This action partially funds the National Academy of Science to convene a committee to address the "New Biology for the 21st Century." The project has also received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy. It is an appraisal of the current state of life sciences research, the potential for progress through synthesis and integration, and the resultant implications for funding strategies, decision-making, infrastructure and education. The committee includes about 15 members, representing the breadth of the biological sciences, as well as members with expertise in the physical and computational sciences and engineering with different institutional perspectives, including liberal arts colleges, private research foundations, major research universities and private industry. The committee also draws on outside experts for additional areas of expertise. The committee plans 5 meetings between November 2008 and August 2009 including a "Biology Summit" on December 3, 2008 at which senior officials of the major biology research funding agencies will outline the potential of biology research and the challenges in reaching that potential. The Summit proceedings are to be published in early 2009 and followed in the fall, 2009 by the committee's report on "how to get there."
The idea underlying the project is that biology is poised for a great synthesis. Biologists are increasingly able to combine their knowledge of individual biological "parts" into an understanding of the whole and to understand how living and physical systems are intertwined. Among the questions the committee is considering are: What fundamental biological questions are ready for major advances in understanding? What would be the practical result of answering those questions? How could answers to those questions lead to high impact applications in the near future? How can federal agencies more effectively leverage their investments in biological research and education to address complex problems? In what areas would near term investment be most likely to lead to substantial long-term benefit and a strong, competitive advantage for the United States?
