The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) 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.  To stimulate novel, daring ideas and innovative approaches, preliminary results are not required in research grant applications. The HFSP places special emphasis on encouraging  scientists early in their careers – this is expressed both in the establishment of a special Young  Investigators’ Grant and in encouraging scientists early in their careers to participate in the Program  Grants. Applicants are expected to develop new lines of research through the collaboration.

a. General areas of support: Research grants are available for projects concerned with basic approaches to understanding the complex mechanisms of livin organisms.  Topics covered range from molecular and cellular approaches to biological functions to systems neuroscience including cognitive functions.  The HFSP funds novel collaborations that bring scientists with distinct expertise together to focus on problems at the frontiers of the life sciences.

b. Specific requirements:

- Novel combinations of expertise are a major feature of HFSP-sponsored projects and those involving truly novel interdisciplinary collaborations will be given clear preference.

- Applicants are expected to develop new lines of research through the collaboration.  Projects 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 whicheach 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.  Projects of  a primarily pathophysiological nature are not supported.  Nor does the HFSP support projects of a purely applied nature.  For instance, projects aimed specifically at develoiping methods of treatment of diagnosis will not be considered eligible. Studies related to disease are only considered if they allow new insights into fundamental biological mechanisms.

- The scope of HFSP funding ranges from the biomolecular level to studies of whole organisms.

- Collaborative research aimed at developing novel methods or the study of analogs or models of biological activity are welcome if these methods allow new biological questions to be answered in contect of the aim of the HFSP to fund fundamental research.

- Projects which involve only extensive genome mapping or sequencing are not eligible to receive HFSP funding.  Hovewer, 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.

c. Eligibility criteria:

Young Investigator Grants: all members of a Young Investigators' grant team must be within 5 years of obtaining an independent position but must have obtained their first doctoral degree (PhD, MD or equivalent) not longer than 10 years before the deadline for submission of the letter of intent.

Program Grants: PG are meant to allow teams of independent researcher to develop new lines of research through the collaboration. Priority will be given to new, innovative research projects for which preliminary results might not necessarily be available.  Applications including independent investigators early in their careers are encouraged.

d. Evaluation: projects will be pre-screened upon reception by a small ad hoc scientific committee for their:

       - Innovative nature

       - Interdisciplinary approach -new combinations of skills

       - International, preferably Intercontinental, nature.

e. 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).  Two  or more members from the same country will be considered as a single team member for purposes of calculating the ward, unless they constitute an interdisciplinary collaboration in which case they will be awarded an amount equivalent to 1.5 team members (currently $300,000 for a team of "2.5" and $400,000 for "3.5" team members).

f. Deadlines:

- Registration: March 20th, 2014.

- Letter of Intent:

       VHIR's deadline: March 10th, 2014.

       Oficial deadline: March 27th, 2014.

- Notification: early July 2014.

- Full proposal: mid-September 2014.

g. More information: HERE