Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Biological Infrastructure awarded a $278,943 Project Grant (CFDA 47.074, Biological Sciences program) to North Carolina A&T State University on October 1, 2026, for a collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in synthetic biology. Administered jointly with Simmons University in Boston, the award supports a 10-week summer research training program for 12 undergraduate students (6 per institution) during summers 2027–2029. The primary service deliverable is hands-on research training in synthetic biology—an interdisciplinary field integrating biology, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science—where students work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to design and modify biological systems to address complex problems.

The award emphasizes professional development, career preparation, and research dissemination, with participants receiving instruction in research ethics, scientific communication, and graduate school preparation while presenting findings at scientific conferences. The program assessment will employ surveys, reflective activities, and student outcome tracking. The two-site collaborative structure extends peer and faculty engagement across institutions, broadening participant networks while advancing knowledge in a rapidly growing field aligned with NSF priorities in biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. The award completion date is September 30, 2029.