent (exception may be made for periods of compulsory military service, parental leave or absence for medical conditions). Postdocs are not eligible to apply.

       - Program Grants: Projects from more established investigators will preferably involve collaboration with scientist from outside the life science.

d. Deadlines:

       - To obtain a reference number: March 19th, 2015.

       - To submit a LoI: March 31st, 2015.

       - Invitation to submit a full application: July 2015.

       - To submit a full application: mid-September 2015.

e. More information: HERE