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What is the programme 'Centres for Systems Biology Research'

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Applications for 3 centres granted

Information on these 3 centres can be found here.

You can access the Strategic Action Plan on Systems Biology through this link.

What is CSBR
The research programme Centres for Systems Biology Research (CSBR) (2009-2015) has the aim of enabling the establishment of several systems biology research centres.

Problem definition
Societal and scientific problems within the 'Life Sciences' can, in many cases, only be understood and addressed through a systems biology approach. This method can, among other things, be characterised as simultaneously:

  • Entailing an innovative broad range of complexity levels (molecule, cell, tissue, (information network), organism, population, ecosystem);
  • Entailing an innovative combination of scientific disciplines that together, preferably under one roof, plan and carry out their research activities, ánd
  • Showing a cyclic process. Phases of 'wet' experiments lead to quantitative analysis and modelling, in turn leading to new theories and hypotheses, subsequently put to the test by new 'wet' experiments.

Objectives 
The programme has two main aims:

  • To facilitate setting up and running a systems biology research infrastructure;
  • To promote connected and integrated understanding over all complexity levels involved (molecule, dell, tissue, organ, (informationh network), organism, population, ecosystem).

This initiative enhances the shift from 'describing' life's processes to 'understanding', 'capturing', them in validated predictive models, and even 'managing' or 'controlling' them.

Themes
The programme's scope coincides with the life sciences as a whole and, as a consequence, knows no specific themes. There is, however, a 'special subject'. If (part of) a granted proposal would have fallen within the scope of another research programme (preferential medicine: antimicrobial resistance (AMR)) and its ‘relevance in the sense of AMR’ would have been considered to be at least 'good' by the AMR programme committee, a designated budget of € 1 million would have been added to the programme's budget. THese conditions weren't met, however.

Duration
The programme runs from 2009 until 2015. After being granted in February 2010, it will take some months at least to set up the centres. Once they'll start their activiteis, they will be subsidized during the first 5 years of their existence.

Financing 
The parties contributing financially to the programme are:

  • ZonMw;
  • ALW;
  • CW-ACTS;
  • EW;
  • NWO-central.

Budget 
If a proposal for a centre that (in part) fits with the AMR programme and is sufficiently relevant to AMR, the programme would have been granted, the budget would increase by € 1 million from a designated budget. Now that no granted application is within AMR's scope, the initial budget of € 13 million is available for Centres for Systems Biology Research.

last modified on 17 May 2011