Conference: Translating Molecular Science Innovations into Biotechnology Solutions

In FY2021, the Division of Chemistry at National Science Foundation (NSF) launched a new highly collaborative program (the Molecular Foundations for Biotechnology - MFB), which supports fundamentally new approaches in molecular sciences to drive new directions in molecular biotechnology, a critical and emerging technology of the 21st century. The program has grown into a direct partnership between the National Institutes of Health’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and six divisions across four NSF directorates. Eleven awards were made in the first two funding cycles, and a third funding round is in progress. With support from the Division of Chemistry (CHE) and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships at NSF, Dr. Anthony Boccanfuso of University-Industry Demonstration Partnership is organizing a workshop for awardees in the first two funding cycles, other academic investigators, and a strategic set of private sector representatives to consider the progress of the MFB program (Day 1), followed by a day dedicated to exploring current federal agency approaches to translating research and the commercial and translation potential of the research thrusts (Day 2). The ultimate goals of this workshop are to assess the translational potential of the MFB program, bring in possible investment from the business sector, and identify other technical areas needing additional investments. The workshop is slated to take place in Spring 2024 in the Washington, DC region. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.