Implementation of Synthetic Biology Principles in Immunology Grant

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is calling for innovative research proposals that leverage synthetic biology principles to advance immunology. This funding opportunity supports projects aimed at enhancing immune cell functionality, developing synthetic bio-circuits, and creating artificial immune systems. The initiative seeks transformative research that can lead to significant breakthroughs in understanding and treating immune-related diseases, ultimately impacting public health on a large scale.

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative supports the science and technology to make it possible to cure, prevent and manage all disease in this century.
Our Science Focus
Implementation of Synthetic Biology Principles in Immunology
Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invite applications for two-year initial research projects that harness synthetic biology to revolutionize our understanding and treatment of immune-related disorders. This RFA represents a strategic investment in transformative research that has the potential to yield breakthroughs with far-reaching impact on public health.
Objectives of the RFA
This RFA invites applications proposing innovative strategies and methodologies that implement synthetic biology principles in the context of immunology. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Engineering immune cells with enhanced specificity, functionality, and controllability, including improved sensing, homing, and effector capabilities.
• Designing and developing synthetic bio-circuits to direct cell behavior, such as:

Controlling immune cell tropism or tissue localizationSupporting in situ detection of complex, multi-ligand patterns for the detection of emerging or pre-symptomatic diseasesRegulating immune cell states and responses, for instance, in relation to T cell exhaustion, maintenance of self-tolerance, or T cell activation thresholdsAllowing reporting of what immune cells have detected in a non-invasive fashionConstructing artificial or semi-synthetic immune systems for disease modeling, mechanistic discovery, and therapeutic screening.
Developing modular systems for immune surveillance and non-invasive reporting, allowing engineered cells to communicate what they’ve sensed or responded to in real time.