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This document has been archived. For current NSF funding opportunities, see
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/browse_all_funding.jsp
Directorate
for Biological Sciences
Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience
IBN supports research aimed at integrative
understanding of living organisms—plants, animals, and microbes—as
units of biological organization. Such research encompasses:
- the mechanisms by which plants, animals, and microbes develop,
grow, reproduce, regulate their physiological activity, and respond to
their environment;
- the integration of molecular, subcellular, cellular,
and functional genomics approaches to understand the development, functioning,
and behavior
of organisms in both laboratory and natural settings;
- all aspects of the
nervous system, including its structure, function, development, and integration
with the physiological and behavioral
systems affected by it;
- factors influencing the behavior of animals in
the laboratory and field;
- whole-organism approaches to physiological ecology;
and
- the form and function of organisms in view of their evolution
and environmental interactions.
Synthetic and analytic approaches that address this integration often
require advanced computational techniques and interdisciplinary perspectives
involving other areas of biology, behavioral science, physical science,
mathematics, engineering, and computer science. In addition, the development
and use of a wide diversity of organisms as biological models are encouraged
to assist both in identifying unifying principles common to all organisms
and in documenting the variety of mechanisms that have evolved in specific
organisms. Current scientific emphases include biotechnology, biomolecular
materials, environmental biology, global change, biodiversity, molecular
evolution, plant science, microbial biology, and computational biology,
including modeling. Research projects generally include support for the
education and training of future scientists.
The IBN Division also supports doctoral dissertation research; research
conferences, workshops, and symposia; computational biology research; Undergraduate
Mentoring in Environmental Biology; and a variety of NSF-wide activities.
• Developmental
Mechanisms Cluster
The Developmental Mechanisms Cluster of thematic areas is located within
the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) and supports
research on the nature, control, and evolution of processes that comprise
the life cycle of organisms. Approaches range from molecular genetics
and genomic analysis of developmental processes to the experimental manipulation
of whole organisms. Supported in this cluster is research on gametogenesis,
fertilization embryogenesis, differentiation, pattern formation, morphogenesis,
and areas of development specific to plants, animals, and/or microbes
(e.g., self-incompatibility, seed and fruit development). Also supported
are studies that explore the mechanisms of development in an evolutionary
context.
• Neuroscience Cluster
The Neuroscience Cluster of thematic areas is located within the Division
of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience and supports research on all
aspects of the nervous system structure, function, and development. Integrative
approaches to basic research range from fundamental mechanisms of neuronal
function at the molecular and cellular levels to adaptations of the brain
for appropriate behavior in particular environments. A major focus is
the development and use of a wide diversity of organisms as biological
models for understanding fundamental principles of neuroscience. Multidisciplinary
collaborative research projects are encouraged to apply different types
of research techniques to single-focused problems in neuroscience.
Supported in this cluster is research on neural regulation of behavioral
events, ranging from simple movements to complex adaptive and interactive
responses; and studies that explore the computational functions of neurons,
neural circuits, and nervous systems and encourage the development and
testing of mathematical or computer models of neural systems. Also included
is research on the development, regeneration, and aging of the nervous
system, including aspects of cell lineage and determination; axonal navigation
and cell migration; regulation of gene expression; neuronal morphogenesis;
and neuron-glia interactions.
This cluster also supports research on understanding multifaceted relationships
among the central nervous system, hormones, and behavior, especially
in relation to environmental factors. This includes how the brain controls
endocrine secretion and the effects of steroid and peptide hormones on
the brain. Innovative approaches and techniques for exploring the cellular
and molecular mechanisms of neuronal and glial cell function, including
energy metabolism, ion and substrate transport, and synaptic mechanisms,
are also supported. Included in this thematic area are studies of the
mechanisms by which the nervous system acquires, encodes, and processes
information about the environment, and research on neural processes at
the molecular, cellular, systemic, and behavioral levels and psychophysical
correlates of sensory neural processes.
• Physiology And Ethology Cluster
The Physiology and Ethology Cluster of thematic areas is located within
the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) and supports
integrative studies of physiological functions at the genomic, cellular,
systemic, and organismal levels, and animal behavior in both field and
laboratory settings. Also considered are Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) proposals.
The cluster supports research on the mechanism, development, function,
and evolution of all animal behavior, including behavioral ecology and
evolution; nonhuman learning and cognition; behavioral genetics; development
of behavior; and behavioral physiology and motivation, including behavioral
endocrinology, animal communication, and animal orientation. Also included
are studies that address ecological or evolutionary questions in the
areas of morphology, comparative physiology, physiological ecology, and
biomechanics of plants, animals, protists, fungi, and bacteria, with
emphasis on the study of whole organisms, living or extinct. These studies
focus largely on how physiological or morphological mechanisms have evolved
and how they may influence evolutionary pathways or interactions between
organisms and their biotic or physiochemical environments. The cluster
supports research on the basic physiological mechanisms at the molecular,
cellular, tissue, organ, and whole animal level, with emphasis on the
whole animal as an “integrated system.” This includes studies
of comparative physiology, functional morphology, endocrinology, epithelial
transport, and biomechanics. Another focus is on understanding plants
as “functional units” through the integration of genomic,
molecular, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to studies of plant
form and function. Examples include hormonal and environmental regulation
of plant function, plant physiological interactions with pathogens, nitrogen-fixing
organisms, mycorrhizae, and other beneficial or pathogenic organisms
in the rhizosphere. The emphasis is on understanding the physiological
and metabolic basis of plant responses to such interactions.
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