Emerging Mathematics in Biology | 23 537

Opportunity Information: Apply for 23 537

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Emerging Mathematics in Biology (eMB) program is a discretionary grant opportunity focused on advancing fundamental, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of mathematics and the life sciences. The core goal is to spark potentially transformative work that creates or substantially improves mathematical, statistical, and computational theories, tools, and modeling approaches that can tackle difficult, high-impact biological questions. The program is designed for research that not only applies mathematics to biology, but also pushes the underlying math, statistics, or computation forward in ways that open up new avenues for biological discovery and, where relevant, inform public health policy decisions.

eMB specifically supports mathematical biology projects that address significant biological challenges through either (1) novel uses of established mathematical methods in ways that are nontrivial and genuinely innovative, or (2) the development of new theory and methods, especially drawing from foundational areas of mathematics and/or modern computational and statistical techniques. The opportunity explicitly welcomes the creation and use of advanced computational approaches, including Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, and Machine Learning (AI/DL/ML), when these methods are being developed or adapted in a way that meaningfully advances modeling, inference, prediction, or understanding in biological systems rather than serving as off-the-shelf applications.

In practical terms, the program is aimed at projects where the mathematics and the biology are tightly coupled: the biological question should be challenging and important, and the proposed mathematical or computational contribution should be substantial enough that it could influence how researchers study similar biological problems in the future. This emphasis on “emerging” mathematics signals an interest in work that introduces fresh conceptual frameworks, new analytical or computational tools, or new classes of models that can handle complexity, uncertainty, and data-rich settings common in modern biology and public health.

The opportunity is offered as a grant under NSF’s research and development category (CFDA 47.049). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning proposals may be submitted by any entity type permitted under the solicitation’s eligibility language, subject to any additional clarifications NSF provides in the full announcement. NSF anticipated making around 15 awards. The listing indicates an award ceiling of 0, which typically means a fixed maximum amount is not specified in the summary record and applicants should consult the full program solicitation for budget expectations, constraints, and typical award sizes.

Key administrative details from the opportunity record include the funding opportunity title “Emerging Mathematics in Biology,” funding opportunity number 23-537, and an original closing date of March 22, 2023, with a creation date of December 23, 2022.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emerging Mathematics in Biology" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 23, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 22, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for 23 537

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