Designing Synthetic Cells Beyond the Bounds of Evolution | 24 505

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the "Designing Synthetic Cells Beyond the Bounds of Evolution" NSF opportunity?

It is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity focused on moving synthetic biology beyond incremental changes to existing organisms and toward building genuinely new cells or cell-like systems. The goal is to enable research that advances fundamental understanding of what cells are and what they can be, including systems with fewer components than natural life or with capabilities not explored by evolution.

What is NSF looking for in the strongest proposals?

NSF is prioritizing projects that are not incremental and that clearly advance fundamental knowledge. The strongest proposals are expected to produce broadly useful insights, tools, or platforms, rather than narrow one-off demonstrations. Selection hinges on standard NSF review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts, with top priority to proposals that are outstanding on both.

What are the main research directions supported by the solicitation?

The solicitation highlights three main directions: (1) developing cell-like systems to identify minimal requirements for life processes; (2) designing synthetically modified cells to answer foundational questions about evolution or explore forms of diversity not found in nature; and (3) leveraging advances in cell design to create novel synthetic cell-like systems or cells for innovative biotechnology applications, where the application grows out of deep scientific advances rather than straightforward product development.

What does "beyond the bounds of evolution" mean in this context?

It refers to designing and constructing cellular or cell-like systems that go beyond what has emerged through natural evolutionary history. This can include simplified systems that help test what is essential for life-like functions, as well as engineered systems that introduce alternative designs (for example, different informational or regulatory architectures) to probe what is possible and what constraints shape living systems.

What kinds of projects fit the "minimal requirements for life processes" theme?

Projects in this theme aim to clarify what is truly necessary for core functions such as metabolism, replication, information storage and transfer, compartmentalization, energy generation, and homeostasis. Examples mentioned include simplified or reconstituted systems like minimal gene sets, protocell-like compartments, or reconstructed molecular machines, used to test which components are essential under defined conditions.

What does NSF mean by moving toward a "testable framework" for living systems?

The solicitation emphasizes moving beyond descriptive biology toward experimentally testable models of what makes living systems work. In practice, that means designing systems where components and conditions can be controlled so researchers can determine what is required, what is optional, and what tradeoffs emerge.

What kinds of projects fit the "synthetically modified cells to study evolution and diversity" theme?

This theme uses synthetic design as an experimental way to investigate evolution, constraints, and alternative biological possibilities. The solicitation mentions directions such as alternative genetic codes, redesigned regulatory architectures, and non-standard biochemistry, with the goal of probing evolutionary tradeoffs, robustness, adaptability, and the limits of viable cellular organization.

What does NSF mean by exploring biological diversity "that does not currently exist in nature"?

It means constructing engineered cellular systems that represent plausible but non-natural variants of core biological mechanisms, allowing researchers to examine why evolution selected certain solutions and what other solutions might also work. The emphasis is on foundational understanding rather than simply creating novelty for its own sake.

What kinds of biotechnology applications does NSF welcome under this program?

NSF welcomes proposals that translate basic advances in cell design into new capabilities, including engineered systems with new modes of sensing, production, computation, or environmental interaction. However, the solicitation stresses that the biotechnology component should grow out of deep scientific advances in how cells can be designed and constructed, not be a straightforward product development effort.

Is this program mainly basic research or applied development?

The program is fundamentally research-driven, emphasizing bold science and fundamental knowledge creation. Biotechnology applications are explicitly welcomed when they are grounded in and enabled by basic advances in synthetic cell design rather than framed primarily as product development.

How will proposals be evaluated?

NSF will evaluate proposals using its standard review priorities: intellectual merit and broader impacts. The solicitation indicates that top funding priority goes to proposals that are outstanding on both criteria, and that proposals with weaknesses in either category or those likely to yield only incremental progress are not competitive.

What counts as "broader impacts" for this solicitation?

Based on the solicitation description, broader impacts can include advancing education and training, building research infrastructure or shared tools, expanding participation, or creating knowledge with clear societal relevance. Applicants are expected to articulate meaningful benefits beyond the immediate research outcomes.

What is the requirement regarding social, ethical, and safety issues?

Proposals must address social, ethical, and safety issues as an integrated part of the project rather than an afterthought. Because the work involves building and modifying cells in potentially novel ways, NSF expects responsible research practices to be embedded in planning and decision-making.

What are examples of how teams can integrate responsible research practices?

The solicitation indicates this can include formal risk assessment and mitigation strategies, safe-by-design approaches, compliance planning, engagement with ethicists or social scientists, and structured consideration of downstream consequences and public trust. The expectation is that these considerations are integrated into the research workflow, not appended as a standalone element.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to specific U.S.-based organization types. Eligible applicants include U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations directly tied to education or research activities (such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies), U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (including accredited two- and four-year institutions and community colleges with a U.S. campus submitting on behalf of faculty), and federally recognized Tribal Nations under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994.

Are for-profit companies eligible based on the information provided?

The eligibility section provided lists non-profit, non-academic organizations tied to education or research, Institutions of Higher Education, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. It does not state that for-profit entities are eligible.

What if part of the work will be done at an international branch campus of a U.S. institution?

If proposal funding would support work at an international branch campus (including via subawards or consultants), the proposer must explain the specific benefits of performing the work at the international branch campus and justify why the activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus.

What is the funding opportunity number for this solicitation?

The funding opportunity number is 24-505.

How many awards does NSF expect to make?

NSF expects to make about seven awards.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $2,000,000 per award.

When is the closing date?

The original closing date listed is February 2, 2026.

When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record shows a creation date of November 3, 2023.

What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity lists CFDA numbers 47.041, 47.074, and 47.075.

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is described as a discretionary NSF grant, with the activity categorized as science and technology and other research and development.

What types of outcomes are implied to be non-competitive?

The solicitation notes that proposals likely to produce only incremental progress are not competitive. It also indicates that proposals showing weaknesses in either intellectual merit or broader impacts are not competitive relative to proposals that are outstanding on both.

Does the solicitation encourage creating shared tools or platforms?

Yes. The description notes that the strongest proposals will create broadly useful insights, tools, or platforms, implying value in outputs that can be used by the wider research community.