Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Euro-BioImaging is an EU project aimed at creating a pan-European infrastructure for biological and biomedical imaging. It will consist of closely interlinked leading European imaging facilities that will offer an open access to a wide range of innovative imaging technologies to European researchers.
Euro-BioImaging is an EU project aimed at creating a pan-European infrastructure for biological and biomedical imaging. It will consist of closely interlinked leading European imaging facilities that will offer an open access to a wide range of innovative imaging technologies to European researchers. These technologies are used for example in research aimed at new diagnostics and cure of serious diseases. The Euro-BioImaging published 1st call for future Euro-BioImaging nodes in January 2013. In total, 71 imaging facilities from 19 countries submitted their Expression of Interest to become aEuro-BioImaging node. There were two applications submitted from the Czech Republic.
The first application for an “Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy Multi Modal Multi Sited Node” was submitted by the Institute of Molecular Genetics Academy of Sciences, Prague. The proposed node covers imaging technologies and expertise of the Institute of Molecular Genetics, the Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Vestec (BIOCEV), and the Institute of Physiology of the Academy of Sciences.The evaluation board highly assessed the imaging equipment base and uniqueness of several cutting edge technologies in the European landscape.
The second application for an “Advanced Light Microscopy and Medical Imaging Multi Modal Multi Sited Node” was submitted by the Masaryk University, Brno. The proposed node includes imaging facilities of the Masaryk University, the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), the Institute of Experimental Botany and the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Academy of Sciences. The evaluation panel highlighted quality of science of already operational units. The facilities together provide very good quality instrumentation.
The Prague – Brno axisalso creates a backbone of the future national imaging infrastructure. The national imaging infrastructure will provide an open access to theinnovative biological and biomedical imaging technologiesto all scientists in the Czech Republic. We will also promote scientific collaboration and train researchers in imaging techniques whose routine knowledge is a prerequisite for successful research in biology and medicine. By sharing the unique expensive imaging instruments we will assure more efficiency of public investments into research. Thus, the Czech bio-imaging infrastructure will join the leading imaging facilities in Europe.
The Euro-BioImaging consortium is now negotiating the legal and governance model of the infrastructure with the EU Member States. The Czech coordinator for Euro-BioImaging Pavel Hozak has discussed the necessary steps for joining the Euro-BioImaging construction phase and for establishing a national imaging infrastructure with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
Prof. Pavel Hozak, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
phone: +420 241 062 219, e-mail: pavel.hozak@img.cas.cz
Press release in pdf version.
For more information visit http://www.eurobioimaging.cz (in Czech)
or leave a message at coordinator@eurobioimaging.cz.