ERASYSBIO+ · The consolidation of systems biology research – stimulating the widespread adoption of systems approaches in biomedicine, biotechnology, and agri-food

Systems biology is still considered a young discipline in the field of life sciences. It integrates mathematics, chemistry, physics, informatics, engineering and other fields in biological research. The fragmentation of the discipline concerns all levels of the field: (i) It confronts researchers with a new combination of knowledge, methods, skills and expertise from different disciplines. (ii) It challenges funders overcome obstacles hindering cross organisational funding - across national boarders. (iii) It dares policymakers set goals outside the limits of preconceived structures. It is the interdisciplinary that makes collaboration imperative - on all levels. Therefore the ERASysBio+ partners firmly believe that systems biology offers the ideal vehicle to implement pan-European collaboration in order to overcome the still success limiting fragmentation within systems biology. The aim of this proposal is to implement a large transnational call enabling transnational, collaborative research projects in systems biology research. The funding organisations represented by this consortium are aiming to i.) jointly pave the way for systems biology research to interact outside the boundaries set by national regulations, ii.) widen the landscape beyond that of well established groups and contribute to integrating groups from regions where the systems approach and its funding are only just emerging. The ERA-NET-Plus instrument is the only instrument to effectively combine national and European funding efforts in a efforts in a joint funding measure achieve the abovementioned ambitious goals. .