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 program aims to advance the mechanistic understanding of the structure, function, and evolution of molecular, subcellular, and cellular systems, with a prioritization on projects that strive for quantitative and predictive knowledge of complex behavior and emergent properties. It encourages proposals that explore new concepts in molecular and cellular biology, integrating insights from various scientific disciplines such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics. The program is interested in research that applies both experimental and theoretical approaches across a diverse spectrum of models and non-model organisms. It invites proposals in research areas supported by the four MCB core clusters: Molecular Biophysics, Genetic Mechanisms, Cellular Dynamics and Function, and Systems and Synthetic Biology. The program also supports projects that bridge different clusters, incorporate other biology subdisciplines through the Integrative Research in Biology track, and align with key goals of the NSF Strategic Plan, including promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields, advancing research frontiers, and translating knowledge into societal benefits. While focusing on basic research, MCB encourages studies that address global challenges such as climate change, clean energy, sustainable food production, or health, but excludes research primarily aimed at understanding disease mechanisms in humans or developing treatments for such conditions.