Announcements for Systems Biology in Germany
The first public announcement for the HepatoSys competence network of systems biology was from December 2001.
The federal department for education and research (BMBF) has established new advertisings in the area of interdisciplinary systems biological research in 2005. One of these initiatives was dedicated to projects which dealt already with the investigation of hepatocytes in the past. The experiences and results of the second announcement period make it possible for the scientists of the different disciplines to focus their future work on putting the processes from liver cells into computer modells. This requires to expand the previous interdisciplinary concepts and methods. Long-term goal is a virtual liver cell with which physiological processes can be understood in silico. The guidelines of the second announcement from the BMBF for HepatoSys of August 10th 2005 gives further information.
Single-celled micro organisms are ideal examination objects for systems biology because of their low complexity in comparison to multicellular organisms and her medical & economic relevance. A systems biological understanding opens up new application possibilities in biotechnology, medicine and ecology. Pathogenity-mechanisms are than more predictable, optimized bio productions can better save resources.
To make Germany competitively in this field in international comparison, the BMBF supports systems biology with the transnational announcement and research program SysMO, systems biology in micro organisms. SysMO is an European initiative which is carried by the countries Great Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Spain and Germany. The announcement of the main emphasis SysMo from the BMBF of August 10th, 2005 contains details.
2006 & 2007 the German Federal Government´s Programme "Biotechnology - using and shaping its opportunities" initiated the set up of science centres for Systems Biology. Of particular interest for the institutions is the education of students and senior staff. More information give the announcements 'FORSYS' and 'FORSYS-Partners' (only German).
Since October 2008 there are activities of Germany for European Systems Biology. The announcement ERASysBio+ within the program ERA-NET ERASysBio mainly fosters support actions for networking within the European scientific community and the education of students in the partner countries.
The PTJ Jülich also offers a fast overview of all currently possible application positions and necessary submission periods (Deadlines) in life science as a summary.