2027 Synthetic Biology for Sustainability Postdoc Scholars Program - RFP

The Stanford Synthetic Biology for Sustainability Postdoctoral Scholars Program is made possible through the Shriram gift for Synthetic Biology for Sustainability. This opportunity funds research projects that aim to use synthetic biology to make life on earth more sustainable, broadly defined.  

Scope

Projects may contribute to sustainability in a number of ways: for example, how one can model nature, make/build/perturb a living system, or measure key parameters related to these areas. Ideas can be at any scale from molecular, to cellular (and cell-free), organismal, to ecological, to planetary. Ideas can involve fundamental science and tools, technology development, humanities and arts, or applications, among others.

The Stanford Synthetic Biology for Sustainability Postdoctoral Scholars program will fund interdisciplinary seed grant projects for postdocs, particularly those characterized by high risk and high impact. We aim to foster collaboration among research teams to grow the synthetic biology community.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to all Stanford postdocs. Priority will be given to proposals from an individual postdoc who conducts research at the intersection of at least two departments or disparate research areas. A requirement is that the project is developed by a postdoc and is not already supported in or proposed as a faculty research grant.

Award Amount & Duration

Projects are expected to span 6 - 12 months, with a maximum funding amount of up to $50,000 per project (inclusive of 8% indirect costs).

Submission Guidelines

Proposals are due on Friday, Jan 8 by 11:59pm PST, via application link.

Proposals must include the following elements: 

Description (500 words)

• What problem are you trying to solve? 
• What is the central idea of your project?
• What are the existing methods for addressing this issue, and what challenges or limitations do they face?
• What elements of synthetic biology does your approach use, and what makes you confident in its potential for success?

Impact (250 words)

• If you are successful, what difference will it make?  Who will be impacted?
• If your project will create a platform/technology, please indicate how it could enable a broader community of researchers and create an inflection point to accelerate progress.
• What are your career goals? How will you maximize the impact of these funds to support your career? 

Methodology, Timeline and Budget (500 words)

• Provide a detailed project budget and justification for the requested funds. Restrictions: no travel, no PI mentor salary. 
• What potential risks or challenges do you foresee in this project? How will you mitigate these risks?
• What are the mid-term and final progress measures that would indicate success?

Evaluation Criteria

• Scientific merit and innovation using synthetic biology
• Potential for positive sustainability impact
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and expertise
• Clarity and feasibility of project plan
• Budget and resource efficiency
• Potential to support career progression

Please submit via this application link as a single PDF file which includes the following elements: 

1) Cover page: Proposal title, your name, position, contact information (email, phone number), a three-sentence summary should describe the overall goal of the project  

2) Proposal: maximum of 2 pages. This two-page limit includes references and illustrations (format: single-spaced, 1/2-inch margins, Arial or Helvetica size 11 or larger)

3) An NIH-style biosketch  

4) Budget (budget template)

5) Letter signed by your PI addressed to the Stanford Synthetic Biology review committee members. The letter should state that they support the application of their team member. 

Timeline

• Proposal submission deadline: January 8, 2027, 11:59 PM PST
• Award Notification date: April 1, 2027
• Anticipated project funding start date: May 1, 2027
• Project duration: 6 months - 1 year

If selected, you will be invited to present at the Synthetic Biology for Sustainability Symposium on May 19, 2027, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. 

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