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 eight selected thematic areas:?Microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, One health,?Neuroscience,?Personalised medicine,?Innovative health technologies and drug development,?Digital life science,?The machinery of life - molecular mechanisms and organism biology,?Open Life Sciences or Free Projects within Life Sciences?(link to downloadable PDF).

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.
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Important dates and deadlines

Ongoing activity: Eight new convergence environments have been selected

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 recruitment 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. It must be clear in the project description that positions categorized as experimental are indeed so. 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). 

Phase 2 - full application

The application, including all documents, must be submitted in English. Link to application form
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 eight prioritized thematic areas in the Life Science Building: Microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, One health, Neuroscience, Personalised medicine, Innovative health technologies and drug development, Digital life science, The machinery of life - molecular mechanisms and organism biology, Open Life Sciences or Free Projects within Life Sciences. 
At least one position must be filled before 1 October 2026. Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in withdrawal of funding.

Mandatory documents (phase 2)

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