Description
The National Science Foundation’s X‑Labs initiative seeks full‑time, multidisciplinary R&D teams to develop platform technologies that translate protein or genome sequences into predictable, engineerable functions. The effort is funded through Other Transaction contracts and is structured in Phase 0 (proof‑of‑concept) followed by Phase 1 (scale‑up) with milestone‑based payments. Proposers must submit an 8‑page written proposal and a separate COI statement, and may ask questions until mid‑December 2026.
• Targeted domain: bioengineering platforms for protein‑sequence‑to‑function or genome‑to‑function technologies, including AI/ML‑driven design.
• Funding ceiling: up to $1.5 M for Phase 0 and up to $50 M per year for Phase 1, with total project length potentially 2–3 years.
• Eligibility: any U.S. entity (university, nonprofit, private firm) capable of leading a full‑time R&D team; senior/key personnel can appear on only one proposal.
• Required deliverables: mission statement, technology landscape analysis, measurable outcomes, senior personnel bios, team capability statement, biosafety/biosecurity plan, and milestone plans.
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Contact
X-Labs