February 16, 2023

Bioinspired design is the process by which investigators take inspiration from the natural world to discover general principles about biological and/or engineering systems and use them to inform and generate new design directions for engineered systems or products. Investigators formulate how these principles and phenomena can be converted into specific, high-impact solutions for problems faced by society.

To facilitate the translation of knowledge generated through research in the biological and engineering sciences to solutions and prototypes needed for societal and economic impacts, NSF seeks to leverage current NSF programs to:

• Encourage early-stage, transdisciplinary collaboration of two or more investigators doing research in biological and engineering sciences with the potential for bioinspired design applications; and
• Accelerate the translation of research findings into projects with potential societal and economic impacts that could be ready for commercialization. 

Learn more in Dear Colleague Letter: Bioinspired Design Collaborations to Accelerate the Discovery-Translation Process (BioDesign) (NSF 23-055).

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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