Introduction

The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) funds frontier research in the life sciences and is implemented by the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) from its office in Strasbourg.

HFSP provides research grants for teams of scientists from different countries who wish to combine their expertise in innovative approaches to questions that could not be answered by individual laboratories. Emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring together scientists, preferably from different disciplines (eg chemistry, physics, computer science, engineering), to focus on problems in the life sciences.

Call options

Two types of research grants are available:

• Research Grants - Early Career - for teams of researchers, all of whom are within the first five years after obtaining an independent laboratory (eg Assistant Professor, Lecturer or equivalent) and 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 - for teams of independent researchers at any stage of their careers. Research teams are expected to develop new lines of research through the collaboration. Applications including independent investigators early in their careers are encouraged.

Budget

The current mode of funding is as follows but may be subject to revision to take into account HFSPO's budget:

• $265,000 for a team of two
• $365,000 for a team of three
• $465,000 for a team of four or more

These figures represent the amount awarded to the whole team per year for a period of three years.

Two members from the same country should constitute an interdisciplinary collaboration. They will be awarded an amount equivalent to 1.5 team members (currently $315,000 for a team of '2.5' and $415,000 for '3.5' team members).

In the case of a two-member team with one member in a for-profit institution, the total annual award will be reduced to $130,000. In other cases, the for-profit member will not be included when calculating the amount of the award.

Eligibility

Principal applicants must have a laboratory in a non-profit academic institution in an HFSP member country. These are currently Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus (EU part only), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Co-applicants can be located in any country and the number of team members should normally be two to four.

Eligibility

Principal applicants must have a laboratory in a non-profit academic institution in an HFSP member country. These are currently Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus (EU part only), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Co-applicants can be located in any country and the number of team members should normally be two to four.