Genetic Mechanisms

Apply to NSF 11-545

The Genetic Mechanisms Cluster supports inventive studies seeking to address fundamental questions such as:  How do genes work?  How are genes maintained and inherited?  How do genes and genomes change?  The Cluster welcomes the development and use of innovative in vivo and in vitro approaches, including biochemical, biophysical, computational, genetic, genomic, and metagenomic methods.  Research at the interfaces between biology and other disciplines such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and engineering is encouraged.  Funding priority is given to proposals that identify critical gaps in our understanding, propose imaginative experiments to fill the gaps, and promise high-impact contributions and significant forward movement in the following areas:

• Gene expression and epigenetics
• Chromosome dynamics, DNA replication, repair, recombination and inheritance
• Evolution of genes and genomes

As stated in the Grant Proposal Guide, proposals to conduct research motivated primarily by relevance to human diseases and health is not appropriate for the division and will be returned without review.