Swiss launch systems biology initiative
Switzerland has announced its ambition to become a world leader in the field of systems biology. To help it get there, it is investing SF400 million (€243 million) over four years in an initiative called SystemsX.ch. This level of investment in a single domain of research is without precedent in the country. The SystemsX.ch consortium brings together eight universities, three research institutions, research funding agencies and industry. 'A cooperation of this magnitude among the universities is of unparalleled character, and on many levels embodies the way projects should be tackled and coordinated among Swiss institutes in the future,' commented Charles Kleiber, Swiss Secretary of State for Education and Research. Systems biology is defined by the European Science Foundation (ESF) as 'the study of how biological networking produces function at the level of the cell, organ and body'. It aims to build on our knowledge of genome sequences by studying the meaning of these sequences. Scientists hope it will lead to major breakthroughs in biotechnology and health research. However, such research is so expensive that collaboration between universities and research institutes is a prerequisite for success. Furthermore, the subject requires collaboration between scientists from a range of disciplines, including biology, physics, chemistry, maths, computer science and engineering. In September, the ESF called for greater coordination of systems biology research in Europe.
Countries
Switzerland