Execute a balanced science program based on discipline-specific guidance from the national academies of sciences, engineering, and medicine, administration priorities, and direction from congress.…

The University of Mississippi has been awarded a $897,381 grant by the National Science Foundation to conduct research on "Elucidating the Molecular Basis for Anhydrobiosis Using Biological Soil Crusts as a Model" (24-EXO24-0014). The award, issued on May 1, 2025, with an ultimate completion date of April 30, 2028, represents a competitive grant with no set-aside designation. This research initiative aligns with NSF's broader strategic objectives to advance discovery in emerging fields and develop cross-disciplinary opportunities between traditional science disciplines, with particular relevance to the agency's exploration initiatives focused on scientific research related to planetary environments and conditions beyond Earth.

The research will be conducted at the University of Mississippi's campus in University, Mississippi. The study focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of anhydrobiosis—the ability of organisms to survive extreme desiccation—using biological soil crusts as a model system. This work contributes to NSF's science program priorities and has potential applications for understanding life processes in extreme environments, which is relevant to the agency's broader missions in space exploration and planetary science. As a comprehensive research institution with extensive experience executing federal research contracts and grants across multiple scientific disciplines, the University of Mississippi is well-positioned to deliver on this research objective.

Execute a balanced science program based on discipline-specific guidance from the national academies of sciences, engineering, and medicine, administration priorities, and direction from congress. Participate as a key partner and enabler in the agency s exploration initiative, focusing on scientific research of, on, and from the moon, lunar orbit, mars, and beyond. Advance discovery in emerging fields by identifying and exploiting cross-disciplinary opportunities between traditional science disciplines develop a directorate-wide, target-user focused approach to applied programs, including earth science applications, space weather, planetary defense, and space situational awareness.