30 new projects on fundamental genomics selected for funding in the third call of FP6

The evaluation panel was impressed with the high quality and European character of virtually all of the submitted proposals.

The European Commission has started negotiations with 30 new European consortia that were selected in the third call for proposals in the area “Fundamental knowledge and basic tools for functional genomics in all organisms” (deadline 16 November 2004). The evaluation panels were impressed with the European character of virtually all of the 123 proposals submitted, and had a hard time choosing the best projects and making negotiation recommendations. Almost 30% of the proposals were submitted less than one hour before the deadline, in spite of clear warnings that the deadline was absolute. The thirty successful proposals gather the scientific expertise of 357 research groups from 29 countries. They will receive a contribution from the European Union estimated in 133.3 million Euros, 10% of it for small and medium enterprises.

Among the projects selected for funding, there are 3 Networks of Excellence(NoE) on computational methods for systems biology, the role of ubiquitin in cell regulation, and alternative RNA splicing, respectively.

The 6 Integrated Projects(IP) selected will address different fields in functional genomics:

• the European mouse genome mutagenesis program which will generate a library of 20,000 independently mutated genes;
• the programme for circadian research which includes the analysis of molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock with emphasis on entrainment in human and animal models;
• the development of tools for the rat model, like nuclear transfer protocols to create knock out rats;
• one platform for biomedical discovery with human ES cells;
• the tracking of the endocytic routes of growth factor receptor complexes and their modulator role on signalling;
• and the high-throughput epigenetic regulatory organisation in chromatin.

The average funding for NoE and IP ranks from 9 to 13 million Euros.

The 12 Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP), each one of them receiving an average EU funding of 2,2 million Euros, will cover a wide range of fields and techniques. Notably three projects have been selected studying complex cellular pathways or transcriptional networks from a systems biology perspective (retinoic X receptors, RNA metabolism in yeast and AMP-activated protein kinase), two projects on the development of tools for model organisms (targeted gene integration in plants, transgenic mouse and rat models), and three more on the development of technologies for mass spectrometry, NMR and 3D electron microscopy. Other projects address the role of non-coding RNAs in bacterial pathogenicity, chemical genomics by targeting proteases, the quantification of genetic variation in human isolated populations for gene discovery, and pluripotency-associated genes to de-differentiate neural cells into pluripotent cells.

5 Coordination Actions (CA) are also proposed, focused in the coordination of research initiatives or resources in the following fields: systems biology approaches and cancer databases; NMR methods for structural biology, a network on yeast systems biology; the harmonisation of research programmes associated with population-based biobanks and cohort studies; and a sustainable European fungal genomic database on filamentous fungi important for biotechnology and human health.

Two out of the 4 Specific Support Actions (SSA) awarded will build synergies between national and international projects in the field of on human population genetics. In addition, the Forum for European Structural Proteomics will perform an assessment of the existing Structural Genomics and Structural Proteomics infrastructures and projects at national, EU and worldwide levels. And an international platform on the integration of genomics and biodiversity research will organise a workshop in a Latin American country involving European and Latin American experts.

Regrettably, no proposals were submitted for SSA or CA in the following areas: ‘preparing the ground for EU actions in the field of chemical genomics’, ‘a workshop on comparative genomics of primates’, ‘a workshop on future opportunities of RNA biology’ and ‘a European public-private partnership for the production of eukaryotic proteins for structural genomics and proteomics’.

The rigorous evaluation, considered by worldwide experts and observers in many ways superior to national evaluation practices, was carried out during the period from December 2004 to February 2005 with the help of 125 international high-level scientists (peer-review) from universities and research institutes, industries and privately funded research organisations. The average quality of the proposals was felt to be even higher than in previous calls. The Commission wants to acknowledge the top-quality work performed by the experts involved in the evaluation process, assisted by the scientific officers from the Fundamental Genomics unit. A call for experts to evaluate research proposals in future calls is open at http://cordis.europa.eu/experts/fp6_candidature.htm. Scientists from academia and industry are welcome to apply.

More detailed information about the projects selected will be given in future editions of EU Genomics News as soon as the different research consortia start their activities and the generation of results.

Fourth call for proposals opens

FP6’s fourth call for proposals on genomics research is open – deadline 9 November 2005.

More information

Europe at BIO 2005

Following its successful participation at last year’s US Biotechnology Industry Organization’s annual meeting, BIO 2004, Europe had a strong presence at BIO 2005, held in Philadelphia from 19 to 22 June. This year’s event set new records for attendance and international representation with 18730 participants, from 56 countries, making it the leading event in the world for the biotechnology sector.

Delegates from the European Commission’s DG Research, the European Patent Office and the European Medicines Agency were on hand in a joint EU pavilion to highlight Europe’s role in supporting research and innovation in the life sciences, and to promote Europe as a highly competitive knowledge-based economy with opportunities for research, partnering and business.

European experts were also available to advise anyone interested in doing life sciences research and business in Europe. During the conference, they took part in sessions on innovative approaches to improve drug research and development, the knowledge-based bio-economy, and a comparison of European and American patenting in biotechnology. On BIO’s International Day, 19 June, the EU showcased ‘Doing research in Europe’ and ‘Doing business in Europe’.

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New support for research-intensive SMEs

In the fourth call for proposals, a special effort is made to stimulate the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the area ‘Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health’ (thematic priority 1), by introducing Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREPs) dedicated to SMEs.

These ‘SME-STREPs’ are designed to encourage SME efforts towards research and innovation, and should focus on the reinforcement of their scientific and technological knowledge, as well as on the validation of innovative solutions. There is a specific call for SME-STREPs which will be supported by an indicative budget of €171 million. Research-in tensive SMEs are expected to play leading roles in the project, with the possible participation of universities, research centres, and industry. The first contracts related to the call are expected to come into force by the end of 2006.

Draft of the complete Work Programme 2005 for thematic priority 1

A special effort to support research-intensive SMEs in Health/Biotechnology sectors
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/lifescihealth/docs/sme_call_wp_extract.pdf

Atomic force microscopy key to a trillion-dollar drug discovery effort

A report published in February 2005 will come as music to the ears of those involved in a spin-off SME of the STREP Tips4Cells. The SME is dedicated to developing new technology related to the imaging technique atomic force microscopy (AFM) which works by scanning a fine ceramic or semiconductor tip over a surface, and provides pictures of atoms on or in that surface.

The report suggests that nanotechnology will soon become key to a trillion dollar drug discovery industry, as molecules of 100 nanometre diameter and smaller now hold the most interest for pharmaceutical companies. And it picks out AFM as a prominent nanotechnology since it allows researchers to visualise cell components reacting in biological processes and to see, for instance, how they respond to a certain chemical or compound.

Funding basic research in the life sciences

Read the conclusions of a high-level conference to explore opportunities for European synergies in funding basic research in the life sciences. This event took place on 13 December 2004 and was hosted by the Research DG of the European Commission

Signalling by numbers

The FP6-funded project QUASI (Quantifying Signal Transduction) organized an international workshop on Systems Biology, on the 10-12 th June in Göteborg, Sweden. The workshop entitled "Numbers to the models - generating the data for systems biology", gathered 150 international participants and a line-up of high profile speakers. Focus of the meeting was how quantitative data can be generated on processes in living cells and organisms. Such data are needed to promote computational modelling of pathways and cells in the systems biology era.