Symbiosis in Aquatic System

The agency is seeking to catalyze new collaborations that combine disciplinary expertise in aquatic symbiosis with leading-edge techniques from other scientific and engineering fields. This initiative aims to address fundamental and long-standing questions regarding the origin, function, and evolution of symbiotic relationships in aquatic organisms. The agency intends to enable and accelerate discovery through the integration of perspectives from areas such as biomedicine and synthetic biology. The scope of work includes developing new tools, methods, and data resources alongside the creation and testing of new theoretical frameworks. The project requires the pursuit of ambitious and high-risk approaches that have the potential for significant impact on the ecology and mechanisms of symbiotic interactions. All efforts must align with the initiative’s specific scope and scientific priorities to support novel system design and technologies. Eligibility is restricted to onshore organizations based in the United States. The performance of all work will occur offsite rather than at a buyer-provided facility. The agency is currently looking for proposals to establish budget parameters and will accept digital responses via email or online submission portals.