Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO)

The slides are available HERE.

The IOS Virtual Office Hour for October 2021 focused on the Integrative Research in Biology (IntBIO, 21-622) solicitation. We were joined by program directors who work directly on this funding opportunity.

The IntBIO solicitation replaced the Rules of Life Track formerly featured in the core solicitations throughout the Biological Sciences Directorate. Key attributes of IntBIO projects are that:

• They address integrative, hypothesis-driven research on the function/interaction of biological systems across scales of biological organization;
• They require integrated groups of PIs with diverse expertise; and,
• The projects capitalize on the synergistic outcomes of inter-related aims.

As such these proposals are not appropriate for submission to a single divisional core program. These proposals will be reviewed in IntBIO-specific panels with diverse expertise.

Full proposals are due on 25 January 2021.

Questions focused heavily on integration of sub-disciplines, what would be considered appropriate integration across biological disciplines and sub-disciplines, and how are collaborations with disciplines outside biology viewed.

IntBIO invites proposals that address fundamental biological questions requiring integrative approaches across two or more subdisciplines of biology to discover underlying principles operating across hierarchical levels of life. The program does not define appropriate subdisciplines but leaves it to the investigators to make the case to include two or more participants with diverse perspectives and expertise and to clearly describe and justify the role of each individual. The research may also incorporate approaches from disciplines outside of biology, as appropriate.

Attendees also inquired as to the training and education component for the IntBIO call, and if there are preferred education levels to be included in the proposal or should graduate students be co-mentored by participants?

Proposals must describe a training and education plan, as part of the broader impacts, that is inclusive and likely to produce a new generation of diverse scientists who are trained in integrative approaches to biological research. The training and education can include any education level(s) as long as the research team is fully engaged in the training and education of the next generation of scientists who will be future leaders in integrative research. Co-mentoring of students by members of the research team is one possible way to achieve this, but it is not a requirement of the program.

Additional questions about the IntBIO program should be directed to IntBIO@nsf.gov.

Please join us on 18 November 2021 for our next IOS Virtual Office Hour when we will discuss and answer questions about two new efforts by the BIO Directorate to broaden participation, Building Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology (BRC-BIO, 22-500) and Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureate in Biological Sciences (RaMPs, 22-506).