IU LAB National Security Biotechnology Challenge Grant

About this opportunity

Campus:

University-wide

Contact:

ord@iu.edu

Deadline:

September 30, 2025

Award cycle:

FY2025-26

Funding available:

Up to $50,000 in seed funding per team.

Description

Summary and Goals

The IU LAB National Security Biotechnology Challenge Grant is a one-time internal funding opportunity designed to support research teams to advance U.S. leadership in biotechnology. This initiative aligns with the six strategic pillars outlined in the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) Final Report and supports IU’s commitment to national security, innovation, and global competitiveness. It is anticipated that NSCEB’s Final Report will generate multiple federal agency requests for proposals starting in 2026 and beyond.  The purpose of IU LAB’s Challenge Grant is to ready IU to respond in a highly compelling way. 

This program directly supports the IU 2030 Strategic Plan Pillar II: Transformative Research and Creativity, which calls for bold, interdisciplinary research that addresses society’s most pressing challenges. IU is committed to doubling the number of externally funded research projects over $5 million by 2030, and this program is a key mechanism to build that pipeline. Additionally, the program supports IU’s Launch Accelerator for Biotechnology (IU LAB) initiative—a first-of-its-kind academic-industry partnership designed to position Indiana as a national leader in bioscience discovery and innovation. IU LAB brings together faculty, industry, and government to accelerate translational research and workforce development in biotechnology, making IU LAB uniquely

We are especially interested in proposals that align and connect with Grand Challenges for Biotechnology as described in Appendix D of NSCEB’s Final Report. We anticipate funding up to six awards.

NSCEB SIX PILLARS – The Funding Focal Areas

  1. Prioritize Biotechnology at the National Level: Establishes a coordinated federal strategy to elevate biotechnology as a national priority, including leadership structures and interagency collaboration.

  2. Mobilize the Private Sector to Get U.S. Products to Scale: Focuses on unlocking private capital, simplifying regulations, and building domestic manufacturing capacity to accelerate commercialization.

  3. Maximize the Benefits of Biotechnology for Defense: Integrates biotechnology into defense applications, logistics, and biosecurity, while ensuring ethical use and workforce readiness.

  4. Out-Innovate Our Strategic Competitors: Encourages bold, high-risk research and treats biological data as a strategic asset to maintain U.S. innovation leadership.

  5. Build the Biotechnology Workforce of the Future: Develops a bioliterate, skilled workforce across all levels, including attracting global talent and upskilling federal and private sector employees.

  6. Mobilize the Collective Strengths of Our Allies and Partners: Promotes international collaboration, harmonized standards, and shared data to strengthen global biotechnology leadership.

Eligibility

  • All full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty
  • All full-time research scientists, center directors, and Research Innovator Career Track staff

Post Award Requirements

  • Grant recipients are reminded to acknowledge receipt of IU LAB and IU support in any presentation or publication of work.
  • Submit an external funding proposal within 12-18 months of the award letter.
  • Submit progress reports as follows: end of year Project Status and No-Cost Extension request, a Final Report within 30 days of project completion, and Return on Investment report(s) as requested. System-generated emails with the online reporting instructions will be sent to you prior to each progress report due date.
  • Progress report data requested will include: external submissions, external awards, type of student workers, publications, presentations, media contacts, disclosures and patents.
  • Unused funds will be returned to IU Research.