The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research within the Biological Systems Science Division’s (BSSD) Genomic Science Program (GSP) (http://genomicscience.energy.gov) mission-space. This FOA solicits applications for: a) research to advance the development of promising new model organisms, microbial functional capabilities, and biosynthetic pathways relevant to biofuels and bioproducts production; and b) research into the metabolic pathways that can achieve synthetic polymer deconstruction and conversion to recycled monomers.
The GSP aims to solve critical challenges in energy security and environmental stewardship. As part of its mission, BER invests in crosscutting technologies and programs to enable multiscale, systems-level research to achieve a predictive understanding of systems biology, biological community function, and environmental behavior. BSSD aims to provide the necessary fundamental science to understand, predict, manipulate, and design biological processes that underpin innovations for bioenergy and bioproduct research and to enhance the understanding of natural environmental processes relevant to DOE. BSSD supports fundamental research to understand the systems biology of plants and microbes through the GSP. The GSP’s portfolio includes research that builds on a foundation of genomic data and combines experimental physiology studies with omics-driven tools of modern systems biology and computational approaches to harness the power of microorganisms and microbial communities as cellular factories. An important goal of the GSP is to meet the challenges associated with microbial production of advanced biofuels and bioproducts from plant-derived biomass via a portfolio of highly interdisciplinary and integrated research projects.
Deadlines:
The ability to manipulate microbial biosynthetic pathways and metabolism using synthetic biology provides unprecedented opportunities to address a wide range of topics related to DOE’s mission in sustainable bioenergy development. This includes research that enhances the production of advanced biofuels, bioproducts as well as the conversion and upcycling of synthetic polymers. To enable a future where biological systems can be designed and modified for desired specific outcomes and deliver positive impacts for the environment and the bioeconomy, the GSP is soliciting applications in the following subtopic areas for this FOA:
Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one pre-application or application for each PI at the applicant institution. DOE will consider the latest received submissions to be the institution’s intended submissions
Ceiling: $500,000 per year
Floor: $250,000 per year
DOE anticipates making awards with a project period of 3 years
