1. FP7 Capacities Research Infrastructures (RI) in the field of Health Research Infrastructures (RI) in the field of Health Infrastructures NCPs: Radu TAMAIAN & Ruxandra POPESCU

2. Introduction: FP7 is the short name for the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. This is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and it will run from 2007 to 2013. The “Capacities” programme aims to optimise the use and development of research infrastructures (RI), while enhancing the innovative capacities of SMEs to benefit from research. The programme is designed to support regional research-driven clusters and at the same time unlock the research potential in the EU’s convergence and outermost regions. Support is to be provided for horizontal actions and measures underlining international cooperation. Finally, European society and science should be brought closer under the initiatives of the “Capacities” programme. The role of the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) is to support a coherent approach to policy-making on RI in Europe, and to act as an incubator for international negotiations about concrete initiatives. In particular, ESFRI is preparing a European Roadmap (ESFRI Roadmap) for new RI of pan-European interest. FP7 FP7 Capacities Capacities ESFRI ESFRI

3. Open Call 1 : FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2007-1 2  Call identifier: FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2007-1  Date of publication: 22 December 2006  Deadline 3 : 2 May 2007, at 17.00, Brussels local time  Indicative budget 3 : 164,4 millions € _______ http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm 1 http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CapacitiesDetailsCallPage&call_id=15 2 http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CapacitiesDetailsCallPage&call_id=15 3 Under the condition that the preliminary draft budget for 2007 is adopted without modifications by the budget authority

4. Open Call: FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2007-1 TOPICS: (in the field of Health)  1.2.Support to new research infrastructures 1.2.1 Design studies: Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1: Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields 1.2.2 Construction of new infrastructures (or major upgrades) – preparatory phase: Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x: Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

5. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields  Topic (1)  INFRA-2007-2.1.1: Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields: Funding Schemes: Collaborative projects or Coordination and support actions Budget: 29 millions €

6. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields  Funding Schemes: Collaborative projects Minimum conditions: At least three legal entities established in different EU Member States or Associated countries (the entities must be independent of each other) “Target audience”: Research institutes, Universities, Industry (including SMEs), (Possibly) Potential end-users Duration: 20-60 months Activities: Research, Demonstration, Management of the consortium, Other activities such as dissemination, training

7. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields  Funding Schemes: Coordination and support actions (1/2) Purpose: No funding of research, development or demonstration activities Coordination actions: Consistent set of activities focussing on coordination of research activities and policies Support actions: Normally focused on one specific activity and often one specific event Minimum conditions: Coordination actions for coordination of research activities: At least three legal entities established in different EU Member States or Associated countries (the entities must be independent of each other) Other Coordination and Support actions: At least one legal entity

8. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields  Funding Schemes: Coordination and support actions (2/2) “Target audience”: Research organisations; Universities; Industry (including SMEs); Research programme managers and owners (ERA- NET and Research Infrastructure actions) Duration: few months - 48 months Activities: Coordination actions: networking, coordination and dissemination activities Support actions: conferences, seminars, workshops, working groups, studies, fact finding, monitoring, strategy development, awards and competitions, working or expert groups, operational support and dissemination, information and communication activities, management of the consortium

9.  The aim – to support conceptual design studies for new research infrastructures, which are of a clear European dimension and interest.  Such studies should address all key questions which will help to assess the scientific and technical and financial feasibility of the proposed new facility.  Major upgrades of existing infrastructures may also be considered,.  All fields of science and technologies could be considered.  This activity would also foster the emergence of new organisational models designed to consolidate a sustainable approach to e-Infrastructures, in particular in the domain of grids and data repositories, facilitating new service provisioning schemes, more application neutral and open to all user communities and resource providers.  Projects identified as “emerging” by ESFRI 5 are also welcome.  Projects on the ESFRI Roadmap 5, eligible for support under activity 1.2.2 "Construction – preparatory phase", are not expected to apply for Design Studies _______ http://cordis.europa.eu/esfri/ 5 Information are not included in call’s documentation. All information regarding at ESFRI or ESFRI Roadmap are available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/esfri/ Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields

10. “EMERGING” PROJECTS  During the preparation of the ESFRI Roadmap the experts have received and identified “emerging” proposals that may constitute a base for future upgrades of the roadmap itself.  “Emerging” proposals/projects in the field of Heath: European Infrastructure for Systems Biology Advanced Light Microscopy for Europe European Infrastructure for Research in Biomedical Imaging (EIRBI) High security laboratories for emerging and zoonotic diseases and threats to public health Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields

11. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields European Infrastructure for Systems Biology  The focus of biomedical research needs to change from primarily a component-by-component analysis at the molecular level to an understanding of biology as the interaction of complex systems.  Such an approach is needed for a much more comprehensive understanding of complex diseases, for which the underlying genetic basis is related to the combined interactions of multiple genes.  This paradigm shift in biomedical research cannot be achieved by a few isolated research teams but requires the establishment of a European Centre for Systems Biology.

12. Advanced Light Microscopy for Europe  The goal of this initiative is to establish advanced light microscopy imaging centres in Europe to generate and apply novel advanced technology for non-invasive imaging of biomolecular function in living systems ranging from single cells to model animals.  With the explosion in the use of digital imaging techniques in basic research, the funding necessary to establish the required infrastructure and human expertise exceeds considerably both the financial and scientific capabilities of individual laboratories or even of institutions. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields

13. European Infrastructure for Research in Biomedical Imaging (EIRBI)  A number of in vitro techniques are now available to biologists for assessing, at the molecular level, the occurrence of abnormal gene expression that accompanies the development of a pathological state.  The field of biomedical imaging is challenged to translate these tremendous achievements into early diagnosis and efficient follow-up of therapeutic treatments as well as developing novel, imaging-guided, drug-delivery and minimally invasive treatments.  The establishment of EIRBI is essential to this challenge, and will further maintain the competitiveness of European industries and academic institutions in the field of imaging. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields

14. High security laboratories for emerging and zoonotic diseases and threats to public health  High security laboratories for emerging and zoonotic diseases and threats to public health.  Recent crises have shown that infectious diseases are far from being eradicated in humans as well as animals.  One of the key issues to address in order to protect human health is the boundary between human and animal pathogens.  The scientific challenges are enormous but the biotechnological revolution allows for important breakthroughs to be made.  Diagnosis, surveillance and research of such diseases and their agents require the establishment of a European network of high-security laboratories. Guide for Applicants for Topic (1) INFRA-2007-2.1.1 Design studies for research infrastructures in all S&T fields

15. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap  Topic (2)  INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x: Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap: Funding Scheme: Combination Collaborative projects & Coordination and support actions Budget: 63,4 4 millions € _______ 4 An amount from the 2008 budget is expected to be added to this call for which a new financing decision to cover the budget for that year will be requested at the appropriate time

16.  Funding Schemes: Combination Collaborative projects & Coordination and support actions (1/3) Purpose: The preparatory phase for the construction of new research infrastructures (or major upgrades of existing ones) aims at bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity required to implement the project. Only research infrastructures projects which are included in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap will be eligible for support. Minimum conditions: At least three legal entities established in different EU Member States or Associated countries (the entities must be independent of each other) Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

17.  Funding Schemes: Combination Collaborative projects & Coordination and support actions (2/3) “Target audience”: National/regional ministries/governments, research councils, funding agencies Research Infrastructure Operators, Research centres, Universities and Industry (including SMEs) may also be involved whenever appropriate. Duration: 12-48 months Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

18.  Funding Schemes: Combination Collaborative projects & Coordination and support actions (2/3) Activities: Coordination actions: Networking, coordination, general meetings and dissemination activities Support actions: legal, financial, governance and strategic work Research (RTD): Technical work Management of the consortium Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

19.  The purpose of this activity is to provide catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase leading to the construction of new research infrastructures or major upgrades of existing ones.  Only RI projects which are included in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap will be eligible for support at the first call.  The preparatory phase aims at bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity required to implement the project.  This preparatory phase may also include technical work.  Project consortia should involve all the stakeholders necessary to make the project move forward, to take decision and to make financial commitments before construction can start (e.g. national/regional ministries/governments, research councils, funding agencies).  Operators of research facilities,research centres, universities, and industry may also be involved whenever appropriate.  During this preparatory phase the EC may act as a “facilitator”, in particular with respect to the financial engineering needed for the construction phase.  This preparatory phase could include (non exhaustive list): Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

20.  Legal work, i.e. (1) for the construction and operation of the research infrastructure; and (2) the draft agreement, in the form of a "signature- ready" document for the actual construction.  Governance and logistical work, i.e. (1) plans, in terms of decision-making, management structure, advisory body, IPRs, access rules for researchers, etc.; (2) planning (timing,resources) of staff recruitment to operate the new facility; (3) organisation of the daily support for researchers, including informatics, etc.  Strategic work, i.e. (1) the plan to integrate harmoniously the new infrastructure in the European fabric of related facilities in accordance, whenever appropriate, with the Community objective of balanced territorial development; (2) to create or consolidate centres of excellence; (3) the identification of the best possible site to set up the new facility (-ies) and its next generations; (4) the planning of research services to be provided at international level. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

21.  Financial work, i.e. (1) the financial arrangements for the construction, operation and decommission of the facility, using notably the complementarities between national and Community instruments (such as the Structural Funds or the European Investment Bank); (2) studying new mechanisms, e.g. pre-commercial procurement processes, by which public authorities may develop new approaches for financing innovative solutions.  Technical work, i.e. (1) the draft engineering plans for the construction, as well as final prototypes for key enabling technologies and implementation plans for transfer of knowledge from existing prototypes to the new research infrastructure; (2) the technical work to ensure that the beneficiary scientific communities exploit the new facility from the start with the highest efficiency, including the introduction of new processes or software. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

22. ESFRI PROJECTS (in the field of Health)  Biological and Life sciences INFRA-2007-2.2.1.15: EATRIS (European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure for medecine) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.16: European Bio-Banking and Biomolecular Resources INFRA-2007-2.2.1.17: INFRAFRONTIER (Infrastructure for Phenomefrontier and Archivefrontier) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.18: Infrastructure for Clinical Trials and Biotherapy Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

23. INFRA-2007-2.2.1.15: EATRIS (European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure for medecine)www.eatris.eu The facility EATRIS will first establish a small number of research facilities distributed in Europe, with the task of translating basic discoveries into clinical practice. Each node of the network will include cutting-edge technologies for translational research and will cover one of the major disease fields: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, metabolic syndrome, brain disorders and infectious disorders. In later steps, additional dedicated centres are expected to join the EATRIS partnership. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

24. INFRA-2007-2.2.1.16: European Bio-Banking and Biomolecular Resourceswww.biobanks.eu The facility A pan-European and broadly accessible network of existing and de novo biobanks and biomolecular resources. The infrastructure will include samples from patients and healthy persons, molecular genomic resources and bioinformatics tools to optimally exploit this resource for global biomedical research. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

25. INFRA-2007-2.2.1.17: INFRAFRONTIER (Infrastructure for Phenomefrontier and Archivefrontier) www.eumorphia.org | www.emma.rm.cnr.it The facility Infrafrontier will organise two complementary and interlinked distributed infrastructures. “Phenomefrontier” will provide a European platform equipped with the latest technologies, in particular in vivo imaging and data management tools, for the phenotyping of medically relevant mouse models. “Archivefrontier” will provide a European resource for state-of-the-art archiving and dissemination of those mouse models and will consist in a major upgrade of the European Mouse Mutant Archive (EMMA). Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

26. INFRA-2007-2.2.1.18: Infrastructure for Clinical Trials and Biotherapywww.ecrin.org The facility This infrastructure will: interconnect existing national networks of clinical research centres and clinical trial units; upgrade or create new facilities for the evaluation of innovativebiotherapy agents; make available professional data centres allowing high quality data management across the European Union; establish connections with disease ‑ oriented patient associations and registries, and disease-oriented investigators networks in order to foster patients’ enrolment. Guide for Applicants for Topic (2) INFRA-2007-2.2.1.x Preparatory phase for research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap

27. Support information for FP7:http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-support_en.html NCPs’ page:http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ncp_en.html POPESCU, Ruxandra Infrastructures NCP Record Control Number: 19784 Update Date: 2006-12-05 National Authority for Scientific Research Transfer Technology & Innovation 21-25, Mendeleev Street 010362 Bucharest ROMANIA Tel: +40-21-3183070 Fax: +40-21-3183067 URL: http://www.mct.ro Email: rpopescu@mct.ro Programme acronym: FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES TAMAIAN, Radu Infrastructures NCP Record Control Number: 19783 Update Date: 2006-12-05 National R&D Institute ICSI, Rm. Valcea European Integration and International Co-operation 21-25, Mendeleev Street 010362 Bucharest ROMANIA Tel: +40-250-732744 Fax: +40 -250-732746 URL: http://www.icsi.ro Email: tradu@icsi.ro Programme acronym: FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES Get support!