Human Frontier Science Program

HFSP logo

The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) (Frontière humaine, in French) is a program, based in Strasbourg, France, that funds basic research in life sciences. HFSP is supported by 13 countries and the European Union. Nobutaka Hirokawa has been its President and Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2012.^[1]

History

In 1986 a feasibility study was carried out by leading Japanese scientists under the auspices of the Japanese Prime Minister's Council for Science of Technology, to explore possible means to encourage international collaboration in basic research. Discussion was expanded to include scientists from the G7 summit nations and the European Union, resulting in the "London Wise Men's Conference" in April 1987, which endorsed the suggestion. Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone of Japan proposed the Human Frontier Science Program at the Venice Economic Summit in June 1987. The Economic Summit partners and the Chairman of the European Community welcomed the initiative and activities aimed at implementing it were started. The implementing body, the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) was established in 1989 and the secretariat was founded in Strasbourg, France.^[2] Since 1990, more than 5000 awards have been made to researchers from 69 countries.^[3][4] Of these, 16 HFSP awardees have received the Nobel Prize for work carried out during early phases of their research.^[4]

Funding

  contributing member states

  European Union contribution

HFSPO receives financial support from the governments or research councils of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, UK, USA, as well as from the European Union (contributes on behalf of the non-G7 EU members^[5]). The funds are combined into a single budget and are allocated to awards on the basis of HFSPO's own peer review system on the sole basis of scientific excellence.

Funding programs

Research Grants are awarded for novel collaborations involving extensive collaboration among teams of scientists working in different countries and in different disciplines. Two types of grants are available: Young Investigator Grants and Program Grants.^[6]

Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for scientists who wish to work in foreign laboratories, with emphasis on individuals early in their careers who wish to obtain training in a different field of research. Fellows who return to their home countries are eligible to apply for a Career Development Award.

Cross-disciplinary fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree in the physical sciences, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and computer sciences who wish to receive training in biology.^[7]

HFSP funding programs start at the postdoctoral level. No support is available for undergraduate or PhD students.

HFSP peer review

International peer review is a cornerstone of the procedures used in making awards. There is one review committee for Fellowships and one for Research Grants each consisting of 24 to 26 scientists. They have a broad international representation of scientific experts and each reviews applications in all scientific fields supported by the HFSP. This ensures that awards are made according to international scientific standards and the presence of reviewers from many countries minimizes geo-political bias. Extensive research is carried out into the expertise and reputation of potential members before appointment to ensure maintenance of the highest standards. The evaluation procedures are under constant review and the HFSP secretariat works closely with the members of the review committees and the Council of Scientists to ensure that all applications are assessed fairly and thoroughly.^[8][9]

HFSP Nakasone Award

In 2010, HFSP established the HFSP Nakasone Award to honour former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone of Japan for his vision in launching HFSP as a program of support for international collaboration and to foster early career scientists in a global context. The HFSP Nakasone Award is designed to recognise scientists who have undertaken frontier-moving research, including technological breakthroughs, which has advanced biological research. Both senior and junior scientists are eligible and peer-recognised excellence is the major criterion. The award can be made to an individual or a team of scientists. Award winners receive an unrestricted research grant of USD 10,000, a medal and personalised certificate. The award ceremony is held at the annual HFSP Awardees Meeting where the award winners are expected to deliver the HFSP Nakasone Lecture.^[10]

HFSP Journal

Launched in October 2006, the HFSP Journal aims to foster communication between scientists publishing high quality, innovative research at the frontiers of the life sciences.^[11] Peer review is designed to allow for the unique requirements of such papers and is overseen by an Editorial Board with members from different disciplines. The HFSP Journal offers its authors the option to pay a fee to make their research articles Open Access immediately upon publication. For other articles, access is limited to subscribers for the first 6 months after publication, but access is free thereafter.

The HFSP Journal ceased publication in July 2010 and was bought by the scientific publisher Taylor & Frances, to be re-launched in 2011 as “Frontiers in Life Science.^[12]

References

As of this edit, this article uses content from "Human Frontier Science Program", which is licensed in a way that permits reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, but not under the GFDL. All relevant terms must be followed.

Further reading

• "Can the West contribute more to Human Frontiers?". Nature 386 (6621): 95. 1997. doi:10.1038/386095a0. PMID 9062169. 
• Schiermeier, Q (2000). "Human Frontier repatriation boost". Nature 407 (6807): 934. doi:10.1038/35039703. PMID 11069153. 
• Abbott, A (1993). "EC pays up for Human Frontiers Program". Nature 366 (6454): 392. doi:10.1038/366392b0. PMID 8247136. 
• Dickson, D (1993). "Human Frontiers Programme wins art prize". Nature 365 (6441): 4. doi:10.1038/365004c0. PMID 8361534. 
• "Japan increases share of Human Frontier awards". Nature 362 (6421): 579. 1993. doi:10.1038/362579c0. 
• Swinbanks, D (1993). "Cuenod will head Human Frontier programme". Nature 361 (6408): 101. doi:10.1038/361101b0. PMID 8421504. 
• "Human Frontiers looks for leader in Europe; US wavers". Nature 359 (6396): 567. 1992. doi:10.1038/359567a0. 
• Ole Bernsen, Niels (1992). "Scope of Human Frontiers". Nature 359 (6391): 99. doi:10.1038/359099a0. 
• Swinbanks, D; Mervis, J; Abbott, A (1992). "Conflict over scope of research splits Human Frontier programme". Nature 358 (6387): 527. doi:10.1038/358527a0. PMID 1501696. 
• "Human Frontiers in rough water". Nature 358 (6387): 525. 1992. doi:10.1038/358525a0. PMID 1501695. 
• "Human Frontiers gets extension". Nature 351 (6329): 683. 1991. doi:10.1038/351683c0. 
• Swinbanks, D; Pool, R (1991). "Human Frontier effort gets promise from NIH". Nature 350 (6314): 97. doi:10.1038/350097a0. PMID 2005969. 
• "Human Frontiers Program to go international in Switzerland". Nature 334 (6180): 281. 1988. doi:10.1038/334281a0. 
• Ezzell, C (1988). "Human Frontiers gets a mention in Toronto". Nature 333 (6176): 790. doi:10.1038/333790c0. PMID 3133565. 
• Swinbanks, D (1988). "Human Frontiers Science Program on table at Toronto summit". Nature 333 (6173): 488. doi:10.1038/333488a0. PMID 3374595. 
• "Human Frontiers Program seeks international help". Nature 330 (6150): 683. 1987. doi:10.1038/330683b0. 
• "Japan's Human Frontiers project stays in the doldrums". Nature 328 (6126): 100. 1987. doi:10.1038/328100a0. 
• "What human frontiers?". Nature 326 (6108): 2. 1987. doi:10.1038/326002b0. 

External links

• HFSP Website
• HFSP Journal Website