Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

Frontier discoveries often happen at the boundaries between disciplines!

At the EMBO Workshop Cellular Evolution, HFSP Chief Scientific Officer Guntram Bauer participated in a panel discussion on funding and publishing interdisciplinary research and presented HFSP's approach to supporting bold, high-risk research that brings together scientists from diverse backgrounds.

These conversations are essential as science becomes increasingly collaborative. Thank you to the organizers for creating a forum to discuss the evolving landscape of interdisciplinary science!

📣 Last days to submit your abstract!

Abstract submission for the HFSP Frontier Workshop “Bridging Fossil Records and Modern Science – Integrative Approaches to Evolution” closes on 14 June 2026.

Don’t miss the opportunity to contribute to an interdisciplinary program bringing together perspectives from paleontology, evolutionary biology, mathematics, physics, AI, and computational sciences.

🔗 Submit your abstract: https://zurl.co/Giyq6

What time is it 1,700 meters below the ocean surface? ⏰🌊

HFSP-supported researchers discovered that deep-sea mussels living at hydrothermal vents maintain internal biological clocks synchronized with tidal cycles, even in complete darkness.

Their findings reveal that life in the deep ocean is far more structured and rhythmic than previously thought.

On World Ocean Day, explore how scientists are decoding the hidden rhythms of the deep sea.

📖 Read the full Science Digest story: https://bit.ly/4g19F76

What questions will shape the HFSP Frontier Workshop “Bridging Fossil Records and Modern Science – Integrative Approaches to Evolution”?

The workshop will explore four key themes:

🦴 Fossil Heritage and Accessibility: Challenges and opportunities for digital transformation
🧬 From Paleo-Genomics to Paleo-Phenomes: Reconstructing evolutionary narratives
🤖 Computational and Mathematical Challenges: The role of AI in completing the fossil record and simulating morphological evolution
🌍 Communication and Integration: Linking natural history and philosophy, and communicating science across disciplines and to the public

Together, these themes will guide discussions on how fossil records, modern technologies, and interdisciplinary approaches can open new perspectives on the history of life.

Are you planning to participate?

📣 Abstract submission deadline: 10 June 2026
🔗 Submit your abstract: https://zurl.co/kJHvq
📝 Registration is open: https://zurl.co/MDXS0

One of the highlights of the 25th HFSP Awardees Meeting will be the HFSP Nakasone Lecture, delivered by Erin M. Schuman, recipient of the 2026 HFSP Nakasone Award.

Schuman was recognized for her pioneering discoveries on neuronal synapses and memory formation. Her research revealed that proteins critical for neuron communication, plasticity, and memory storage are produced locally at synapses, transforming our understanding of how the brain functions and adapts.

Join us in Geneva to hear the 2026 HFSP Nakasone Award Lecture and celebrate a breakthrough that has shaped modern neuroscience!

📍 Campus Biotech Geneva, Switzerland
📅 8–10 July 2026

🧪 Registration is open: https://zurl.co/0edSL

Global collaboration is at the core of the HFSP Research Grants!

The 2026 HFSP Research Grants connect scientists across 30 countries and nearly 100 institutions around the world. 🌍

From neuroscience and ecology to engineering and climate science, these projects reflect a shared commitment to advancing life science through international collaboration.

Read more: https://zurl.co/qrT5H

New technologies are rapidly changing how scientists study evolution. From AI and 3D digitization to advances in genomics, researchers now have powerful new tools to explore fossil records and reconstruct the history of life in ways that were not possible before.

The HFSP Frontier Workshop will bring together experts from different fields to discuss these new opportunities and challenges.

📣 Call for Abstracts open
🔗 Submit here: https://zurl.co/P5eeA

Coral reefs do not just shelter fish and marine life. 🪸 They also host extraordinary microbial worlds!🦠

HFSP-supported researchers mapped coral microbiomes across 99 Pacific reefs and found hundreds of previously undescribed microbial species with remarkable biosynthetic potential.

These microbes may hold clues for future medicines and biotechnologies, reminding us that protecting reefs also means preserving an irreplaceable reservoir of molecular diversity!

🔬 Learn more: https://zurl.co/HpsmA