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 Biology Integration Institutes (BII) program aims to unify researchers across the broad spectrum of biological sciences to address how life-sustaining processes and biological innovations operate and interact at various scales, from molecular to the entire Earth. It emphasizes the importance of integrating across subdisciplines to comprehend the vast data streams of modern biology, address emergent questions, and leverage technological advancements for resource accessibility. The program champions collaborative research spanning multiple disciplines within and beyond biology, promotes innovative and sustainable training for future scientists, and supports the development of biotechnologies and solutions to societal challenges through the integration of biological knowledge.