The Human Frontier Science Program supports international preferably intercontinental collaborations in basic life science research with emphasis placed on innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to fundamental investigations.

Applications are invited for grants to support frontier approaches to understanding 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.
Applicants are expected to develop novel lines of research distinct from their ongoing research. Preliminary results are not required.

There are two types of Grant: Young Investigators’ Grants are for teams of scientists who are all within 5 years of establishing an independent laboratory and within 10 years of obtaining their PhDs. Program Grants are for independent scientists at all stages of their careers, although the participation of younger scientists is especially encouraged.

Grants provide 3 years support for 2 – 4 member teams, with not more than one member from any one country, unless critical for the innovative nature of the project, which is an important selection criterion. Applicants may establish a local or national interdisciplinary collaboration as a component of an international team but will be considered as 1.5 team members for budgetary purposes. Awards are dependent upon team size and successful teams will receive up to $450,000 per year. The principal applicant must be located in one of the member countries (Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States) but co-investigators may be located in any country.