Opportunity
The Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is soliciting pre-applications for awards to develop freshwater and marine model systems where at least one symbiotic partner in the model system is a microbe (bacteria, archaea, and/or single-celled eukaryotes, including single-celled fungi). A constricted bottleneck in aquatic symbiosis is the paucity of tractable model systems – well-studied associations of two or more organisms that can be manipulated to reveal underlying controls of gene expression and function, determine how the organisms interact, better understand how the organisms contribute to ecosystem processes, and study their evolution.
These awards will fund scientists (individuals or teams) to generate new tools, protocols, and resources to significantly improve the ability to observe and manipulate aquatic symbioses of interest. An essential component of this opportunity is a willingness of all grantees to form a collaborative community where methods and ideas are openly and actively shared to accelerate the pace of methods and technology development and avoid unnecessary redundancy in these pursuits. Grantees will convene periodically virtually and in person to build connections between teams and should expect to interface with other groups in the scientific community working on model systems.
Grantees will be selected based on the skill sets and model systems expertise represented in their individual labs or across their teams, their potential to conduct research that illuminates how aquatic symbioses involving microbes function, and clear articulation of how their proposed project will make measurable progress in a grant period ranging from an estimated 1.5 to 3 years (project duration will be determined in coordination with foundation staff later in the application process).
As noted above, we are interested in symbioses where at least one partner is a microbe and where the symbiosis takes place in a marine or freshwater environment. Studies centered on agriculture, aquaculture, aquaponics, the human microbiome, applied sciences, symbiosis in terrestrial systems, symbioses without a microbe, predator-prey relationships, and pathogen research are outside the scope of this funding opportunity. We recognize the value of diversity and encourage individuals from all identities and backgrounds to apply. Applications are welcome from scientists based in the United States and internationally. The initiative expects successful candidates will represent a variety of scientific backgrounds, perspectives, and disciplines to enhance the diversity of tools, ideas and approaches used to address outstanding needs and questions in aquatic symbiosis.
If a research team is applying for an award, the project lead should fill out a single pre-application on behalf of their team. Please note you will need to complete a model systems survey available through SurveyMonkey as part of the pre-application process. We also invite all scientists interested in symbiosis model systems (including co-applicants and members of the scientific community) to complete this survey to better inform the initiative team.
Prospective applicants should read the FAQs for additional information about this call and the initiative. If you have a question not answered in the FAQ document, please reach out to symbiosis@moore.org. We strongly encourage project leads to open an application as early as possible so as to familiarize themselves with the proposal steps and requirements. Please monitor your spam folder for verification emails from the smapply.io website and add “noreply@mail.smapply.io” and “symbiosis@moore.org” to your address book.
To receive future announcements from the Moore Foundation, please add your name to our distribution list.
Pre-application Deadline
August 8, 2019 by 23:59 PDT
Anticipated Notification Date
Project leads will be notified of a decision whether the application will proceed to the next stage by Mid-October, 2019. At this time, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application for further consideration (due November 15, 2019).
Timeline Overview
August 8, 2019 – pre-applications due
Mid-October, 2019 – decision on pre-applications and invitation to a subset of applicants to submit a full application
November 18, 2019 – full applications due
January 2020 – finalists notified
Early 2020 – prospective grant development
Eligibility Requirements
Please note the eligibility criteria for our competitions vary. The criteria described here apply specifically to this call for proposals.
This solicitation is open to researchers applying individually on behalf of their lab as well as teams. Teams can be assembled across labs at the same institution or multiple institutions. There is no limit to the number of teams applying from a single institution. For team projects, the project lead should fill out a pre-application on behalf of their team. Individuals or teams invited to submit a full application will have the opportunity to alter their team composition prior to the full application submission deadline if needed or desired. We encourage pre-applications from multidisciplinary teams of researchers (either within individual labs or represented in team submissions) – i.e., including members who have experience in a model system separate from this opportunity (such as E. coli, yeast, Drosophila, mouse, or another advanced system) or who could bring a tool, technique, or new perspective to the project – whose collaborative effort will bring innovative approaches to this portfolio of grants. The breadth of the applicant’s expertise will be a consideration during the review process.
To be eligible for this competition, applicants must be able to receive research grants. Both tenure-track and non-tenure track researchers at academic institutions are eligible to apply, as are scientists at non-profit or for-profit companies, provided all data, protocols, and methods generated from model systems projects are openly shared with the scientific community. Both U.S. and non-U.S. scientists are encouraged to apply. Current and previous Moore Foundation awardees are eligible to apply, although previous funding will not confer an advantage or disadvantage during the selection process. You may also apply if you have applied to previous competitions for the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative. For a complete list of eligibility requirements, please review the FAQs.
Review Process
Pre-applications will be screened by foundation staff and external reviewers. A subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application by mid-October, 2019. This solicitation is open to all qualified applicants, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, national origin, religion or disability. If you have any questions or need assistance or accommodation in completing this application, please contact Alexandra González by emailing symbiosis@moore.org or calling 650-213-3121.
Symbiosis Model Systems Solicitation
Opportunity
The Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is soliciting pre-applications for awards to develop freshwater and marine model systems where at least one symbiotic partner in the model system is a microbe (bacteria, archaea, and/or single-celled eukaryotes, including single-celled fungi). A constricted bottleneck in aquatic symbiosis is the paucity of tractable model systems – well-studied associations of two or more organisms that can be manipulated to reveal underlying controls of gene expression and function, determine how the organisms interact, better understand how the organisms contribute to ecosystem processes, and study their evolution.
These awards will fund scientists (individuals or teams) to generate new tools, protocols, and resources to significantly improve the ability to observe and manipulate aquatic symbioses of interest. An essential component of this opportunity is a willingness of all grantees to form a collaborative community where methods and ideas are openly and actively shared to accelerate the pace of methods and technology development and avoid unnecessary redundancy in these pursuits. Grantees will convene periodically virtually and in person to build connections between teams and should expect to interface with other groups in the scientific community working on model systems.
Grantees will be selected based on the skill sets and model systems expertise represented in their individual labs or across their teams, their potential to conduct research that illuminates how aquatic symbioses involving microbes function, and clear articulation of how their proposed project will make measurable progress in a grant period ranging from an estimated 1.5 to 3 years (project duration will be determined in coordination with foundation staff later in the application process).
As noted above, we are interested in symbioses where at least one partner is a microbe and where the symbiosis takes place in a marine or freshwater environment. Studies centered on agriculture, aquaculture, aquaponics, the human microbiome, applied sciences, symbiosis in terrestrial systems, symbioses without a microbe, predator-prey relationships, and pathogen research are outside the scope of this funding opportunity. We recognize the value of diversity and encourage individuals from all identities and backgrounds to apply. Applications are welcome from scientists based in the United States and internationally. The initiative expects successful candidates will represent a variety of scientific backgrounds, perspectives, and disciplines to enhance the diversity of tools, ideas and approaches used to address outstanding needs and questions in aquatic symbiosis.
If a research team is applying for an award, the project lead should fill out a single pre-application on behalf of their team. Please note you will need to complete a model systems survey available through SurveyMonkey as part of the pre-application process. We also invite all scientists interested in symbiosis model systems (including co-applicants and members of the scientific community) to complete this survey to better inform the initiative team.
Prospective applicants should read the FAQs for additional information about this call and the initiative. If you have a question not answered in the FAQ document, please reach out to symbiosis@moore.org. We strongly encourage project leads to open an application as early as possible so as to familiarize themselves with the proposal steps and requirements. Please monitor your spam folder for verification emails from the smapply.io website and add “noreply@mail.smapply.io” and “symbiosis@moore.org” to your address book.
To receive future announcements from the Moore Foundation, please add your name to our distribution list.
Pre-application Deadline
August 8, 2019 by 23:59 PDT
Anticipated Notification Date
Project leads will be notified of a decision whether the application will proceed to the next stage by Mid-October, 2019. At this time, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application for further consideration (due November 15, 2019).
Timeline Overview
August 8, 2019 – pre-applications due
Mid-October, 2019 – decision on pre-applications and invitation to a subset of applicants to submit a full application
November 18, 2019 – full applications due
January 2020 – finalists notified
Early 2020 – prospective grant development
Eligibility Requirements
Please note the eligibility criteria for our competitions vary. The criteria described here apply specifically to this call for proposals.
This solicitation is open to researchers applying individually on behalf of their lab as well as teams. Teams can be assembled across labs at the same institution or multiple institutions. There is no limit to the number of teams applying from a single institution. For team projects, the project lead should fill out a pre-application on behalf of their team. Individuals or teams invited to submit a full application will have the opportunity to alter their team composition prior to the full application submission deadline if needed or desired. We encourage pre-applications from multidisciplinary teams of researchers (either within individual labs or represented in team submissions) – i.e., including members who have experience in a model system separate from this opportunity (such as E. coli, yeast, Drosophila, mouse, or another advanced system) or who could bring a tool, technique, or new perspective to the project – whose collaborative effort will bring innovative approaches to this portfolio of grants. The breadth of the applicant’s expertise will be a consideration during the review process.
To be eligible for this competition, applicants must be able to receive research grants. Both tenure-track and non-tenure track researchers at academic institutions are eligible to apply, as are scientists at non-profit or for-profit companies, provided all data, protocols, and methods generated from model systems projects are openly shared with the scientific community. Both U.S. and non-U.S. scientists are encouraged to apply. Current and previous Moore Foundation awardees are eligible to apply, although previous funding will not confer an advantage or disadvantage during the selection process. You may also apply if you have applied to previous competitions for the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative. For a complete list of eligibility requirements, please review the FAQs.
Review Process
Pre-applications will be screened by foundation staff and external reviewers. A subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application by mid-October, 2019. This solicitation is open to all qualified applicants, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, national origin, religion or disability. If you have any questions or need assistance or accommodation in completing this application, please contact Alexandra González by emailing symbiosis@moore.org or calling 650-213-3121.