The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, in collaboration with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, is inviting applications for two-year research projects focused on applying synthetic biology principles to immunology. This initiative aims to drive transformative scientific breakthroughs that can lead to next-generation diagnostics and treatments for immune-related diseases. The funders are particularly interested in engineering immune cells through innovative biocircuit designs that enhance specificity, responsiveness, and controllability in immune function.
Synthetic biology offers powerful tools for programming immune responses, detecting disease signals early, and enabling non-invasive monitoring of immune cell activity. This funding opportunity targets research that creates synthetic bio-circuits capable of influencing immune cell behavior, such as modulating tissue localization, detecting complex ligand patterns, or managing T cell activation thresholds. It also supports constructing artificial immune systems for disease modeling and real-time cell signaling. Proposals that do not involve introducing complex synthetic constructs into cells—such as CRISPR screens without biocircuit design—are considered out of scope.
The program encourages interdisciplinary and cross-institutional teams of up to three PIs, including one Coordinating PI. Eligible applicants include domestic and international nonprofit entities such as universities, hospitals, and government units. For-profit entities may collaborate but are not eligible to receive funding. The total budget may not exceed $600,000 over two years, including up to 15% in indirect costs. Selected projects may be eligible for an additional two-year supplemental award after the initial period.
Applications must be submitted through the SurveyMonkey Apply portal by 5:00 p.m. ET on November 13, 2025. Required components include detailed project descriptions, budget summaries, biosketches, and institutional approval forms. Projects are evaluated based on scientific merit, innovation, impact, and collaborative potential. Notification is expected by late February 2026, with projects beginning April 1, 2026.
Awardees are expected to participate in annual meetings and working groups, share data and tools openly, and follow stringent guidelines for ethical research and data dissemination. The grant enforces policies around open science, including requirements for preprints, GitHub-hosted code, and shared protocols. All human tissue data must be consented for broad reuse. This opportunity represents a major investment in unlocking the therapeutic potential of synthetic biology at the intersection with immunology.
Emphasize innovation in immune cell engineering, interdisciplinary collaboration, and open science/data sharing.
