The systems biology network expansion
Biological systems are complex and dynamic. A systems approach to molecular networks in living organisms involves computational and mathematical modelling as opposed to studying individual properties of molecules. Research initiatives committed to SB are therefore necessarily interdisciplinary and collaborative, requiring the pooling of state-of-the-art technologies and equipment of different disciplines and the very best academic expertise and experience. The ERASYSAPP(opens in new window) (ERASysAPP - Systems biology applications) project has structured and coordinated investments for European SB initiatives. Sixteen funding management companies from 13 countries set up joint transnational calls for research in all living organisms that are of interest in the sphere of life sciences. In all, ERASYSAPP calls resulted in funding of 12 transnational research projects. Some 70 research groups from ten countries were funded with a budget of EUR 16.9 million in total. As research integration is crucial in SB, the researchers established a matchmaking platform(opens in new window) to bring together appropriate project members for consortia. To optimise networking, ERASYSAPP organised two Exchange days. Partners are continuing to maintain the matchmaking platform as well as organise further Exchange days beyond project end. A firm structure for data management was established from the outset with a data and model management system FAIRDOM(opens in new window) that supported the ERASYSAPP research groups. The ERASYSAPP project has also strengthened academic-industrial links in the European Research Area (ERA) and organised training for scientists at all academic levels in the SB field. A catalogue of 89 graduate study programmes(opens in new window) provided an overview and therefore more transparency in graduate SB programmes. An SB educational platform has also been developed, containing a list of educational portals. Six summer schools and five data management workshops boosted the professional development of around 240 researchers. ERASYSAPP has created an increased pool of resources to fund research activities in the expanding field of SB that promises to provide answers to the major ecological, economic and medical challenges being faced today. As a result, the position of SB will be strengthened, not only in ERA but on a global basis as well.