Letter of transmittal.. Previous publications in this series.. Part 2-Problems of concept and definition with respect to basic research.. Part 3-The basic mission of the National Science Foundation. Part 4-The Division of Biological and Medical Sciences.. A. Process of review and selection of research proposals. B. Organization and description of programs: C. Statistical details of the programs. H. Conferences and symposia in support of science- Part 5 Support of international scientific activities in biological and 1. Support of travel of foreign scientists participating in meet- ings held in the United States... 2. Support of travel of American scientists to international 4. Direct support of international scientific meetings.. D. Foreign science information__. 1. Midwest Interlibrary Center, Chicago. 2. Special Libraries Association_ 4. American Institute of Biological Sciences. Part 8-Importance of the physical and social sciences to the life sciences.. Part 9-Relationship of National Science Foundation to other Government agencies... 'APPENDIXES Appendix 1-Grants for basic research, Division of Biological and Medical A. Developmental biology. F. Regulatory biology. H. Metabolic biology. A Appendix 2-Advisory committees, Division of Biological and Medical A. Developmental biology advisory panel.. C. Genetic biology advisory panel... G. Regulatory biology advisory panel.. Appendix 3-Budget data: Page 45 45 51 67 70 73 78 82 84 I. Divisional committee for biological and medical sciences_ 84 Table A-Summary of obligations by activity and program, actual, fiscal year 1957.. 85 Table B-Summary of budget obligations and estimates, fiscal years 86 Appendix 4-Role of the Federal Government in international science (preliminary report, 1955)___ 87 Part 1 SUMMARY The National Science Foundation program in the life sciences is a modest one in relation to the total national effort in these areas. However, the Foundation is one of the major sources of Federal funds for basic research in the biological field. It thus exercises an important influence in the growth and needs of science in this area. The Foundation, as may be seen from the various examples of its activities described in this report, is committed to a program of strengthening basic research and education in the life sciences. Both its operating and its staff programs are aimed at these ends. The Foundation's support of basic research in the life sciences does not distinguish between the medical and biological sciences, since fundamental studies in both areas are intimately related. The Foundation generally does not support clinical research, nor does it make grants for studies of special diseases. Such studies are supported by other Government and private groups. The necessity for basic or fundamental research in the biological sciences as a basis for the solution of medical problems is well illustrated in the study of The American Foundation, Medical Research: A Midcentury Survey. As expressed by this study, "wherever fundamental research exists, no doubt would be expressed that medicinemeaning medical research, medical education, medical practice-is of course rooted in biology.' " 1 The National Science Foundation's research mandate with reference to the biological and medical sciences, from the beginning, has been broad enough to permit shifting its programs with changing needs. Thus, in fiscal year 1958, the Foundation met the growing complexities of the molecular biology and regulatory biology programs by creating a new program covering metabolic research from parts of these two programs. The metabolic biology program is now an established and going entity. There seems little doubt that it will be one of the Foundation's more active programs, encompassing the support of research on the metabolic aspects of animal, plant, and microbial functions. Basically, three things are required for the support of basic research: funds for current support, well-trained manpower in adequate numbers, and adequate physical facilities. The Foundation has an active program in all elements of this triad. The primary emphasis of the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences of the Foundation, in the fiscal year 1958, has been on the support of basic biological and medical research, both in the United States and abroad. The wide scope and diversity of this support is suggested by the list of grants shown in appendix 1. The Foundation does not serve scientists in a single general area of biology; it recognizes 1 The American Foundation, Medical Research: A Midcentury Survey. (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1955, p. xvii.) a diversity of needs and has conceived basic research in the life sciences so that biological processes, whether in plant, animal, or man, will be seen in their basic contexts. Consequently, the Foundation's life science program of support of basic research is organized into eight categories: (1) developmental biology; (2) environmental biology; (3) genetic biology; (4) metabolic biology; (5) molecular biology; (6) psychobiology; (7) regulatory biology; and (8) systematic biology. Table 1 (see p. 16) presents a summary of the dollar volume of research proposals received and grants awarded by programs during fiscal year 1958. These data may be compared with those of the preceding 6 fiscal years from the information contained in the same table. Without developing an extensive description of the substantive aspects of the support program in the biological and medical science areas, this program emphasizes basic research in the structure, synthesis, and reactivity of proteins and other macromolecules. Support of important work also covers intermediary metabolism, physiology, and the physiological aspects of biochemistry. Problems in genetic research which are being sponsored encompass organisms ranging from the higher vertebrates to the microbial level, including studies of mutation and the inheritance of behavior patterns. The nature of the gene is also under scrutiny in the area of plant genetics. In developmental biology the importance of the nucleus with reference to the cell is an area of increasing work as is the problem of cell differentiation, growth, and senility. Other areas of the program cover studies in the dynamics and structure of animal and plant populations, as well as long-range studies of the relationship between speciation and the evolution of complex patterns of animal and plant life (see app. 1 for a description of the activities of the various programs). The international phases of this program are described in part 5 of this report. As in previous years, the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences, continues to support both the training of scientists under the research grant program and research facilities. In fiscal year 1958, some 400 research assistants and some 150 research associates received support under the grant program. Support was given to short-term research by medical students. Funds were provided for summer stipends for postdoctoral investigators, graduate students, and teachers from small colleges for research at biological field stations. In fiscal year 1958, the Division received 15 formal research facility support proposals, of which 10 were supported. Fellowships in the life sciences are administered by the Division of Scientific Personnel and Education which covers all fellowship programs of the Foundation. These programs are designed to strengthen the Nation's scientific potential by providing support for advanced training in the sciences directed toward the development of highly qualified research scientists and for further study in the sciences directed toward increasing the competence of science teachers. The four existing fellowship programs were expanded in fiscal year 1958. Statistical details concerning the awards given in the life sciences are shown in tables 10-18 of this report. In addition to the fellowship programs described in this report, three new programs were initiated in fiscal year 1959: (1) summer fellowships for secondary school science and mathematics teachers, |