Synthetic Plant Biology
Forecasted
Synthetic Plant Biology supports researchers pursuing high-risk work that applies engineering principles to understand plant function and develop tools and insights for future plant synthetic biology.
Funder: Simons Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application submission)
Funding Amounts: Up to $360,000 annually, including indirect costs, for three years; three to five awards expected
Summary: Supports exploratory, high-risk research applying engineering principles to understand plant function and develop tools for future plant synthetic biology.
Key Information: Investigators need a Ph.D. or equivalent, a faculty or eligible faculty-equivalent position, and institutional research space.
Description
The Simons Foundation’s Life Sciences division runs the Synthetic Plant Biology program to support research applying engineering principles and techniques to understand how plants function. Projects may develop sensors to study plant physiological responses, engineer plants to withstand inhospitable environments, or use genetic modifications to reveal trade-offs in plant growth and development. The program seeks both fundamental insights and innovative tools and techniques that enable future plant biology research.
The emphasis is on exploratory, high-risk investigations that could enable highly impactful research in plant synthetic biology. Preliminary data are not required at the application stage; generating such data is an anticipated objective of the awards. Proposed work should offer promising tools, techniques or insights for future research and potential impact on the broader field of plant biology.
