Division of Research Programs Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

The HFSP provides support for innovative, interdisciplinary and highly original basic research into the complex mechanisms of living organisms. Topics range from molecular and cellular approaches to biological functions to systems neuroscience including cognitive functions. Clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborative research at the cutting-edge of the life sciences, drawing on the expertise of scientists from other research areas (physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, engineering etc.)

HFSP programs are a flexible tool for the support of international collaboration and novel, ambitious, interdisciplinary research, with special emphasis on early career scientists.

Research Grants

Support for international scientific collaboration

Research Grants-Program

Grants for interdisciplinary teams in different countries at any stage of their career.  The award amount is a maximum of 500,000 USD per year for three years.

Research Grants-Early Career

Grants for interdisciplinary teams of researchers in different countries, each within 5 years of starting their first independent position (and within 10 years of receiving their PhD). The term and amount is the same as for Program Grants.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

Support for early career scientists with the potential to become frontier researchers through international research opportunities in excellent host laboratories in a foreign country

Long-Term Fellowships

Fellowships for scientists within 3 years of receiving their PhD. The emphasis is placed on extending expertise through novel research projects.
Payable for 3 years, awardees can choose to return to the home country or to stay in host country in the last year, which may be deferred for up to 2 years.

Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships

Fellowships for applicants who hold a doctoral degree from a non-biological discipline (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering or computer sciences) and who have not worked in the life sciences before. Application requirements are the same as for long-term fellowships.

Accelerator Grant

A new scheme adding value to HFSP Research Grants and scientists in India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa. The PI newly awarded Research Grant can apply for it. The award amount is 100,000 USD per accelerator team member per year from the second year of the project.

HFSP Annual Awardees Meeting

HFSP Awardees Meetings enable awardees to meet and exchange ideas, as well as to report on research performed under HFSPO support. The meetings were initiated in 2001 and are held once annually in a different HFSPO Member country.

Guidelines and application forms are available for download from the HFSP web-site. Applications can only be made online.

There is one competition each year for each program. Applications are made for award the following year. All applications are subject to the most rigorous peer review. Applications are invited from researchers from all over the world, with some limitations for those from non-MSP countries (details are available at the web-site above.)

The call for applications is usually published in May, with an August deadline for submission. The selection is made the following January, for approval of the Board of Trustees in March.

Research Grants

The call for applications is usually published in January, with a March deadline for submission of a letter of intent. After a first review in June, selected teams are invited to make a full application by October. The final selection is made the following January, for approval of the Board of Trustees in March.

Accelerator Grant

The call for Accelerator Grant 2025 is restricted to HFSP Research Grant teams awarded in March 2024 with a September 2024 deadline. Applications will be evaluated in January 2025 and the Board of Trustees will take a funding decision by the end of March 2025.

Messages from HFSP Fellowship Awardees

• Messages from HFSP Fellowship Awardees

The HFSP was established at the initiative of the Government of Japan. Together with its partner Management Supporting Parties, Japan provides financial support to the Program. Japanese financial contributions are provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) through the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Contact

The International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO)

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Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)

Division of Strategic Planning, Department of International Strategy
Tel: 03-6870-2216
Email: amed-hfsp”at”amed.go.jp

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