The Kavli Foundation partners with NSF to fund research in neurobiology and changing ecosystems

The Kavli Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Biological Sciences' Division for Integrative Organismal Systems have joined forces to launch a grant program in neurobiology and changing ecosystems. Research in this emerging field has great potential to reveal novel scientific insights that will accelerate understanding of basic biology in neural adaptation and resilience at the molecular, biophysical, cellular, and circuit levels.

“NSF’s partnership with The Kavli Foundation will enable the U.S. to advance research in this emerging and understudied field,” remarked Denise Dearing, Division Director of Integrative Organismal Systems in the Directorate for Biological Sciences. “We look forward to enabling novel, interdisciplinary opportunities to advance the world’s understanding of how the neural systems of animals are impacted by a changing environment.”

Understanding how neural systems are impacted by - or resilient to - changes in natural environments is of vital importance, and why The Kavli Foundation launched its Neurobiology and Changing Ecosystems initiative in August 2023, followed by research grant awards announced in November at the Society for Neuroscience meeting. Now with the NSF partnership, additional opportunities open up for researchers to explore the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie neural, physiological, and behavioral responses to anthropogenic environmental change – a critical area of study with today's rapidly evolving world.

“Accelerated environmental changes are testing the limits of neural systems at many levels – from insects, to fish, to human. This presents an opportunity for discovery, to gain greater insight into the mechanisms that regulate adaptation,” said Amy Bernard, Director of Life Sciences at The Kavli Foundation. “We are thrilled to partner with NSF to identify and support fundamental research in this overlooked but essential area of neuroscience.”

Research proposals are invited through application to the National Science Foundation. Preferred projects will emphasize interdisciplinary collaborations and integrate diverse methodologies, such as environmental monitoring, behavioral and physiological measurement, ecological and evolutionary modeling, combined with traditional approaches in neuroscience investigation.

Details on submitting proposals can be found on the NSF website through a Dear Colleague Letter.