Systems Biology Enabled Research on the Role of Microbial Communities in Carbon Cycling | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What federal agency and office are offering this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, through the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER).

What program area does this funding opportunity support?

The funding opportunity supports the DOE Genomic Science program, with a focus on expanding understanding of how microbial communities drive carbon cycling in terrestrial environments.

What is the central research theme of this opportunity?

The central theme is "systems biology enabled" research. Projects are expected to integrate multiple data types (such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and related measurements) with modeling or network-level analysis to explain how microbes and microbial communities regulate carbon transformations.

What kinds of outcomes is DOE looking for from funded projects?

DOE is looking for fundamental, mechanism-based science that connects microbial genes and pathways to measurable, ecosystem-scale carbon processes, with an emphasis on understanding function rather than simply cataloging which organisms are present.

What are the three main research areas invited under this FOA?

The FOA invites applications in three areas: (1) systems biology studies of regulatory and metabolic networks in microbes, microbial consortia, and microbe-plant interactions influencing biogeochemical carbon cycling; (2) development of omics approaches designed to probe functional processes of microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems; and (3) creation of omics-enabled imaging and analytical technologies to visualize and quantify microbially mediated carbon cycling processes.

What types of biological systems or interactions are in scope?

In-scope systems include individual microbes, microbial consortia, microbial communities, and microbe-plant interactions (including interactions associated with plant roots) that influence carbon uptake, decomposition, stabilization, and release in terrestrial environments.

What does DOE mean by moving beyond descriptive surveys of microbial communities?

The FOA emphasizes approaches that capture activity and function in situ, rather than only describing community membership. Examples mentioned include linking gene expression and metabolite fluxes to specific carbon transformations in soils, rhizospheres, or other terrestrial settings.

What kinds of technologies does the FOA encourage developing?

The FOA encourages both (a) omics methods tailored to functional microbial processes in terrestrial ecosystems and (b) omics-enabled imaging and analytical technologies that can visualize and quantify where and when carbon transformations occur, which organisms are involved, and how microscale heterogeneity affects community function.

What environments are explicitly mentioned as targets for research?

The FOA specifically mentions terrestrial environments, including soils and rhizospheres, and also references plant-associated environments where microscale heterogeneity may affect microbial community function.

Is this opportunity focused on applied outcomes or fundamental science?

The FOA targets fundamental, mechanism-based science, aiming for rigorous and predictive connections between molecular-scale microbial biology and ecosystem-relevant carbon cycling outcomes.

What is the CFDA number and assistance program for this opportunity?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity under the DOE Office of Science Financial Assistance Program, CFDA 81.049.

How much total funding is estimated to be available?

The total estimated funding listed is $8,000,000.

What is the expected funding range per individual award?

Individual awards are expected to range from $250,000 (award floor) to $1,000,000 (award ceiling).

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states that no cost sharing or matching is required.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broadly open to most entity types, with specific exclusions. The FOA indicates that other federal agencies are not eligible to apply directly, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors cannot apply, and certain nonprofit organizations classified under 501(c)(4) that engaged in lobbying after December 31, 1995 are excluded.

Are other federal agencies allowed to apply as the applicant organization?

No. The FOA explicitly states that other federal agencies are not eligible to apply directly.

Can FFRDC contractors apply as the lead applicant?

No. The FOA states that FFRDC contractors cannot apply.

Are any nonprofit organizations explicitly excluded?

Yes. The FOA excludes certain nonprofit organizations classified under 501(c)(4) that engaged in lobbying after December 31, 1995.

Are collaborations with DOE National Laboratories or other federal laboratories allowed?

Yes. The FOA allows collaborations with federal laboratories and FFRDCs, including DOE National Laboratories, as long as the collaboration fills critical gaps in expertise and does not exceed 50 percent of the total project budget.

Is there a budget cap on how much of the project can be performed by federal labs or FFRDCs?

Yes. The FOA indicates that collaborations with federal laboratories and FFRDCs must not exceed 50 percent of the total project budget.

What is DOE signaling by limiting national lab/FFRDC participation to 50 percent of the budget?

Based on the FOA language, DOE is signaling a preference for university- and non-federal-led projects while still enabling teams to use specialized national lab capabilities when needed (for example, advanced omics platforms, imaging facilities, or high-performance computing).

What are the key dates listed for this FOA?

The listing includes a posted and creation date of February 1, 2013; an original and current closing date of April 19, 2013; and an archive date of July 19, 2013.

Is this a current opportunity or a historical announcement?

The dates indicate this specific announcement is historical (it closed April 19, 2013 and was archived July 19, 2013).

Who are the listed contacts for questions about the opportunity?

The listing provides contacts in grants administration and program management: Kimberlie J. Laing (Grant Analyst) and Joseph R. Graber (Program Manager), both within the DOE Office of Science.

What kinds of scientific approaches are expected under "systems biology enabled" research?

Projects are expected to integrate multiple omics and related measurements (for example genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) with modeling or network-level analysis to explain microbial regulation of carbon transformations at the community and ecosystem-relevant scale.

Does the FOA prioritize identifying microbial species present in a community?

The FOA emphasizes understanding microbial function and mechanisms (how genes and pathways drive carbon processes) rather than simply cataloging who is present in a community.