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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - NSF Physics of Living Systems (PoLS)

What is the NSF Physics of Living Systems (PoLS) program?

The Physics of Living Systems (PoLS) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant opportunity that supports projects using the concepts, methods, and tools of physics to uncover fundamental processes that allow living systems to function in changing, complex environments.

How is PoLS different from NSF's earlier Biological Physics program?

PoLS grew out of NSF's earlier Biological Physics program, but it shifts the emphasis beyond primarily molecular-level questions toward a broader, more systems-oriented view of life. The program focuses on quantitative, physically grounded explanations of how living systems organize, regulate, communicate, adapt, and evolve.

What kinds of research does PoLS aim to support?

PoLS aims to support research that is both biologically meaningful and capable of expanding physics itself through new questions, phenomena, and theory. Competitive proposals are expected to tackle important biological problems with a clear commitment to quantitative understanding and falsifiable models, rather than purely descriptive biology.

What does NSF mean by a "physics of systems" perspective?

NSF emphasizes a "physics of systems" perspective in which researchers seek testable, quantitative explanations for complex behavior. The program notes that similar approaches have been successful for complex inanimate matter and could be transformative for living, replicating, evolving systems when paired with testable phenomenological theories and carefully designed experiments.

What scientific themes and questions are encouraged under PoLS?

PoLS particularly encourages research that targets physical principles underlying biological organization and function, including how living systems organize, regulate, communicate, adapt, and evolve. It also encourages studies that probe boundaries between living and non-living matter and, when useful for revealing general rules, exploration of artificial life forms.

What scales of biology and organization are within the program scope?

The program scope is intentionally broad across scales, ranging from single-cell processes to collective behavior and population-level dynamics, as well as the evolution of complexity over time.

What are examples of topics at the single-cell level that PoLS is interested in?

Examples include cellular organization and mechanics (such as the cytoskeleton), energy metabolism and how cells manage energy flows, gene regulation viewed through physical constraints and noise, and intracellular or intercellular communication considered as dynamical, information-processing systems.

What are examples of topics at larger scales that PoLS welcomes?

At larger scales, PoLS welcomes work on collective behavior, population-level dynamics, and the evolution of complexity, including how interactions among many components produce emergent function and how such organization changes over time.

Are in vitro systems allowed, or must projects use living organisms directly?

While projects are motivated by living organisms, the solicitation notes that in vitro systems may be supported when they are necessary or particularly effective for isolating and understanding the relevant physical principles.

Does PoLS support research on artificial life?

PoLS encourages exploration of artificial life forms when that approach helps reveal general rules, especially in the context of probing the boundaries between living and non-living matter and understanding the physical principles of organization and function.

What makes a proposal "competitive" for PoLS based on the description?

Based on the program description, competitive projects focus on important biological problems while demonstrating a strong commitment to quantitative understanding and falsifiable, physically grounded models, supported by carefully designed experiments or other appropriate testing approaches.

Does the program prefer individual investigator projects or collaborative projects?

PoLS primarily funds proposals led by individual investigators, but it explicitly welcomes collaborative proposals, especially those that bridge physics and biology through partnerships between physicists and biological researchers.

What is the funding mechanism and category for this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered as a discretionary NSF grant within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

What CFDA number is associated with PoLS in this posting?

This posting is associated with CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning proposals can generally come from a wide range of entity types as permitted by NSF policies and any eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided for this opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for the archived posting described here?

The archived posting summarized here is identified as Funding Opportunity Number PD 08 7246.

How many awards and how much total funding were anticipated for this archived posting?

For this specific archived posting, NSF anticipated about 10 awards with an estimated total funding level of $2,000,000.

What were the key dates and deadline pattern for this posting?

The original full proposal deadline was July 31, 2009, with a stated pattern of July 31 deadlines annually thereafter. The archived record shows a current closing date of July 31, 2010, and an archive date of July 12, 2011.

Is this posting still active, or was it replaced?

The listing indicates this posting was later replaced by PD 11 7246, and the record described is an archived posting.

Where should applicants look for the most current program details and requirements?

Applicants are directed to the NSF program description link and NSF support contacts for operational details, requirements, and the most current version of the opportunity.

Where can applicants get help if they have trouble accessing the opportunity through grants.gov?

The information provided notes that grants.gov support is available for access issues.