The NSF ExFAB BioFoundry facilities are designed to empower both internal and external users to discover and engineer new microbes by pioneering novel workflows and techniques to unlock nature’s most unusual and extreme microorganisms through an open-access structure. Submit a proposal and become part of the ExFAB user community!  The costs of accessing the facility are supported for all approved ExFAB user proposals. 

ExFAB User Projects - Overview

Choosing the Right ExFAB Project Level. ExFAB offers three project levels – (1) Exploration, (2) Developmental, and (3) Full – to best suit your research needs. You can submit a proposal for any level, and we're here to help you determine the best fit.

Project Levels Explained

Exploration Projects: These are perfect if you're just starting out or unsure which project level is right for you. An Exploration project helps you define the scope and boundaries of a research path: as an opportunity to test and refine methods, these projects will establish strong foundations for future work.

Developmental Projects: These projects have more precisely defined research goals and often build upon the insights gained from an Exploration project. They typically employ small-scale automation using established methods.

Full Projects: These are our most comprehensive projects, designed for well-established research plans. They are best for high-throughput automation, and/or combining previously validated protocols into a multi-step workflow.

Flexibility and Support. You can always start with an Exploration project and upgrade as your project evolves. Even if you anticipate needing a Developmental or Full Project, an initial Exploration Project can be invaluable for scoping and planning. Follow-on proposals for Exploration projects are streamlined via an abbreviated, supplemental application, making it easy to continue your research journey.

If your approved Developmental or Full project requires significant method development at ExFAB, we'll collaborate with you to design an Exploration project specifically to establish the necessary methodology.

For a more detailed understanding of each project level, please consult the table below. If you have any questions about categorizing your project, don't hesitate to contact our User Coordinator, Dr. Jessica Sexton.

Please note: the table's budget information is provided solely for scoping purposes and represents the anticipated budget for each project level. The budget for individual projects will vary. User projects are fully supported for their approved budget.