Genome research supported by the European Framework Programme

Throughout history, Europe has been a crucible for developing new ideas. Genome research, alongside proven conventional approaches, is a good example of this. It is opening up new fields of knowledge and unprecedented opportunities to improve human health and stimulate industrial and economic activity. Post-genomic research will then lead to many applications in a number of health-related sectors, notably in the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments to combat major diseases.

The rationale for coordinating the activities related to genome research at the European level is based on its potential contribution to the understanding of the processes underlying human disease, hence to improve diagnostics, treatment and eventually disease prevention. The Member States of the European Union (EU) are confronted with a number of pressing health problems some of which, because of their size and nature, demand that research be carried out at the EU rather than at the national level. This research will often require up-stream collaborative fundamental research since it is inappropriate to try and apply what one does not understand. In addition, it is essential to recognise that tackling practical problems through scientific research has been, and continues to be, a powerful driver of socio-economic growth and a stimulus to science.

Research in Europe is supported by different mechanisms of funding, from the regional to the national and European trans-national levels. The European Union funds research through the successive Framework Programmes, which have played a cohesive role in addressing the fragmentation of the genome research community in Europe by funding collaborative research projects and trans-national access to infrastructures.

In a drive to gear up research on functional genomics – the study of genes and their function – the European Commission launched in 2001 a pilot experiment as a prelude to the € 2255 million earmarked for this field of research in the Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006). As a result € 39.4 million have been awarded to three large research projects in genomics research for human health in order to demonstrate the new way in which the Commission will fund research in the Sixth Framework Programme by asking scientists to compose top teams from across Europe to conduct research at the cutting edge of science in a selected number of fields and giving them sufficient means to achieve critical mass and world-class excellence. The three pilot projects are running since October 2002 and their experiences and first results are detailed in different articles in this newsletter.

Through their size and scope and the world-class research teams involved, this new type of project will lead to substantial advances in understanding the links between the human genome and diseases, strengthen Europe’s position in this important field of research and eventually benefit patients.

The new features of this type of project, their integrated nature and size make them useful precursors to two of the “new” funding instruments, notably the integrated projects and the networks of excellence that are now being used to fund research in the Sixth Framework Programme.

Fundamental genomics research into health and disease is one of the main action lines in the Life Sciences programme. The strategic objective of this line is to foster the basic understanding of genomic information, by developing the knowledge base, tools and resources needed to decipher the function of genes and gene products relevant to human health and to explore their interactions with each other and with their environment. Specific research areas address: Gene expression and proteomics, Structural genomics, Comparative genomics and population genetics, Bioinformatics, and Multidisciplinary functional genomics approaches to basic biological processes.

This Website aims at taking a pro-active role by informing European scientists about most recent EU research activities in the field with particular emphasis on collaborative fundamental research into genomics.

Dr. Manuel Hallen – Former Head of Unit F4 “Fundamental Genomics” at the Directorate-General for Research in the European Commission.