Greetings,
We are excited to share this funding opportunity from Chan Zuckerberg Biohub (Biohub). Biohub invites applications for projects that will improve two crucial areas in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET): sample freezing (vitrification) and methods for monitoring the success of the freezing process. More information about the award can be found in the synopsis and links below. For a full list of currently open opportunities that have been announced through our office, please visit our new Current Opportunities web page. As a reminder, our Research Development team is available to provide proposal development support to FAS ladder faculty.
- OSP Deadline: July 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET
Departments or areas may require additional time for proposal review and submission. Please discuss a timeline with your departmental or FORA grants administrator.
- Sponsor Deadline: July 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT)
- Award Amount:
- Vitrification Methods: Up to $500,000 total costs (inclusive of 15% indirect costs) over 24 months
- Vitrification Monitoring: Up to $250,000 total costs (inclusive of 15% indirect costs) over 24 months
- Principal Investigators (PIs) who have any commercialization plans for technology developed or improved under this funding opportunity, including licensing to a commercial entity or a start-up, are discouraged from applying to this Request for Applications (RFA). For more details, please review the Additional Information and Resources section below.
Program Overview
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) makes grants to people and organizations working in support of CZI's mission focus areas in science and education. Founded by CZI, Biohub is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research organization building the technology to help scientists around the world use AI-powered biology to study how cells operate, organize, and work as part of systems to understand why disease happens and how to correct it. This Request for Applications (RFA) seeks proposals for two-year research projects to accelerate advances in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). Although recent advances in cryo-ET technologies have the potential to image the internal architecture of the cell at near-atomic resolution, vitrification—the process of rapidly freezing materials to preserve native structures in vitreous ice—is far from an optimized process. There remains a need for improved freezing techniques and real-time monitoring technologies that enhance the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of sample preparation of cells and tissues. Grants will be awarded for two types of projects to advance sample preparation:
- Vitrification Methods: Projects that explore and develop new methods for sample freezing (up to $500,000 USD total costs over 24 months, inclusive of up to 15% indirect costs)
- Vitrification Monitoring: Projects that measure and monitor the vitrification of biological samples (up to $250,000 USD total costs over 24 months, inclusive of up to 15% indirect costs)
Priority Areas
- Examples of potential areas within the scope of this RFA include, but are not limited to:
- Development of novel vitrification approaches or improvements to high-pressure freezing for thick biological samples;
- Engineering of sample carriers, interfaces, or instrumentation that enhance heat transfer and freezing reliability;
- Real-time or post-freezing methods to assess vitrification quality prior to or during focused ion beam (FIB) milling;
- Integrated systems that combine vitrification with monitoring and feedback control; and
- Cross-disciplinary approaches from fields such as cryogenics, heat transfer, and materials science that enable improved control and understanding of ice formation in biological specimens.
- The physics of ice structure and formation are an area of interest beyond the cryogenic electron microscopy field. Biohub therefore aims to attract proposals from experts in adjacent fields such as ice physics, cryogenics, heat transfer engineering, and materials science, where complementary expertise may unlock novel approaches to vitrification and monitoring challenges.
Eligibility Criteria
- Each application should designate one PI as the Coordinating Principal Investigator (Coordinating PI). The Coordinating PI will act as the administrative contact between Biohub and all PIs on the grant. The Coordinating PI must submit the application on behalf of all PIs.
- The Coordinating PI must be affiliated with the institution submitting the application, and grant funds will be awarded to that institution.
- An application should have a minimum of one PI (Coordinating PI) but may designate up to three total PIs (one Coordinating PI and up to two Co-PIs).
- PIs and Co-PIs must hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree.
- PIs may only serve as the Coordinating PI on one application, but may serve as a Co-PI on applications different from the one they submitted.
- Co-PIs may serve as a Co-PI on multiple applications.
- PIs/Co-PIs on one application may be employed at the same or at different institutions.
- PIs and Co-PIs must each run laboratories in which they control their budget, their space, and their research. Independence in an academic setting is typically demonstrated by a full-time faculty appointment, a tenure-track position, allocated space, a start-up package, and institutional commitment as defined or verified in a letter from a department chair or equivalent.
- Note: An upload of the letter or proof of independence is not required at the time of application.
Application Materials
- Applications are submitted online through the online grants management portal.
- Applicants should refer to the Detailed Application Instructions in the RFA (Page 9) for specific guidance regarding formatting requirements and character, word, and page limitations of the following application sections:
- Coordinating PI Details
- Organization Details for Coordinating PI
- Project Details
- Project Proposal
- Budget (downloadable optional budget template available) and Budget Narrative
- Biosketches for Coordinating PI and Co-PIs
- Letters of Commitment (optional)
Selection Criteria
Additional Information and Resources
Principal Investigators (PIs) who have any commercialization plans for technology developed or improved under this funding opportunity, including licensing to a commercial entity or a start-up, are discouraged from applying to this RFA.
- Any such PIs interested in applying should discuss the potential impact of CZI’s award terms on their commercialization plans with Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD) before submitting an application.
- If a proposal is submitted under these circumstances, Harvard may be unable to accept an award if CZI/Biohub declines to negotiate problematic terms.
- In addition, PIs submitting a proposal to this RFA must provide written confirmation that they have read and understood the requirements relating to Pre-Existing Code and Third-Party Code under the “Developed Software” provision of the required Institutional Approval Form.
Download the RFA Packet for Detailed Application Instructions and examples of within scope and out of scope projects. Applicants should note Biohub's Policies in the RFA (starting on Page 5).
The earliest notification for decisions is currently expected in late October 2026, with an expected start date of December 1, 2026 (subject to change).
Read more about Biohub's research areas.
For administrative or programmatic inquiries or other questions pertaining to this RFA, contact sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg.com. Questions from FAS and SEAS faculty may be directed to research_development@fas.harvard.edu. |
