PREPROPOSALS DUE SOON FOR A NEW SYNTHESIS CENTER FOR MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOSCIENCES

Preproposals to establish a new Synthesis Center for Molecular and Cellular Sciences (SCMCS) are due January 13, 2023.

The center is envisioned to facilitate innovative synthesis and integration of available biological data and related scientific information to explain or predict complex molecular and cellular phenomena. The center will support synthesis of existing data by multi-disciplinary research teams with an overall goal to explain and predict how structural, functional and organizational knowledge of biomolecules in the cell relates to dynamic, phenotypic behavior. In pursuing this goal, the center is not expected to generate new primary data or replicate existing cyberinfrastructure.  Broadening participation and training of the next generation of scientists is expected to be central to these efforts.

For more information, refer to the solicitation and to the recording and slides associated with a recent webinar.  The webinar reviewed the elements of the center and answered questions on the preproposals, the role of the director, participation of foreign collaborators, review criteria for proposals and distribution of funding. 

In 2020, the NSF explored the idea of a synthesis center in a series of conferences.  Reports from those conferences can be found here.

Questions about the centers and the preproposal process can be directed to scmcs@nsf.gov or to the following cognizant program officers:

• Charles Cunningham, BIO/MCB, chacunni@nsf.gov (703) 292-2283
• Manju M. Hingorani, BIO/MCB, mhingora@nsf.gov (703) 292-7323
• Ishita Mukerji, BIO/MCB, imukerji@nsf.gov (703) 292-2499
• Arcady R. Mushegian, BIO/MCB, amushegi@nsf.gov (703) 292-8528
• Sridhar Raghavachari, BIO/DBI, sraghava@nsf.gov (703) 292-4845