Call for new convergence environments

Purpose

UiO:Life Science convergence environments give UiO's best researchers within life sciences the opportunity to reach ambitious scientific goals through interdisciplinary collaboration. Research in the convergence environments must be innovative and have major potential to generate groundbreaking results. The convergence environments work with complex problems where coordinated research efforts across disciplines are essential to achieving their objectives. 

The goals of all convergence environments are to:

• Perform excellent interdisciplinary science and research (¡°beyond state-of-the-art¡±)
• Recruit, educate and develop talents

CEs can, but are not required to, include research groups in the Life Science Building. CEs can include groups from all faculties at UiO, and will receive bonus points in the assessment if the project leader is from any faculty other than Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medicine, and Dentistry.

The new category of convergence environments, LSB-CE, should additionally:

• Contribute to building convergence in the Life Science Building
• Support and strengthen research within selected thematic areas (link will be published later)

The leader of an LSB-CE application and at least two principal investigators (PIs) must be affiliated with groups that are scheduled to move into the Life Science Building by spring 2027. Additionally, a minimum of three of the planned positions must be located at units planned to move in to the Life Science Building. The involved departments will be asked to described how the thematic area in question is in line with the department¡¯s own strategic priorities.
 

Important dates and deadlines

Ongoing activity: Call is published, sign up for workshops

Workshops and topics

Three workshops will be organized for potential applicants to new convergence environments. At least one person from each project must attend one workshop in order to apply.

16 January Neuroscience, Personalised medicine, Innovative health technologies and drug development, Health and society

20 January Microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, The machinery of life - molecular mechanisms and organism biology, Digital life science, Bioethics

27 February Open life sciences, One health, A sustainable life span, Biodiversity

See full timeline

• Tuesday 5 November 2024
  The first version call is published. Prospective applicants should sign up for workshop. 
• 20 December 2024
  Template for project proposal and full application will be published. Final version of the call published.
• Thursday 16 January, Monday 20 January 2025 and Thursday 27 February 2025
  Workshop 1, 2 and 3 (speed-dating).
• Thursday 20 March 2025
  Deadline for submitting project proposals (phase 1) and suggesting experts. 
• Tuesday 27 May 2025
  Deadline for full applications (phase 2). 
• Monday 30 June 2025
  Announcement of selection of 12-15 finalists. 
• Thursday 30 October 2025
  Final decision by UiO:Life Science board.
• Wednesday 5 November 2025
  Results publicly announced.
• August 2026
  Start-up and first day at work for most people in the allocated positions.
• 1 October 2026
  At least one position is filled in each convergence environment.

About the call

Before this application process UiO:Life Science funded 20 convergence environments, six after an application process in 2016/2017, eight in 2018/2019 and six in 2020/2021. This time we expect to fund seven or eight new projects. Successful applicants will receive funding for three or four positions (PhD scholarships and postdoc positions) and running expenses.

Who is eligible to apply?

The project leader must have a permanent research position at UiO. Groups that have previously received convergence environment funding from UiO:Life Science are welcome to submit new proposals.

Who can participate in the application?

Other principal investigators may come from UiO, University hospitals or other cooperating institutions.

Funding provided

• Cluster funding of 3 - 4 positions, including at least two PhD scholarships.
• The PhD candidates will be employed by the departments at UiO and will attend PhD programs at UiO. Their projects are expected to be rather disciplinary in nature.
• The postdocs will be employed by the departments at UiO and are expected to work on projects with distinctly interdisciplinary profiles.
• PhD candidates are hired for four years, and postdocs are hired for three years, including competence-giving compulsory work.
• Running expenses: Up to NOK 200 000 per position per year for costly experimental work. Up to NOK 50 000 per year for theoretical positions. Expenses must be specified and justified in a few lines for each position. Up to NOK 150 000 per year for other activities for the convergence environment consortium. Expenses should promote convergence and must be specified and justified in a few lines. In addition, the convergence environments will be eligible to apply for further running expenses for costly experimental work or other convergence related costs throughout the convergence environment period.

Background and definitions

UiO¡¯s vision is to be an important actor nationally and globally in the development of life sciences for better health, sustainable environmental measures and a growing green bioeconomy. ¡°Convergence¡± ¨C closer interaction between a diversity of research environments and disciplines ¨C is needed to ensure quality and relevance. 

Life sciences

The 21st century is frequently described as ¡°The century of the Life Sciences¡±, based on a completely new understanding of life and life processes. This paves the way for better health, sustainable environmental measures and a growing green bioeconomy. UiO¡¯s vision is to be an important actor nationally and globally in this development. ¡°Convergence¡± ¨C closer interaction between a diversity of research environments and disciplines ¨C is needed to ensure quality and relevance.

In Strategy 2025-2029 for UiO:Life Science, ¡°life science¡± is defined as follows: Life science is the study of living organisms (animals, plants, humans) and life processes. Common definitions emphasize the basic disciplines biology and medicine, supported by chemistry, physics, and mathematical fields. However, UiO:Life Science expands upon this concept by encompassing any field that promotes new ways of understanding the relationship between life science and society. Social sciences and humanities play a particularly crucial role in examining the social, ethical, legal, and political implications of scientific, biomedical, and technological advancements, as well as the growing life science industry.

Interdisciplinary research

Interdisciplinary research is founded on the need to produce the knowledge necessary to solve societal challenges, or a desire to develop new methods, theories and disciplines to achieve groundbreaking basic research. In distinction to multidisciplinary research, which involves multiple disciplines with multiple disciplinary goal settings under one thematic umbrella, interdisciplinary research crosses disciplinary boarders and develops new, integrated knowledge. Interdisciplinary research may address complex problems beyond the reach of traditional science as well as issues that are highly contested and where stakes are high. It can expand on existing scientific evidence and give rise to more innovative, holistic solutions, generating both new scientific insights and practical societal benefits.
 

Educational aspects

PhD candidates are hired for four years and postdocs are hired for three years. The PhD candidates will attend PhD programs at UiO. The appointment includes competence-giving compulsory work limited to 25% of the position for PhD candidates and 10% of the position for postdocs. This time should be dedicated to career development, and the host departments are required to fill individual career development plans with relevant tasks according to the principles decided by the University Board (see Standarder for UiOs karrierest?tte til forskere i tidlig karrierefase). Outreach work or other tasks assigned by UiO:Life Science can be included in the plans.

Assessment criteria and practical information

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate and score, on a scale from 1 to 10, the quality of each application and research team, with multiple questions sorted into three categories Research, Impact and implementation and Responsible research and innovation (RRI). Experts will only evaluate research and will be asked to give qualitative statements, i.e. not grades.

Requirements for the application process 

Workshop participation

It is mandatory for at least one principal investigator to sign up for at least one workshop taking place on Thursday 16 January, Monday 20 January or Thursday 27 February. Each workshop will gather researchers in four highlighted topics: 

16 January
Neuroscience, Personalised medicine, Innovative health technologies and drug development, Health and society

20 January
Microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, The machinery of life - molecular mechanisms and organism biology, Digital life science, Bioethics

27 February
Open life sciences, One health, A sustainable life span, Biodiversity

Phase 1 - proposal

It is mandatory to complete a web form with project details, including suggestions for four experts (mandatory) and a short project description using a template (max 3 pages). Web form and template will be published in December. 

Phase 2 - full application

The application, including all documents, must be submitted in English. The application form will be published in April 2025.
All mandatory documents must be included (see templates below).
The project description (max 10 pages) must be written using the designated template.
Requirements relating to the affiliation of the project leader must be satisfied.
LSB-CE applicants must connect their project to one of the prioritized thematic areas (link will be published later) in the Life Science Building.
At least one position must be filled before 1 October 2026. Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in withdrawal of funding.

Mandatory documents

A project description of maximum 10 pages using a template published in December.
A budget (1 page) using a budget template published in December.
CVs (max 4 pages each) for the project manager and key principal investigators using the designated template (standard NFR format).

A separate Letter of Intent from each institutions that will host PhD candidates and postdocs confirming that:

• the institution is informed about and endorse the application.
• the institution has capacity to accept the candidate should the application be grated.
• the institution takes responsibility for their career plans.
• no extra costs will be inferred on the project, such as rent for offices or laboratories.
• For LSB-CE: The institution should describe how the thematic area in question is in line with the institution¡¯s own strategic priorities.

Grant applications that do not satisfy the above requirements will be rejected.

Assessment criteria for review panel

1. Research
Novelty
The extent to which:

1. the proposed research address important research challenges.
   For LSB-CE, the challenge must be within a defined thematic area.
2. the objectives are ambitious and beyond the state-of-the-art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches, development of novel methodology or development across disciplines).
3. the proposed research has the potential to achieve groundbreaking results.

Solidity
The extent to which:

4. the outlined scientific approaches are feasible and the proposed timescales and resources are necessary and properly justified.
5. the proposed research methodologies are appropriate to achieve the goals of the convergence environment.

Convergence
The extent to which:

6. the application makes a compelling argument for why it is essential to bring together
   for CE substantially different science disciplines 
   for LSB-CE different research groups located in the life science building
   to address the specific scientific challenge described in the project proposal.
7. the application demonstrates deep integration and strong coupling between the contributing disciplines with potential for high mutual benefit.

2.  Impact and implementation
Project leader
The extent to which:

1. the project leader has the required experience, skills, personal capacity and motivation to lead the convergence environment.
2. the convergence environment funding could be expected to guide the future scientific career path of the project leader towards interdisciplinary research or help maintaining such a research profile if already established.

Project leader and principal investigators
The extent to which:

3. the project leader and principal investigators have demonstrated the ability to propose and conduct groundbreaking research.
4. the project leader and principal investigators have the optimal scientific expertise and capacity to successfully execute the project.

Project organization
The extent to which:

5. the structure, organization and size of the convergence environment is optimal for the proposed research.
6. the application addresses the needs to create and maintain appropriate meeting places, group activities and a fertile student environment.

Impact and after-life
The extent to which:

7. establishment of the convergence environment will contribute to long-term integrated interaction between 
   for CE disciplines across UiO.
   for LSB-CE research groups in the life science building.
8. establishment of the convergence environment will facilitate the process of taking knowledge in use in the society.
9. the applicants describe potential interactions with industry or other external actors.
10. plans are presented to attract external funding for the project.

Educational aspect and career development
The extent to which:

11. the application considers the educational aspects of the PhD and postdoc positions and describes plans for a holistic and systematic approach to career development for the candidates.

3.  Responsible research and innovation (RRI)

The extent to which:

1. the planned RRI activities address probable societal concerns.
2. the planned investigations are sustainable and ethically acceptable.
3. dissemination plans are well developed and set to reach a wide audience.
4. the applicant team is characterized by reasonable gender balance or appropriate measures are described to mitigate any initial imbalance during the project period.

The review panel will also be asked to assess innovation potential and connection to the defined thematic areas in Life Sciences, see Assessment procedure below. (See also Background and definitions above).

Assessment procedure

A rating scheme from 1-10 will be used according to the following scale:

9-10: excellent
7-8: very good
5-6: good
1-4: poor

Each reviewer/panel member will receive all applications but will be asked to review approximately seven applications. There will be three evaluations of each application. Applications are given one grade each for the three evaluated subheadings:

Research (50 %)
Impact and implementation (38 %)
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) (12 %)
When determining the overall grade, the percentages given in parentheses above will be used.

Bonus system grading

To encourage applications from social sciences and humanities, CE applications with a project leader from any faculty other than Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medicine, and Dentistry will receive a bonus of +0.4 that is added to the overall grade. There is no bonus system for LSB-CE applications.

Assessment criteria for experts

Note that experts will only be used for the 12-16 applications selected for step 2 in the evaluation process.

Please give a qualitative assessment (1 - 4 sentences) of the extent to which:

1. the proposed research address important research challenges
2. the objectives are ambitious and beyond the state-of-the-art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches, development of novel methodology or development across disciplines)
3. the proposed research has the potential to achieve groundbreaking results
4. the outlined scientific approaches are feasible and the proposed timescales and resources are necessary and properly justified
5. the proposed research methodologies are appropriate to achieve the goals of the convergence environment
6. the combination of scientific elements put forward in the proposal is crucial to address the scope and complexity of the research question.

Administrative procedures

Workshops 16 January, 21 January or 27 February 

It is mandatory for at least one principal investigator to sign up for at least one workshop either Thursday 16 January, Monday 20 January or Thursday 27 February. At the workshops you can meet to discuss mutual interests and the potential for initiation of joint projects. 

Phase 1 ¨C proposals, 20 March 2025

The proposals will not be subject to scientific evaluation; their main purpose is to give UiO:Life Science the overview needed to select experts and review panel members, and suggest a merge of related project ideas when appropriate. No proposals will be excluded. Applicants will receive feedback within approximately three weeks.

Phase 2 ¨C full applications, 27 May 2025

Each application will be evaluated by three reviewers, of which at least one should have good knowledge of the research field. Typically, at least one reviewer is more peripheral to the subject. Applicants should have this in mind when describing their projects. In the evaluation of applications for the third generation of convergence environments in 2020, 15 reviewers handled 34 applications.

The evaluation will take place in two steps.

In step 1, executed digitally, 6 - 8 applications within each of the CE and LVBCE categories (12 to 16 in total) will be selected for step 2. Results will be announced to the applicants on 30 June 2025. These applications will be sent to suggested experts, who are asked to give qualitative assessments about the proposed project (e.g. not assign grades). Comments from the experts are sent to members of the review panel.

In step 2, taking place 21 and 22 October 2025, all the project leaders of the finalists will give short presentations of their applications and subsequently be interviewed by the review panel.

Final ranking of applications will take place when all projects have been presented. A decision will then be made by the UiO:Life Science board on 30 October 2025, results being made public on 5 November. We plan to fund three to four projects within each category, CE and LSB-CE, seven to eight in total.