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Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology

Federal funding opportunity 26-504 from U.S. National Science Foundation.

Apply on Grants.gov →Application closes September 29, 2026

Posted
February 5, 2026
Closes
September 29, 2026
Award floor
$220,000
Program funding
$16,500,000
Cost sharing
No
Instrument
Grant
Assistance listing
47.074
Category
Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Archives
October 26, 2028

Program funding history

Awards made under Assistance Listing 47.074 across FY2024–FY2026, from public federal spending records.

FY2024 obligated
$829.7M
FY2025 obligated
$805.2M
FY2026 (to date) obligated
$219.2M
Awards in window
3,882

Top recipients: Battelle Memorial Institute, Arizona State University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Florida, University of Illinois

Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed July 2026

Synopsis

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Biological Research has the potential to pave the way for breakthroughs in biotechnology and bio-system design that will create innovations, new industries, and jobs. To capitalize on this promise, the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) will make awards for Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) to recent doctoral degree recipients, for proposals with a research and training focus at the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Biological Sciences to Strengthen and Safeguard Biotechnology Innovations. Applying AI to highly complex biological systems will reveal unknown mechanisms in the natural world that hold promise for technological developments. Candidates with AI and/or biology experience will develop deep expertise in both by proposing additional training in both areas. These combinations of current expertise and new cross-training will produce scientists who work seamlessly at the intersection of AI and biology. The fellows are expected to become field leaders who use AI capabilities to extrapolate from biological data to technological advances. Proposers are encouraged to consider how to leverage the nation’s diversity of existing biological data, and biological infrastructure, such as Biofoundries, Programmable Cloud Labs, Manufacturing USA Institutes, and NEON, to accelerate discovery, innovation and the biotechnology that improves human lives, promotes the U.S. economy, and benefits the nation.

Who can apply

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - Proposals must be submitted by the individual, not the host institution, and awards are made directly to Fellows. Each postdoctoral Fellow must identify a sponsoring scientist(s) and must affiliate with an appropriate U.S. or international host institution at the time of proposal submission. Appropriate U.S. organizations include institutions of higher education, private nonprofit institutes and museums, government agencies and laboratories, and, under special conditions that require prior approval from a Program Officer, for-profit organizations. Appropriate international institutions include institutions of higher education and many government or non-profit research organizations. *Who May Serve as PI: The PRFB awards are intended primarily for graduate students who are seeking independent support for their first postdoctoral position, or postdoctoral Fellows early in their careers. An individual is eligible to submit a proposal if all the following criteria are met: