The HFSP supports novel, innovative and interdisciplinary basic research focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms; topics range from molecular and cellular approaches to systems and cognitive neuroscience. A clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to focus on problems at the frontier of the life sciences.

Scientific Programs

Research Grants are awarded for novel collaborations involving extensive collaboration among teams of scientists working in different countries and in different disciplines. Two types of grants are available: Young Investigator Grants and Program Grants.

more details Current guidelines and application procedures

Applications for 2010 research grants are now closed. The site is only open for invited Full Applications.

Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for scientists who wish to work in foreign laboratories, with emphasis on individuals early in their careers who wish to obtain training in a different field of research. Fellows who return to their home countries are eligible to apply for a Career Development Award.

Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships: Cross-disciplinary fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree in the physical sciences, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and computer sciences who wish to receive training in biology.
 
Registration deadline for 2010 fellowships: 27 August 2009.

more details Current guidelines and application procedures

Please note that HFSP funding programs start at the postdoctoral level. No support is available for undergraduate or PhD students. In addition we do not provide travel grants for attending conferences.

Japanese site

The current guidebooks and Japanese translations of some HFSP materials can also be obtained from our companion site in Japan.

News

NOBEL PRIZE FOR CHEMISTRY AWARDED TO FORMER HFSP GRANT AWARDEES ADA YONATH AND VENKI RAMAKRISHNAN. Congratulations to former grant awardees Ada Yonath and Venki Ramakrishnan for the 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Thomas Steitz for their pioneering work on the structure and function of the ribosome. This brings the number of HFSP awardees in the last 20 years who went on to win the Nobel Prize to 16.

NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE AWARDED TO FORMER HFSP GRANT AWARDEE JACK W. SZOSTAK. Congratulations to former grant awardee Jack Szostak for the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Carol W. Greider for their pioneering work on telomeres and telomerase.

HFSP AWARDEES ELECTED AS FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY: Congratulations to the following current and former HFSP grant awardees who have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Society: David Glover, Christopher Goodnow, Brian Hemmings, Christine Holt, Christopher Hunter, Jesper Svejstrup and Roger Kornberg.

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of HFSP, we have published a booklet with recollections and impressions from many people who have steered the Program through these years and from HFSP awardees. A PDF file of the booklet can be downloaded HERE

The HFSPO Annual Report 07/08 is now available online.

Read the HFSP Journal The HFSP Journal aims to foster communication between scientists publishing high quality, innovative interdisciplinary research at the interface between biology and the physical sciences. See the HFSP Journal web site.

The reports of the 2007 HFSP Awardees Meeting held in Twin Waters, Queensland, Australia is now available on the web together with reports of all earlier Awardees Meetings since 2001 HERE

Paths to Discovery - profiles of HFSP Awardees written by science writer Geoffrey Montgomery are now online HERE