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ANNUAL REPORT 2014 HUMAN FRONTIER SCIENCE PROGRAM The Human Frontier Science Program is unique, supporting international collaboration to undertake innovative, risky, basic research at the frontier of the life sciences. Special emphasis is given to the support and training of independent young investigators, beginning at the postdoctoral level. The Program is implemented by an international organisation, supported financially by Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union. Since 1990, over 6000 awards have been made to researchers from more than 70 countries. Of these, 25 HFSP awardees have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. APRIL 2014 - MARCH 2015 ANNUAL REPORT — 3 — Table of contents The following documents are available on the HFSP web site www.hfsp.org: Joint Communiqués (Tokyo 1992, Washington 1997, Berlin 2002, Bern 2004, Ottawa 2007, Canberra 2010, Brussels 2013): http://www.hfsp.org/about-us/governance/intergovernmental-conference Statutes of the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization : http://www.hfsp.org/about-us/governance/statutes Guidelines for the participation of new members in HFSPO : http://www.hfsp.org/about-us/new-membership General reviews of the HFSP (1996, 2001, 2006-2007, 2010): http://www.hfsp.org/about-us/reviews-hfsp Updated and previous lists of awards, including titles and abstracts: http://www.hfsp.org/awardees — 4 — INTRODUCTION Introduction Highlights in FY 2014 Message of the Secretary General Board of Trustees Council of Scientists Secretariat CHAPTER 1 - FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Long-Term and Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships 1.3 Fellowship Awards in 2015 1.4 The 2015 Review Committee for Fellowships 1.5 Career Development Awards 1.6 Career Development Awards in 2015 1.7 The 2015 Review Committee for Career Development Awards CHAPTER 2 - RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM 2.1 Overview of the Grant Program 2.2 Young Investigator Grants 2.3 Program Grants 2.4 Research Grant Awards in 2015 2.5 The 2015 Review Committee for Research Grants CHAPTER 3 - OUTREACH AND NETWORKING 3.1 HFSP Nakasone Award 3.2 Annual Awardees Meeting 3.3 25th anniversary celebrations 3.4 Further milestones in communication and outreach activities 3.5 Honours and prizes CHAPTER 4 - BUDGET AND FINANCE 4.1 Guidelines for HFSPO funding 4.2 Key financial figures for FY 2014 4.3 FY 2014 financial summary 4.4 Budget for program activities FY 2015 APPENDIX A.1 History of the Program A.2 Joint Communiqué of the Intergovernmental Conference on the Human Frontier Science Program, Brussels, 11 June 2013 A.3 Summary of decisions of the Board of Trustees in 2014 A.4 Long-Term and Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships awarded in 2014 A.5 Career Development Awards made in 2014 A.6 Research Grants awarded in 2014 — 5 — — 6 — Introduction Introduction Highlights in FY 2014 Message of the Secretary General Board of Trustees Council of Scientists Secretariat — 7 — The focus of research supported by HFSP is on the Introduction complex mechanisms of living organisms, ranging from the biomolecular level to that of behaving organisms. The life sciences have undergone a revolution in recent years, emerging as a leading scientific area with a convergence of interest from other disciplines such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering on solving biological questions. HFSP aims to stay at the forefront of research by involving scientists The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) from outside the life sciences as part of research promotes fundamental research in the life sciences collaborations and as postdoctoral fellows. To this with special emphasis on novel and interdisciplinary end, the Young Investigator and Program Grants research, international and, in particular, are specifically geared to fostering interactions intercontinental collaboration and support for young between scientists from different disciplines and investigators. Since its establishment in 1989, HFSP this is a major factor in the review of applications has demonstrated the value of creating a framework in these programs. In addition, HFSP has extended for competitive, collaborative, international research its commitment to interdisciplinary research by of the highest caliber and of providing young introducing Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships to equip scientists with the opportunity to emerge as talented young scientists from outside biology with the skills researchers capable of shaping the science of the needed to tackle problems in the life sciences. future. With a mission to the frontiers of science, HFSP The International Human Frontier Science Program supports the next generation of researchers who Organization (HFSPO) implements the Program are in the strongest position to open new avenues through the following mechanisms of research of research. Several of the HFSP programs are support, details of which can be found in Chapters 1 specifically targeted towards early career scientists: and 2 of this report : the Fellowship programs, Career Development Award and Young Investigator Grant. In addition, n Long-Term Fellowships – for young scientists Program Grant teams are encouraged to include within three years of obtaining their Ph.D who young scientists with the result that a significant wish to broaden their scientific experience in a number of scientists under the age of 40 participate foreign laboratory. in this program. Taking these researchers together, approximately 70 % of annual HFSP funds are n Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships – modeled on awarded to early career researchers. the Long-Term Fellowships but specifically for scientists with Ph.Ds in non-biological disciplines who seek training in the life sciences. HFSPO is financed and managed by representatives of the Management Supporting n Career Development Awards – for former HFSP Parties (MSPs). The MSPs are those countries Fellows to help them set up their own independent that directly fund the HFSP Programs plus laboratories in the home country or another HFSP the European Union, which represents the EU member country. countries that do not contribute directly. The MSPs are: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, n Young Investigator Grants – grants for India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New interdisciplinary teams of young researchers Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, the who are within the first five years of their first United Kingdom, the United States of America independent positions and located in different and the European Union. Japan provided 38 % of countries. MSPs’ contributions for FY 2014. n Program Grants – for interdisciplinary teams of HFSPO is governed by a Board of Trustees (Board) researchers in different countries at any stage of consisting of representatives of the MSPs. The Board their careers. is advised by a scientific advisory body, the Council of Scientists (Council) and the Organization is run from Since 1990, 997 Research Grants involving 3,704 the Secretariat in Strasbourg, France. scientists, 2,818 Long-Term, 101 Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships and 202 Career Development Awards have been awarded. Researchers from more than 70 countries have received HFSP funding so far. — 8 — Highlights in FY 2014 Left to right : Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Secretary General of HFSPO with Low Teck Seng, Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore Highlights in FY 2014 l The 25th anniversary of HFSPO was l The recipient of the HFSP Nakasone Award celebrated in Lugano, Switzerland on 5 July. 2014 was Uri Alon, Weizmann Institute of Further celebrations were held in Strasbourg Science, Israel. on 28 October 2014. l James Collins, Boston University, USA, l Singapore became a member of HFSPO. The was selected as the recipient of the HFSP signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Nakasone Award 2015. took place in the context of the anniversary celebrations in Lugano on 5 July and in l Warwick Anderson accepted the invitation Singapore on 15 July. of the Board to take up the position of Secretary General when the term of Ernst- l The 2014 Awardees Meeting was held Ludwig Winnacker comes to an end on in Lugano, Switzerland, on 6-9 July 2014, 30 June 2015. He takes up office on 1 July following the 25th anniversary celebrations. 2015. — 9 — Message from the Secretary General A precious legacy or - Small is beautiful How can HFSPO broaden its financial perspective ? It could open itself up wholeheartedly to support from other sources, with a clear goal and timeline set by the Board so that governments know what is expected from them in the future. One obvious Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, option may be private donations. HFSPO could, over Secretary General of HFSPO time, build up an endowment to support its activities wherever and whenever government funding falls short. The HFSPO Board has recently taken the first steps towards considering this possibility. The good news is that HFSP has managed to exist Another way of strengthening HFSPO’s financial for over 25 years. Was there ever any doubt ? Yes, position could be to encourage new MSPs to join. there was, and indeed the uncertainty remains. Not In fact, in 2014 Singapore became the most recent for scientific reasons, since former HFSP grantees member, drawing on an increasingly competent, have again received numerous prestigious awards competitive and world-renowned scientific base. in 2014/2015, among