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NSCEB Statement on Future of Science Announcements

NSCEB Statement on Future of Science Announcements

As biotechnology converges with emerging technologies, American scientific leadership will be essential to our future economic and national security.

9 October 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC – Today

Today, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology released a statement from NSCEB Chair Senator Todd Young on the new scientific initiatives announced by the White House and other executive branch agencies.

Statement from Senator Todd Young:

“The NSCEB’s work has made it clear that the future of science in the U.S. is dependent on bringing the nation’s best and brightest together and giving them the resources needed to uphold the long American tradition of discovery and innovation. Today’s White House Science Initiative announcement is in line with multiple NSCEB recommendations that aim to secure the future of U.S. scientific leadership and capture the potential of America’s innovative spirit.”

Several of the new initiatives announced reflect key recommendations from the NSCEB’s April 2025 report to Congress and subsequent papers. The report lays out a roadmap to strengthen American leadership as biotechnology converges with AI and other advanced and emerging technologies.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)

  • Investing $500 million over 5 years in fundamental data collection, analytics, modeling, and computation to advance AIxBio, in support of the Bio Genesis mission.
  • New awards to advance AIxBio research: 1) Decoding RNA to engineer resilient crops and sustainable microbes; and 2) building tools to predict and design functional enzymes.
  • Selected 67 early-career scientists to receive a combined $96 million, investing in exceptional researchers pursuing mission-driven research in areas critical to U.S. scientific and technological leadership.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.19)suggesting Federal science agencies should break up larger existing grants to into small dollar grants to jumpstart research and boost early career researchers.

Learn more about DOE’s announcement here, here, and here.

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  • New initiative to recruit 100 early-career Principal Investigators into its Intramural Research Program.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.19)suggesting Federal science agencies should break up larger existing grants to into small dollar grants to jumpstart research and boost early career researchers.
  • Plan to establish its first metascience office, which will serve as a central hub for studying and improving how biomedical science is conducted and coordinating NIH efforts in prioritizing rigorous, reproducible research.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.9)suggesting Federal science agencies should create new incentive structures and metrics of success to pave the way funding potential breakthrough science.

Learn more about NIH’s announcement here.

 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF)

  • Launching a Synthetic Multicellularity Prize Grand Challenge Prize, a competition that will transform the ability to design biology.
  • Partnering with United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) to collaborate on the science of science, such as measuring impact and reviewing research and funding.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.9)suggesting Federal science agencies should create new incentive structures and metrics of success to pave the way funding potential breakthrough science.

Learn more about NSF’s announcement here and here.

 

DEPARTMENT OF WAR (DOW)

  • The DOW and NSF established an MOU to coordinate science and technology research, accelerate technology transition, and strengthen collaboration among government academia, and industry. Initiatives include X-Labs, the Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network, and AI Forge ($40 million), alongside a $200 million DOW investment in Programmable Cloud Labs for FY28 to accelerate automated, AI-enabled experimentation.
  • Established a metascience-informed framework using Measures of Performance (MOPs) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) to evaluate its laboratories, FFRDCs, and University Affiliated Research Centers based on mission-relevant outcomes.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.9)suggesting Federal science agencies should create new incentive structures and metrics of success to pave the way funding potential breakthrough science.
  • Launched the Translational Research Initiative for Academia and Defense (TRIAD), which pairs transdisciplinary academic research teams with Service laboratories to develop actionable solutions for Combatant Command and Joint Interagency Task Force mission priorities.

Learn more about DOW’s announcement here.

 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)

  • Established a coordinated metascience initiative within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to strengthen the reliability, efficiency, transparency, and overall productivity of the agency’s scientific practices.
    • This reflects a policy option presented in the NSCEB’s Future of Science discussion paper (p.9)suggesting Federal science agencies should create new incentive structures and metrics of success to pave the way funding potential breakthrough science.

Learn more about NASA’s announcement here.

 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)

Learn more about USDA’s announcement here.

 

About NSCEB: The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology is a time-limited, high-impact legislative branch advisory entity whose purpose is to advance and secure biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and associated technologies for U.S. national security and to prepare the United States for the bioindustrial revolution. The Commission published a comprehensive report in April 2025, including recommendations for action by Congress and the federal government. The bipartisan Commission is composed of Congressionally-appointed Commissioners with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as experts from industry, academia, and government. For more information about the Commission and to view the report, visit: biotech.senate.gov.

Contacts:

NSCEB: press@biotech.senate.gov