Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

22/10/2026

🧬 What does HFSP look for in frontier science?

Bold ideas, innovative approaches, and collaborations that cross disciplinary boundaries are at the heart of HFSP Research Grants.

But how do these principles translate into a research proposal?

Join us for a webinar exploring expectations for frontier science and providing guidance for researchers considering applying to the 2028 Research Grants call.

📅 17 November 2026 | Two sessions:
🕘 09:00 CET
🕓 16:00 CET

💻 Free attendance | Registration required

👉 Register here: https://zurl.co/JtN3J

20/10/2026

🔬 Meet the speakers of the HFSP Symposium at IUMS - International Union of Microbiological Societies 2026!

From the diversity of African microbiomes to the complex interactions between microbes and their hosts, our Symposium "Frontier Research in Microbiology" will explore some of the fascinating questions shaping microbiology research today.

Join our speakers as they share their research:

🌍 Thulani Makhalanyane (South Africa) – The African Microbiome Project

🦠 Yi Han Tan (Germany) – The host–microbe arms race

🧠 Karina Xavier (Portugal) – Bacterial signaling and gut–brain communication

🔬 Gisa Gerold (Austria) – Viral receptor use in insects and humans

The session will conclude with Guntram Bauer, HFSP Chief Scientific Officer, presenting HFSP's support for international collaboration in fundamental life sciences research.

📅 Thursday, 5 November | 16:40–17:55
📍 Room 5A | IUMS 2026, Lisbon
Explore the full program and meet our speakers🔗 https://zurl.co/LRQeB

16/10/2026

🔬The Golgi apparatus is essential for processing and transporting proteins and lipids inside cells. But how does a cell construct a new one?

HFSP-supported researchers discovered that hundreds of genes work together in a coordinated program to rebuild this complex organelle, rather than relying solely on spontaneous self-assembly.

The discovery offers new insights into how cells organize themselves and could eventually help improve biopharmaceutical production.

🔗 Discover the research: https://zurl.co/56Umb
📹 Watch their video: https://zurl.co/INTv7

15/10/2026

What makes HFSP different from other research funders? 🌍🔬

The independent HFSP Grand Review 2025 highlights the Program's distinctive role in the global science funding landscape: supporting research that often falls outside conventional funding mechanisms.

By bringing together scientists across countries and disciplines, and encouraging ambitious, high-risk ideas, HFSP enables research that might otherwise be difficult to pursue.

The evaluation identifies this approach as one of HFSP's defining strengths, creating opportunities for new scientific directions and discoveries at the frontiers of life sciences.

🔗 Explore the findings of the HFSP Grand Review 2025: https://zurl.co/NcB7z

13/10/2026

🔬 We are heading to Lisbon for !

From 4–6 November, HFSP will participate in the International Union of Microbiological Societies Congress, bringing frontier research and international scientific collaboration into the spotlight.

On 5 November, our special HFSP Symposium, "Frontier Research in Microbiology", will bring together researchers exploring microbial communities, host–microbe interactions, bacterial signaling and viral infections, underlining the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to fundamental research.

We'll also be present in the exhibition area, where participants can learn more about HFSP funding opportunities for ambitious, international research.

📅 HFSP Symposium | 5 November, 16:40–17:55
📍 Room 5A
🏛️ HFSP Exhibitor Stand #4

Explore the program: https://zurl.co/8XlPk

12/10/2026

From the origins of life to the rhythms of the ocean, discover the latest frontiers in life sciences!🌊

The HFSP Science Digest #5 is out now! 📖

Across 68 pages and 30 articles, explore scientific discoveries, emerging research directions, and the people behind HFSP-supported research.

From how plants respond to climate change to the evolution of communication in aquatic mammals and the mysteries of the early Earth, this edition showcases the diversity of questions driving frontier science!

🔬 Explore the new edition: https://zurl.co/wPJ9w

10/10/2026

Nature has designed something remarkable: neurons that can repair themselves!

Unlike machines, which gradually wear down under repeated stress, neurons can withstand decades of movement and mechanical strain while maintaining their function.

How is that possible?

HFSP-supported researchers have discovered how neurons activate molecular repair mechanisms to rebuild their internal structures after repeated mechanical damage.

These findings reveal the extraordinary resilience of our nervous system and could help scientists better understand conditions involving nerve damage and neurodegeneration.

👉 Discover the research: https://zurl.co/lqoMg

09/10/2026

🧬 Thinking of applying for an HFSP Research Grant?

Join our upcoming webinar to learn more about the 2028 Research Grants call and get guidance on preparing your application.

Almut Kelber (HFSP Director of Awards) will share insights into HFSP's expectations for frontier science, application guidelines, and how to prepare a compelling Letter of Intent. A live Q&A will give you the opportunity to ask your questions directly.

🌍 To accommodate different time zones, we are offering two sessions on 17 November 2026:

🕘 Session A: 09:00 CET
🕓 Session B: 16:00 CET

💻 Online | Free attendance, registration required.

👉 Register here: https://zurl.co/W75wt

05/10/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Karl Deisseroth on receiving the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine!

Karl Deisseroth holds a special place in HFSP history. In 2010, he became the first recipient of the HFSP Nakasone Award, recognized for his pioneering development of optogenetic methods to investigate the neuronal networks underlying behavior.

Sixteen years later, his Nobel Prize adds another milestone to a remarkable scientific career and makes him the fifth HFSP Nakasone Award winner to receive the Nobel Prize.

Our warmest congratulations to Karl Deisseroth on this outstanding recognition of his contributions to science.

🔗 Read more: https://zurl.co/b3MsF https://zurl.co/AFKnw

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 was awarded jointly to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.”

05/10/2026

🐭 A tiny mammal with a kidney-sized immune organ?

Shrews live fast: they have exceptionally high metabolic rates, short lifespans and face heavy parasite loads. HFSP-supported researchers have revealed how an unusual, kidney-sized immune organ—the pancreas of Aselli—helps them produce long-lived antibody-secreting cells.

The discovery offers new insight into how shrews balance the high energy demands of survival, reproduction, and immune defense, and how extreme lifestyles can drive the evolution of entirely new immune strategies.

👉 Read more: https://zurl.co/gObNx