Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP)

The Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program supports experimental and theoretical studies in chemistry at the interface with biology. The proposed fundamental research must be centered on chemistry; proposals must clearly outline the anticipated new chemistry knowledge. The proposed research projects must have the potential to advance the fundamental understanding of the molecular underpinnings of life processes and must be linked directly to current, biologically relevant questions. 

The scope of the program is broad, reflecting the power of chemistry and diversity of biology. Subject areas include bioorganic and bioinorganic chemistry; chemical biology; chemistry of lipids, membranes, and membrane proteins; and protein, enzyme, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate chemistry. Development of chemical methods and tools is supported when such methods have clear potential to answer specific biological questions. Other topics of interest include but are not limited to: the development and application of bio-orthogonal chemistry for probing cellular function; biomolecular design and synthesis aimed at understanding biological function; the application of theory, computation, modeling, and simulation to molecular-scale aspects of biological systems and processes; and chemistry that underlies the function of the brain or empowers the study of the brain. 

The CLP program encourages proposal submissions in the scope of the program that also fall in topical areas of especial interest for the NSF such as: Artificial Intelligence (for example, development of new AI tools and contributions to the content and quality of databases for understanding the function of biomolecules), Quantum Information Science (for example, quantum sensing and nuclear hyperpolarization methods for bioimaging with molecular-level resolution), and Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing (for example, enzyme-catalyzed reactions with implications for new enzyme-based products). Proposals integrating innovative computational approaches with CLP-relevant research, such as those enabling efficient and effective data acquisition and analysis, are encouraged and should be submitted to the CLP Program through the Computational and Data Science and Engineering (CDS&E) funding opportunity. Partnerships with industry and/or international partners in the pursuit of the research goals outlined in proposals are encouraged. 

The CLP program encourages PIs to monitor current funding priorities identified by the Foundation, and to highlight relevant synergies in their project summaries and project descriptions.  

Research topics that are not of interest to the CLP program:  

• Projects that are disease-related or that have drug discovery, design, or development goals.  

• Projects addressing development of new instrumentation should be directed to the Chemical Measurement and Instrumentation (CMI) program. 

• Principal Investigators uncertain of the suitability of their proposals for the CLP Program and of their synergy with other funding priorities and/or programs should contact a CLP Program Officer. 

Proposals to the CLP program are welcome at any time, starting September 1, 2026. All proposals submitted to this program (including individual and collaborative proposals, GOALIs) must be submitted to the CHE Disciplinary Research Programs solicitation (NSF 22-606), except for: 

• RUI proposals must be submitted to the Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI and ROA-PUI) program. 

• Proposals submitted in response to another solicitation should follow the solicitation guidelines (e.g. CAREER). 

• Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), Rapid Response Research (RAPID), or Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE) proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission and then should only be submitted as instructed. 

MPS Chemistry occasionally supports forward-looking workshops to inform future research needs and directions relevant to chemical science. We are not generally able to support research symposia, including those at either special or recurring meetings and conferences. Workshop proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission.  

For recent awards made by the program, search NSF award database with the Program Element Code 688300.

• What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)
• Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program