The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The grant aims to support research in synthetic biology and bioengineering, focusing on developing cell-like systems to identify life's minimal processes, designing synthetically-modified cells for fundamental evolutionary questions or exploring biological diversity, and leveraging basic research to create novel synthetic cells for biotechnology. Proposals should be of outstanding intellectual merit and broader impact, including considering social, ethical, and safety issues related to synthetic cell design.