Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

25/09/2026

How does a T cell get a head start on immune signaling? 🔬

HFSP-supported researchers discovered that tiny protrusions on the T-cell surface can quickly make close contact with target cells, creating favorable conditions for immune signaling to begin.

Using CAR T cells, gene editing, and advanced microscopy, the team showed that the secret isn't having signaling proteins ready and waiting in these protrusions, it's their ability to make contact faster and more efficiently.

🔗 Read the full story: https://zurl.co/d0rqE

23/09/2026

What does frontier science look like in practice? 🔬🌍

As part of the HFSP Grand Review 2025, seven case studies take a closer look at HFSP-supported research, from biological rhythms in the ocean and artificial molecular motors to mosquito immunity, fertilization and the origins of multicellular behavior.

Across very different scientific questions, the case studies illustrate recurring features of HFSP research: bold ideas, high scientific risk, international collaboration and disciplines coming together in unexpected ways.

They also show what can happen afterward: new discoveries and methods, new research directions, collaborations that continue beyond the original grant, and fundamental science that can eventually open paths towards innovation.

👉 Explore the stories: https://zurl.co/PUq0H

21/09/2026

A year in frontier science. 🌍🧬

From bold research and international collaborations to scientific meetings, new initiatives, and a growing global community, the HFSP Annual Report 2025 looks back at a year of advancing frontier life science across borders and disciplines.

Explore the people, science and activities that shaped our year, and the stories behind the numbers.

📖 Read the HFSP Annual Report 2025: https://zurl.co/3JKJV

18/09/2026

When it comes to egg mimicry, looks can be deceiving 🥚👀

Cuckoos and other brood parasites can lay eggs that closely resemble their hosts', helping them avoid detection. But HFSP-supported research reveals that matching the color doesn't always mean using the same pigments.

Across three independently evolved systems, HFSP researchers found different chemical routes to the same visual trick.

Because in this evolutionary game, what ultimately matters isn't the recipe, it's what the foster parent sees!

🔗 Read the full story: https://zurl.co/9pGoM

16/09/2026

🌍 What can viruses in South African wetlands tell us about our changing climate?

For the International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South, we're highlighting how international scientific exchange brings together knowledge, expertise and perspectives from across the world.

At Stellenbosch University, HFSP Accelerator Grant awardee Thulani Makhalanyane and his team are studying the diversity of viruses in South African wetlands and how their interactions with microbes influence carbon cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.

The research connects scientists in South Africa with an HFSP-supported team across the UK, USA and France, combining expertise to explore questions with implications far beyond national borders.

📖 Read their story in the HFSP Annual Report 2025: https://zurl.co/97u38

14/09/2026

🤝 Who would be your ideal scientific collaborator?

We asked researchers which other disciplines they would most like to bring into their work, and their answers took us in quite a few directions. 😄 That's exactly the point!

Some of the most interesting science happens when different disciplines meet, bringing together new perspectives, methods and ways of thinking about the same problem. At , interdisciplinarity isn't an extra. It's part of what makes frontier science possible.

Now it's your turn: which discipline would you love to collaborate with? 👇

11/09/2026

How does the brain prepare for a virus before it even arrives? 🧠🦠

HFSP-supported researchers discovered an early-warning system that links viral detection in the skin to antiviral defenses in the brain.

In mouse models, detecting signs of a virus in the skin triggered type I interferon in the bloodstream. Cells at the blood-brain barrier responded by rapidly putting the brain into a protective antiviral state, reducing infection, harmful inflammation and the risk of severe encephalitis.

The findings reveal a fascinating example of different parts of the body communicating to prepare for infection.

🔗 Read the full story: https://zurl.co/OBD5Q

10/09/2026

🎥 The HFSP Frontier Workshop videos are now available!

From fossil records and paleo-genomics to AI, robotics and new computational approaches, the workshop brought different disciplines together to explore new ways of understanding the history of life.

The video collection is now available on YouTube and features presentations from the workshop.

▶️ Watch the videos: https://zurl.co/9ohVQ

Fossil and specimen collections housed at leading institutions worldwide constitute an irreplaceable archive of Earth’s history. Yet access to these resource...

08/09/2026

The HFSP Master Class is heading to Norway!

From 28–30 September, Norwegian scientists will gather in Oslo for three days of practical, hands-on training on applying for HFSP Research Grants and Fellowships.

Led by experienced HFSP reviewers, the Master Class goes beyond introducing our funding programs: participants work directly on developing their ideas and learn what makes a strong HFSP application.

The upcoming edition is supported by the Research Council of Norway.

📍 Oslo, Norway
📅 28–30 September 2026
👥 Participation by Invitation

Learn more about the HFSP Masterclass: https://zurl.co/7PR3d

07/09/2026

Evolution has been upgrading this tiny motor for millions of years 🦠⚙️

Bacteria swim using microscopic rotary motors that spin their flagella like propellers. HFSP-supported researchers reconstructed the motor of Campylobacter jejuni in remarkable 3D detail, revealing how evolution has recruited additional proteins to help it generate more torque.

The study offers a window into how complex molecular machines evolve by finding new uses for existing components.

🔗 Read the full story: https://zurl.co/9Cyir