2434687
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Global Centers: International Research Center for Enhancing Plant Resilience - This award is funded by NSF Global Centers Program, an innovative partnership with funding agencies in Canada, Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom, to jointly support use-inspired research addressing global challenges through the bioeconomy.
These partnerships leverage resources to tackle challenges at a larger scale than would be possible for one funding agency alone.
This center is jointly supported by NSF, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Japan Science and Technology Agency, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and UK Research and Innovation.
The International Research Center for Enhancing Plant Resilience addresses the critical challenge of stabilizing global food production amid unpredictable weather patterns.
It brings together experts from the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom, to explore sustainable solutions for agriculture.
By discovering and harnessing natural products from plants and microbes, it aims at enhancing plant and soil health.
The goal is to ensure crop productivity despite increasing environmental stressors.
By creating natural solutions to stabilize crop productivity, the center addresses urgent agricultural problems.
It reduces reliance on non-sustainable practices like synthetic fertilizers and extensive irrigation.
It engages industry and agricultural stakeholders.
This ensures that the developed solutions are practical, scalable, and adopted widely.
The international collaboration also fosters multidisciplinary knowledge exchange and skill development across borders.
It strengthens global scientific capabilities.
It plays a pivotal role in training the next generation of scientists and leaders in sustainable agriculture.
A particular focus on public engagement and technology adoption aims to build trust and facilitate the widespread implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.
This effort contributes to the broad bioeconomy and societal well-being.
The center harnesses the natural chemical diversity harbored in plants and microbes.
It generates green chemistry solutions to enhance crop resilience against stresses like drought and heat waves, minimize external fertilization, and protect crops against increasing pest and pathogen load.
The research involves a detailed exploration of plant and microbial metabolites that can improve crop resilience.
The team samples, annotates, and synthesizes key metabolites, using advanced genomics, AI-based strategies, and synthetic biology.
The research pipeline includes identifying biosynthetic pathways, validating bioactivity through lab and field testing, and assessing the environmental and animal toxicity of these compounds.
By integrating international expertise and resources, the center develops new, natural agricultural products that enhance crop resilience, reduce dependency on non-sustainable farming practices, and support global food security.
This technical work is complemented by rigorous public engagement and outreach efforts, ensuring that its outcomes are accessible and beneficial to society at large.
The center establishes an international training program to promote cross-lab, institute, and country collaboration, enhancing global knowledge and workforce development.
The overarching goal is to transition to the early operational stage with contracts from governments, academic institutions, and industry partners.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are planned for this award.
These partnerships leverage resources to tackle challenges at a larger scale than would be possible for one funding agency alone.
This center is jointly supported by NSF, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Japan Science and Technology Agency, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and UK Research and Innovation.
The International Research Center for Enhancing Plant Resilience addresses the critical challenge of stabilizing global food production amid unpredictable weather patterns.
It brings together experts from the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom, to explore sustainable solutions for agriculture.
By discovering and harnessing natural products from plants and microbes, it aims at enhancing plant and soil health.
The goal is to ensure crop productivity despite increasing environmental stressors.
By creating natural solutions to stabilize crop productivity, the center addresses urgent agricultural problems.
It reduces reliance on non-sustainable practices like synthetic fertilizers and extensive irrigation.
It engages industry and agricultural stakeholders.
This ensures that the developed solutions are practical, scalable, and adopted widely.
The international collaboration also fosters multidisciplinary knowledge exchange and skill development across borders.
It strengthens global scientific capabilities.
It plays a pivotal role in training the next generation of scientists and leaders in sustainable agriculture.
A particular focus on public engagement and technology adoption aims to build trust and facilitate the widespread implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.
This effort contributes to the broad bioeconomy and societal well-being.
The center harnesses the natural chemical diversity harbored in plants and microbes.
It generates green chemistry solutions to enhance crop resilience against stresses like drought and heat waves, minimize external fertilization, and protect crops against increasing pest and pathogen load.
The research involves a detailed exploration of plant and microbial metabolites that can improve crop resilience.
The team samples, annotates, and synthesizes key metabolites, using advanced genomics, AI-based strategies, and synthetic biology.
The research pipeline includes identifying biosynthetic pathways, validating bioactivity through lab and field testing, and assessing the environmental and animal toxicity of these compounds.
By integrating international expertise and resources, the center develops new, natural agricultural products that enhance crop resilience, reduce dependency on non-sustainable farming practices, and support global food security.
This technical work is complemented by rigorous public engagement and outreach efforts, ensuring that its outcomes are accessible and beneficial to society at large.
The center establishes an international training program to promote cross-lab, institute, and country collaboration, enhancing global knowledge and workforce development.
The overarching goal is to transition to the early operational stage with contracts from governments, academic institutions, and industry partners.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are planned for this award.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "GLOBAL CENTERS", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF24556
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
East Lansing,
Michigan
48824-2600
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 46% from $3,429,350 to $5,000,000.
Michigan State University was awarded
Global Plant Resilience Research Center
Project Grant 2434687
worth $5,000,000
from the Office of International Science and Engineering in January 2025 with work to be completed primarily in East Lansing Michigan United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 47.079 Office of International Science and Engineering.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Global Centers.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 7/17/25
Period of Performance
1/1/25
Start Date
12/31/29
End Date
Funding Split
$5.0M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$5.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Subgrant Awards
Disclosed subgrants for 2434687
Transaction History
Modifications to 2434687
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2434687
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
490109 OFC INTERNTL SCIENCE ENG
Funding Office
490109 OFC INTERNTL SCIENCE ENG
Awardee UEI
R28EKN92ZTZ9
Awardee CAGE
4B834
Performance District
MI-07
Senators
Debbie Stabenow
Gary Peters
Gary Peters
Modified: 7/17/25