Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)

How do butterflies develop their stunning wing scales? 🦋 An HFSP Research Grant team, led by Mathias Kolle at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, combined experimental observations with biomechanical modeling to reveal how membrane undulations guide the formation of critical scale ridges in Painted Lady butterflies. 🦋 These ridges influence everything from structural color to thermal performance. Their findings deepen our understanding of butterfly development and may provide valuable insights for designing synthetic materials. 🌿 Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/48cJFQr #HFSP #researchgrants #biomechanics #butterflies #innovation #materials

🍽️ Celebrating #WorldFoodDay! At #HFSP, we recognize the importance of addressing food security in a changing world. 🌍 Last year, we hosted the International Scientific Symposium on Fundamental Life Science Meets Climate, Environment & Sustainability, where renowned experts shared their insights. One key takeaway was from Jean-François Soussana, VP of International Relations at INRAE, who highlighted the narrow but possible solution space for food and land transition. He stressed the importance of: 🌱 Resilient, low-carbon agriculture in a circular bioeconomy 🌳 Nature-based solutions like agroecology, focusing on soil health, forests, and wetlands 🍆 Improving food access in low-income countries and promoting healthy, balanced diets His call for coordinated transitions, system thinking, and strong international commitments remains more relevant than ever. 🎥 Watch his full talk here: https://bit.ly/3YnwYyP #WorldFoodDay #FoodSecurity #Sustainability #Agroecology #ClimateAction #HFSP https://bit.ly/3YnwYyP 

Imagine if getting over COVID-19 could actually help protect you from the flu! 🌬️ Exciting new research from the #HFSPAwardee Alexander Lercher shows that immune cells in the lungs can “remember” past infections, giving them an edge when fighting future ones like influenza. This discovery could lead to groundbreaking therapies for broader protection against respiratory viruses. Curious to know how? Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3Y55nkm #HFSP #COVID19 #Immunology #HealthScience #Research

We're DOUBLE thrilled to announce that David Baker, HFSP Research Grantee, has been awarded The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 for his pioneering work on computational protein design! 🧬🏆 This year, HFSP celebrates not one but TWO Nobel laureates in our community—a truly exceptional achievement for global science. 🎉 Just last Tuesday, Gary Ruvkun received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024, and now David Baker takes home the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024. What an incredible and prolific year for HFSP! 😁 David's research has helped push the boundaries of biology. His HFSP Research Grant on 3D atomic-scale movies of molecular machines in action is a fantastic example of HFSP's commitment to cutting-edge, interdisciplinary science. Congratulations, David! 🎉 Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington #HFSPAwardees #NobelPrize #ComputationalBiology https://lnkd.in/ep_D9ntP

We are thrilled to announce that HFSP Research Grantee Gary Ruvkun, along with Victor Ambros, has been awarded The Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine 2024! 🏆 This remarkable recognition brings the number of Nobel laureates within the HFSP community to an astounding 30! 😀 We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both laureates on this monumental achievement. Your relentless pursuit of scientific excellence is truly inspiring. Thank you for continuing to push the boundaries of science and innovation! 🎉 #HFSPAwardees #NobelPrize #ScientificExcellence https://lnkd.in/d6mnFtXH

Discover the power of tandem talks in interdisciplinary science! 👀 In a recent post on the Node, Daniel Riveline (researcher at University of Strasbourg) shares insights from the HFSP Frontier Workshop-Unistra Symposium, where researchers from biology and physics joined forces. This unique tandem format allowed for engaging discussions across disciplines—from cell positioning in embryos to the physics of photosynthesis. The result? Deeper collaboration and innovative breakthroughs!🔬 💪 Music from the Philarmonic Orchestra of Strasbourg even illustrated this partnership with a beautiful metaphor for collaboration. 🎻✨ Read more here: https://bit.ly/3Y6lxvn

This week, we received a very special visitor! HFSPO President Yoshihiro Yoneda recently made his first official visit to France. During his visit, Yoneda met with key figures, including the Ambassador of Japan to France, Makita Shimokawa, and the Consul General of Japan in Strasbourg, Hiroyuki Uchida, as well as representatives from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). This important visit underlines HFSPO’s commitment to fostering global scientific cooperation and supporting frontier life science research. 🌍🔬 Read more about the visit and HFSP’s role in supporting international partnerships: https://bit.ly/3BxGMwY #HFSP #FrontierScience #LifeSciences

🌍 The #EuropeanDayofLanguages celebrates the diversity and richness of languages. But how does our brain control language output?🤔 HFSP Program Grant holders Naama Friedmann, Alessandro Treves, and colleagues delved into the Phonological Output Buffer (POB), the final stage in producing words and sentences. 🗣️ The POB assembles linguistic units like phonemes and function words, and its malfunction can explain specific patterns of language errors—across both spoken and sign languages. Their research also explored the analog computations behind language processing, linking neural mechanisms to memory and language production. How does the brain handle both sequential and simultaneous linguistic assemblies? Can the same brain structures process both speech and sign language?🧠 Discover their fascinating insights: https://bit.ly/4gTfJgb #EuropeanDayofLanguages #HFSP #LanguageScience #Neuroscience #CognitiveScience #Linguistics #SignLanguage

📢 Attention HFSP Community! SAVE THE DATE! 📆 The 24th HFSP Awardees Meeting will be held in Melbourne, Australia from July 9-11, 2025. This event brings together scientists awarded HFSP research grants, postdoctoral fellowships, and HFSP alumni for an inspiring exchange of ideas across disciplines. 🌍 Since 2001, the HFSP Awardees Meeting has been hosted in various countries, fostering collaboration and expanding the frontiers of science. In 2025, the beautiful #Melbourne, #Australia, will host the vibrant #HFSPCommunity. Are you in? Stay tuned for more information: https://bit.ly/3MOpeiz #HFSP #FrontierScience #HFSPMeeting2025

🚀 Exciting Opportunity Alert! 🚀 We are hiring a Senior Scientific Officer! Join us in shaping the future of science and making a global impact. 🌍 This new role is at the heart of our mission, working closely with leadership to boost our outreach and support awardees. If you're a dynamic, driven individual ready to take on a key role in our strategic transformation, we want to hear from you! 🔍 Ready to make a difference? Apply now! https://bit.ly/3zpX7mM #JobOpening #ScienceCareers #HFSP #SeniorScientificOfficer #Outreach #Innovation