Meetings and Events

Coordinating Global Brain Projects Event

NSF_BIO

September 14, 2016

Coordinating Global Brain Projects

Due to revolutionary new technologies, neuroscientists are poised to significantly advance our understanding of the brain and behavior, with profound implications for health and society.

To enhance collaboration and better coordinate global efforts in fundamental neuroscience research, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will support a conference of scientists and government representatives from countries with significant investments in neuroscience research. Attendees, many of whom are members of the U.S. BRAIN Initiative, a public-private collaborative effort aimed at accelerating the development and application of new technologies to revolutionize our understanding of the brain, will exchange ideas and information about their efforts and identify new opportunities for collaboration.

rat hippocampus,
This image shows a rat hippocampus, a region of the brain critical for learning, memory and emotion. Credit: Elyse L. Aurbach, Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan

NSF and The Kavli Foundation will support the event, hosted by Rockefeller University in cooperation with Columbia University.

“Brain diseases and disorders affect millions of families worldwide, leading to billions of dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity,” said NSF Director France Córdova, who will deliver opening remarks at the event. “This event is intended to promote collaboration and cooperation in emerging, large-scale international brain projects to further advance neuroscience research. NSF plays a pivotal role in funding brain research, bringing the research community together and shaping the vision for a global brain initiative.”

The NSF’s Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, Dr. Jim Olds, will present information about the NSF’s participation in the U.S. BRAIN Initiative.

The U.S. State Department, the Global Partnerships Forum, The Kavli Foundation and NSF will also host a complementary event at the U.N. headquarters in New York City the evening of Sept. 19.

Use the hashtag #globalbrain to follow the conversation on social media.

For event details, please see the official NSF Media Advisory: http://go.usa.gov/xKrFd

Related links:

 

Assistant Director for BIO Attends Cancer Moonshot Summit

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On June 29, 2016, the Cancer Moonshot Summit was held on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC. The National Science Foundation’s Assistant Director for the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Dr. Jim Olds, was pleased to represent the Foundation at the event.

From the Office of the Vice President of the United States:

“In his final State of the Union address, the President tasked the Vice President with heading up a new national effort, the Cancer Moonshot. The ultimate goal is to double the rate of progress—to make a decade’s worth of advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care in five years—to ultimately end cancer as we know it.

The goals of this effort cannot be achieved by one person, one organization, or one discipline. Solving the complexities of cancer will require the formation of new alliances to defy the bounds of innovation and accelerate the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and—ultimately—a cure. It’s going to require millions of Americans speaking up and contributing what they’re able.

The Cancer Moonshot Summit will be a venue to bring together all sectors that have a role to play in making progress on the Cancer Moonshot goals to share new ideas and launch new collaborations and actions.

The Cancer Moonshot is a mission, and all of us #CanServe. How will you make a difference, break down barriers to progress, or catalyze change where you live or work?”

Photo of Dr. Olds at Summit with quote: I can serve by ensuring support for the highest quality fundamental biological sciences research

NSF Announces Participation in National Microbiome Initiative

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(Updated May 16, 2016)

On May 13, 2016, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, in collaboration with Federal agencies and private-sector stakeholders, announced the National Microbiome Initiative (NMI).

As shared by OSTP, “Microbiomes are the communities of microorganisms that live on or in people, plants, soil, oceans, and the atmosphere. Microbiomes maintain healthy function of these diverse ecosystems, influencing human health, climate change, food security, and other factors. The NMI aims to advance understanding of microbiomes to aid in the development of useful applications in areas such as health care, food production, and environmental restoration.”

To kick off the NMI, OSTP hosted an event at the White House to hear from community and research leaders about microbiome science, and opportunities for collaboration and progress. The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Assistant Director for the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Dr. Jim Olds, participated in the event as a member of a federal agency panel.

Dr. Olds was proud to announce NSF’s participation in this initiative through a Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 16-087) highlighting NSF BIO’s vision and approach to support and encourage microbiome research across the phylogenetic spectrum and biological scales; from host – microbe interactions to ecosystems. NSF BIO will also foster the development of a national research infrastructure to support collaborative science on microbiomes.

Dear Colleague Letter title: Supporting Research Advances in Microbiomes

NSF BIO encourages proposals that advance discovery in the realm of microbiomes with support through several programs in fiscal year 2017. These programs cross the entire BIO Directorate and span basic science through translational research that addresses pressing global challenges and support the development of tools needed for the 21st century.

To learn more about NSF BIO’s participation in the National Microbiome Intiative, access the Dear Colleague Letter here:  http://go.usa.gov/cuSMH

Scuba diving researchers collect samples from coral.
Researchers Rebecca Vega Thurber and Ryan McMinds on a mission to obtain samples from a reef. Research on coral microbiomes is funded by the NSF through a Dimensions of Biodiversity award. Read more: http://go.usa.gov/cuS6m
Photo Credit: Ryan McMinds

Related:
BIO’s Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Home Page
IOS Core Funding Programs Page (including EDGE Track)
Plant-Biotic Interactions Program Page (IOS and USDA/NIFA)
Symbiosis, Defense, and Self-Recognition Program (IOS Physiological and Structural Systems Cluster Page)
BIO’s Division of Environmental (DEB) Biology Home Page
DEB Core Funding Programs Page
BIO’s Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) Advances in Biological Informatics Program Page
Systems and Synthetic Biology Cluster of BIO’s Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Page

NSF Hosts Delegation from China

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On Thursday, April 21, 2016, a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST) and the Embassy of China visited the National Science Foundation. The delegates met with representatives from across the Foundation, including Assistant Director for BIO, Dr. Jim Olds.

The delegation discussed current NSF partnerships through the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) and Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) programs and talked about potential areas for future collaboration. The meetings were highly informative and strengthened the good relationship between NSF and MOST.

Photo of delegation with staff and management of the NSF.
Top row, left to right: Paula Mabee (Division Director, BIO/DEB), Jim Deshler (Deputy Division Director, BIO/DBI), LV Jia (Deputy Director, Division of Americas and Oceania, Department of International Cooperation, MOST), Matthew Hawkins (Division Director, NSF/BFA Large Facilities Office), WANG Lian (Third Secretary, Embassy of P.R. China), QIAO Jian (Third Secretary, Embassy of P.R. China)
Bottom row, left to right: Karen Alroy (Science Associate, BIO/DEB), Rebecca Keiser (Office Head, NSF/OISE), Jim Olds (Assistant Director, BIO), CAI Jianing (Associate Counsel, Department of International Cooperation, MOST)

Related:
NSF Division of Environmental Biology Visits China
NSF Beijing Office

Exploring Microbiome Opportunities Symposium

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On April 20, 2016, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted a one-day symposium on “Exploring Microbiome Opportunities in Life Sciences and Agriculture.” Jo Handelsman, Associate Director for Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) gave an overview of the significance of microbiome research for several priorities of the Obama administration, including the precision medicine initiative, climate change, soil erosion, forensic biology, national security, alternative energy, and economic opportunities. James I. Prosser from the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen then delivered a plenary lecture about the long-term goals and challenges for microbiome research.

Photo of four panelists
Left to Right: Jo Handelsman, Assistant Director for Science at OSTP, H. Gert de Couet, NSF BIO Division Director in IOS, Joseph Graber, Program Director at DOE, and Lita Proctor, Program Director and Project Coordinator at HMP (Credit: Sevie Kenyon, UW-Madison)
The plenary lectures were followed by presentations of the diverse portfolio of microbiome research projects conducted at UW-Madison. The symposium concluded with a panel discussion of funding opportunities for microbiome research. Participants were Jo Handelsman, Assistant Director for Science at OSTP, Lita Proctor, Program Director and Project Coordinator of the Human Microbiome project at NIH (HMP), and Joseph Graber, Program Director at the Department of Energy (DOE). NSF was represented by H. Gert de Couet, Division Director in BIO’s Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS).

Brain Awareness Week 2016 #BAW

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In honor of Brain Awareness Week (March 14-20, 2016), here is a selection of recent news stories, videos, and other resources about NSF-funded basic research related to the brain.

To learn more about the NSF’s “Understanding the Brain” activities and the NSF’s participation in the White House’s BRAIN Initiative, please visit:  http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/brain/

Recently, the NSF announced its participation in the National Research Infrastructure for Neuroscience effort:  https://nsfbiobuzz.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/brain_observatory/

NSF video series: In 2014, NSF awarded a total of $10.8 million to 36 brain research projects. These awards are called Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER). They are part of NSF’s broader efforts to understand the healthy brain. These six videos provide more detail about some of the exciting EAGER award projects:  http://go.usa.gov/cGUse

NSF Radio Documentary: “Explorers of the Brain: Research from the Frontiers of Neuroscience.” This documentary aired on 111 radio stations around the U.S. Listen and access the transcript here:  http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=78672 

NSF/NBC Learn Video Series: “Mysteries of the Brain.” Scientists and engineers have studied the brain for decades, yet there are many mysteries that remain unsolved. New research is underway to develop and use cutting-edge technologies to better understand the brain. Watch this exciting 8-part video series to learn about the brain and the research NSF is funding:  http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/brain/video/

What can fruit flies teach us about social interactions and the brain? Watch this NSF Science Nation video:

To watch this video with captions, click here. 

Neuroscientists have looked inside brain cells as they undergo the intense bursts of neural activity known as “ripples” that are thought to underlie memory formation. Read more from @CalTech: http://www.caltech.edu/news/studying-memorys-ripples-49860

Scientists decode brain signals nearly at speed of perception: Electrodes in patients’ temporal lobes carry information that, when analyzed, enables scientists to predict what object patients are seeing. Read more from @HSNewsBeat:  http://hsnewsbeat.uw.edu/story/scientists-decode-brain-signals-nearly-speed-perception

Like air traffic, information flows through major neuron ‘hubs’ in the brain. In many cortical regions, 70 percent of the brain’s information passes through only a fifth of the neurons. Read more from @IUNewsroom:  http://news.indiana.edu/releases/iu/2016/01/hub-neurons.shtml

Engineered neural networks show hope for axonal repair in the brain, with minimal disruption to brain tissue. Technology holds potential to benefit patients with damage to brain connections resulting from brain injury or disease. Read more from @PennMedNews:  http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2016/01/cullen/

Researchers uncover “predictive neuron orchestra” behind looking and reaching movements. Read more from @NYUniversity:  http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2016/01/12/researchers-uncover-predictive-neuron-orchestra-behind-looking-and-reaching-movements.html

rat hippocampus,
This image shows a rat hippocampus, a region of the brain critical for learning, memory and emotion. Credit: Elyse L. Aurbach, Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan

Researchers develop new method for analyzing synaptic density: High-throughput, machine-learning tool could help researchers better understand synaptic activity in learning and disease. Read more from @CarnegieMellon:  http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2015/december/synaptic-density.html

University study shows first evidence for independent working memory systems in animals. Data could inform new pre-clinical research models for Alzheimer’s disease treatment that goes beyond spatial memory. Read more from @IUNewsroom:  http://news.indiana.edu/releases/iu/2016/01/working-memory.shtml

In experiments with zoo animals, relative brain size was the best clue to problem-solving ability in carnivores. Read more from NSF here and watch this video from the NY Times’ ScienceTake: http://nyti.ms/1NvP95M

Finally, if you are in the DC/MD area on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, attend the National Museum of Health and Medicine’s Science Café from 6-7pm with NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, Dr. Jim Olds, who will be speaking about “Searching for an Elusive Cure to Brain Diseases.” Read more from @medicalmuseum:  http://www.medicalmuseum.mil/index.cfm?p=media.events.2016.03222016

 

BIO AC NEON Subcommittee Report

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The NEON Subcommittee of the Directorate for Biological Sciences Advisory Committee (BIO AC) has released the following report:

Report from the NSF BIO Advisory Committee Subcommittee on NEON Scope Impacts (Dec 18, 2015)

The report can be downloaded via the hyperlinks above and below or from the BIO AC web page where it is listed under the heading “BIO AC Workshop and Other Reports.”

Links:
BIO AC web page: http://www.nsf.gov/bio/advisory.jsp
NEON Subcommittee report (.pdf):  http://www.nsf.gov/bio/bioac/report/Final%20BIO-AC%20NEON%20Subcommittee%20Approved%20Report.pdf

Digitizing Biodiversity Draws a Crowd: iDigBio Summit V Highlights

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The fifth annual iDigBio Summit was held on November 4-6, 2015, at the Hilton Hotel, Arlington, Virginia.

General information about the Summit, the agenda, and recordings of the event can be found on the iDigBio wiki: https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/IDigBio_Summit_2015

One hundred thirty six scientists and students from 60 institutions representing 33 national and international biodiversity digitization initiatives participated.

A highlight of the summit was when the 15 Thematic Collections Networks (TCNs) supported by the Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC) program presented their reports. The reports underscored digitization progress, data accessibility and research accomplishments.

This year’s summit also engaged the participants in discussions focused on increasing mobilization of data, data use in research, long-term sustainability of the networks, products and cyberinfrastructure associated with digitization, and coalescing education and outreach efforts across ADBC-funded projects and the wider biodiversity collections community.

Here are some additional highlights as shared by participants on Twitter:

Related NSF Press Releases:

NSF awards fifth round of grants to enhance America’s biodiversity collections (PR 15-092)
NSF Awards Third Round of Grants to Advance Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (PR 13-135)
NSF Awards Second Round of Grants to Advance Digitization of Biological Collections (PR 12-082)
NSF Awards Grants to Advance Digitization of Biological Collections (PR 11-136)

Related media coverage:

Museum Specimens Find New Life Online, The New York Times Science, Oct. 19, 2015

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology

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On October 13, 2015, BIO hosted an informative webcast about Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB). The deadline for PRFB proposals (for Fiscal Year 2016 funding) is November 3, 2015.

The webcast was lead by NSF staff from BIO’s Division of Biological Infrastructure and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.

BIO makes PRFB awards to recent recipients of the doctoral degree for research and training in selected areas* supported by BIO and with special goals for human resource development in biology (awards are not made to institutions). The fellowships encourage independence at an early stage of the research career to permit Fellows to pursue their research and training goals in the most appropriate research locations, regardless of the availability of funding for the Fellows at that site.

*For FY 2016 and beyond, the areas are:

  1. Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology
  2. Research Using Biological Collections, and
  3. National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.

The webcast provides information for potential applicants regarding when and how to apply and common pitfalls and problems to avoid.

To download a copy of the PowerPoint presentation used by BIO staff or to view the archived webcast, visit http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/nsf/151013/. To view the webcast, you must register with your email address (registration is free).

As of October 21, more than 120 participants registered for and participated in or watched the archived version of the webcast.

A later webcast, planned for 2016, will target graduate advisors of future applicants and established scientists interested in serving as sponsoring scientists to NSF Fellows in the future.

The postdoctoral research experience represents a critically important career transition for future leaders in biology. If you have questions about the PRFB Program, contact the Program Officers listed on the Program Summary web page (note, inquiries for program areas 1 and 2 should be sent to bio-dbi-prfb[at]nsf[dot]gov and for area 3, the NPGI PRF, inquiries should be sent to dbipgr[at]nsf[dot]gov).

Advisory Committee for Biological Sciences Convenes for September 2015 Meeting

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On September 28th and 29th, 2015, NSF BIO hosted the Advisory Committee (AC) for Biological Sciences. The meeting web page, including the agenda and supplementary documents is here. View our Tweets from the meeting here.

The BIO Advisory Committee meets twice per year at NSF. These meetings are open to the public, as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

The committee comprises experts in the field of biological sciences, across many subdisciplines of biology. The current AC roster is here. NSF officials (BIO staff/management) are present for all official meetings of the AC. Currently, Dr. Jim Olds, NSF’s Assistant Director (AD) for BIO, is the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the BIO AC.

Dr. Jim Olds leads a Q & A session with the BIO AC.
Dr. Jim Olds leads a Q&A session with the BIO AC.

The agenda for each AC meeting is developed by the AD of BIO in consultation with the BIO AC Chair (currently Dr. Kay Gross).

So what does the BIO AC do?

Objective: The role of the AC is to provide advice and recommendations to the NSF concerning support for research, education and human resources in the biological sciences.

Duties: The duties of the AC include: reviewing and advising on the impact of BIO’s research support programs; advising on program management, overall program balances, and program performance; and advising as to the impact of NSF-wide policies on the scientific community. The BIO AC has no oversight or approval authority.

Committee of Visitors (COV): The BIO AC participates in each BIO Division’s COV assessment. A COV assesses a Division’s performance in the “integrity and efficiency of the processes related to proposal [or pre-proposal] review.” The BIO AC designates a representative to each COV, who ultimately presents the final COV report to the BIO AC for approval. Each COV is considered a sub-committee of the BIO AC; its external members are approved and appointed by the BIO AD as the DFO. The BIO AD (or authorized representative; e.g., Division Director) prepares a written response to each COV report that is then presented to the AC and NSF Senior Management. COVs convene every three years.

Advice: The Directorate often seeks advice from the BIO AC, or AC sub-committees, as authorized by the BIO AD, about matters such as:

  • Anticipated or emerging areas of research in the biological sciences, including, but not limited to areas of “high-risk” research, inter- or trans-disciplinary research, and trends in fundamental research supported by the “core” programs in BIO.
  • Strategic planning for research, education and infrastructure support by BIO for the non-medical biological sciences.
  • Strategic human resource development in undergraduate and graduate biology education, and inclusion of members of under-represented groups in STEM professions relevant to biology.
  • Development of metrics to determine the outcomes and impacts of the aforementioned activities.
  • Strategic communication with academic communities, professional societies, and NGOs that engage in or support biological research and education.

If you would like to make a recommendation for membership on an NSF Advisory Committee, please review the instructions for doing so here.