Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EBRAINS PREP (EBRAINS Preparatory Phase)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-09-01 bis 2023-08-31
The European Brain ReseArch INfrastructureS (EBRAINS) is a pioneering research digital infrastructure that brings together the fields of neuroscience, computing, and neurotechnology. Emerging as the main outcome of the Human Brain Project (HBP), EBRAINS was established in 2019 with the aim of facilitating large-scale, international collaboration in brain research. Recognised for its strategic importance in the European Research Area, EBRAINS entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2021 and is now in its Preparation Phase. The consortium comprises the Central Hub (EBRAINS AISBL) and the National Nodes from 11 countries.
Running for 2.5 years, the EBRAINS PREP project is designed to bring EBRAINS from the ESFRI Preparation Phase to its Implementation and Operation Phases. The project is guided by the following key objectives:
• Objective 1: To establish a comprehensive financial, legal, and governance framework for EBRAINS. This involves preparing a plan to sustainably offer services through both the Central Hub and the Nodes.
• Objective 2: To secure legally binding commitments from EBRAINS Consortium Partners for setting up EBRAINS Nodes that will offer essential services to the brain research community.
• Objective 3: To develop a detailed technical design and associated cost estimate for the Service Capability of EBRAINS.
• Objective 4: To determine the legal structure that EBRAINS will adopt during the Operation Phase, complete with draft statutes for the organisation.
Running for 2.5 years, the EBRAINS PREP project is designed to bring EBRAINS from the ESFRI Preparation Phase to its Implementation and Operation Phases. The project is guided by the following key objectives:
• Objective 1: To establish a comprehensive financial, legal, and governance framework for EBRAINS. This involves preparing a plan to sustainably offer services through both the Central Hub and the Nodes.
• Objective 2: To secure legally binding commitments from EBRAINS Consortium Partners for setting up EBRAINS Nodes that will offer essential services to the brain research community.
• Objective 3: To develop a detailed technical design and associated cost estimate for the Service Capability of EBRAINS.
• Objective 4: To determine the legal structure that EBRAINS will adopt during the Operation Phase, complete with draft statutes for the organisation.
Despite being at a stage before the midpoint of the project, the project has yielded significant results for a successful transition to the operational phase of EBRAINS.
On a strategic level, a comprehensive business plan is in development. This plan draws insights from relevant regulations and the business plans of similar research infrastructures (RIs). Significant progress has been made to clarify the vision, mission and objectives of EBRAINS. This progress was only possible with the active engagement of stakeholders through consultations and feedback sessions to ensure that a wide range of perspectives is considered.
In the domain of legal and financial agreements, the focus has primarily been on the National Node Agreement (NNA) and Intellectual Property (IP) Management Principles. Two NNA templates have already been proposed to the National Nodes with plans for further improvement. Furthermore, IP Management Principles have been established, providing a solid foundation for managing intellectual property rights. An in-depth study has been conducted to assess suitable legal structures for EBRAINS, with ERIC and EDIC emerging as potential options. Ongoing discussions with National Nodes and national authorities are underway to reach a final decision.
An initial evaluation framework has been established for EBRAINS RI service selection. Services will be categorised into four tiers of priority, with selection based on technical, scientific, and operational criteria. This work is expected to be finalised at the beginning of 2024.
An architectural design for EBRAINS RI after the end of the HBP has been proposed based on the HBP SGA3 architecture for EBRAINS. This architecture will be adaptable for future adjustments and the integration of new National Nodes.
Progress has also been made in supporting clinical data. The project is studying the initial operation of the EBRAINS "Health Data Cloud (HDC)," a secure and GDPR-compliant data platform for medical research. This will be used for the establishment of a clinical data strategy to ensure full compliance with legal, privacy, and security requirements.
Preparatory work was carried out to establish operational procedures for the effective functioning of scientific services and platforms. This work covers various operational aspects, including system administration, security enhancements, backup protocols and resource allocation.
Specifically for the topic of resource allocation, an analysis has been conducted in collaboration with technical partners to allocate resources to support three areas of the EBRAINS RI: a. operational, b. coordination, and c. user engagement and support.
The project involves significant contributions from the 11 National Nodes, which have laid the groundwork for their formal establishment through collaborative agreements that define their roles, responsibilities, and specific functions within the Node. In addition to organising their internal structure, the Nodes have been active in engaging with external stakeholders and the broader scientific community to expand their networks and raise awareness of the tools and services offered by EBRAINS.
Lastly, the Nodes have begun developing plans for their sustainable operation, which include aspects such as identifying stakeholders, compiling a national services catalogue, investing in human resources, and securing stable funding sources.
On a strategic level, a comprehensive business plan is in development. This plan draws insights from relevant regulations and the business plans of similar research infrastructures (RIs). Significant progress has been made to clarify the vision, mission and objectives of EBRAINS. This progress was only possible with the active engagement of stakeholders through consultations and feedback sessions to ensure that a wide range of perspectives is considered.
In the domain of legal and financial agreements, the focus has primarily been on the National Node Agreement (NNA) and Intellectual Property (IP) Management Principles. Two NNA templates have already been proposed to the National Nodes with plans for further improvement. Furthermore, IP Management Principles have been established, providing a solid foundation for managing intellectual property rights. An in-depth study has been conducted to assess suitable legal structures for EBRAINS, with ERIC and EDIC emerging as potential options. Ongoing discussions with National Nodes and national authorities are underway to reach a final decision.
An initial evaluation framework has been established for EBRAINS RI service selection. Services will be categorised into four tiers of priority, with selection based on technical, scientific, and operational criteria. This work is expected to be finalised at the beginning of 2024.
An architectural design for EBRAINS RI after the end of the HBP has been proposed based on the HBP SGA3 architecture for EBRAINS. This architecture will be adaptable for future adjustments and the integration of new National Nodes.
Progress has also been made in supporting clinical data. The project is studying the initial operation of the EBRAINS "Health Data Cloud (HDC)," a secure and GDPR-compliant data platform for medical research. This will be used for the establishment of a clinical data strategy to ensure full compliance with legal, privacy, and security requirements.
Preparatory work was carried out to establish operational procedures for the effective functioning of scientific services and platforms. This work covers various operational aspects, including system administration, security enhancements, backup protocols and resource allocation.
Specifically for the topic of resource allocation, an analysis has been conducted in collaboration with technical partners to allocate resources to support three areas of the EBRAINS RI: a. operational, b. coordination, and c. user engagement and support.
The project involves significant contributions from the 11 National Nodes, which have laid the groundwork for their formal establishment through collaborative agreements that define their roles, responsibilities, and specific functions within the Node. In addition to organising their internal structure, the Nodes have been active in engaging with external stakeholders and the broader scientific community to expand their networks and raise awareness of the tools and services offered by EBRAINS.
Lastly, the Nodes have begun developing plans for their sustainable operation, which include aspects such as identifying stakeholders, compiling a national services catalogue, investing in human resources, and securing stable funding sources.
EBRAINS PREP aims to lay the foundation for a sustainable, well-structured research infrastructure (RI) that can effectively serve an expanding user base in the future. The strategic planning and organisational structuring facilitated by EBRAINS PREP will allow EBRAINS to have a far-reaching impact in several key areas:
• Disruptive research and breakthrough science and innovation through cutting-edge, interconnected and sustainable Research Infrastructures;
• Strengthened scientific excellence performance and efficiency of the European Research Area, increasing its attractiveness to researchers from all over the world;
• Coordinated research infrastructure capacity among countries and regions, also by exploiting possibilities given by the smart specialisation processes;
• Reinforced R&I capacities enabling systemic changes needed for a truly transformative societal and economic recovery and a strengthened resilience of critical sectors, as outlined in the Recovery Plan;
• Improved European response, in cooperation with international players, to emerging socio-economic and related scientific and technological challenges at global level.
• Disruptive research and breakthrough science and innovation through cutting-edge, interconnected and sustainable Research Infrastructures;
• Strengthened scientific excellence performance and efficiency of the European Research Area, increasing its attractiveness to researchers from all over the world;
• Coordinated research infrastructure capacity among countries and regions, also by exploiting possibilities given by the smart specialisation processes;
• Reinforced R&I capacities enabling systemic changes needed for a truly transformative societal and economic recovery and a strengthened resilience of critical sectors, as outlined in the Recovery Plan;
• Improved European response, in cooperation with international players, to emerging socio-economic and related scientific and technological challenges at global level.