EU funding for Biotechnology research: International Cooperation

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EU funding for Biotechnology research
International Cooperation

• Stéphane Hogan
• Head of Biotechnology Unit
• Directorate for Health Research
• DG Research - European Commission

BioSpain 19th September 2006
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EU researchprogrammes managed by the European
Commission

• Framework Programme 6 (FP6)
• International co-operation in FP6
• Framework Programme 7 (FP7)
• Priorities for biotechnology in FP7
• Perspectives for International co-operation

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Role of the EC in research

• European Commission programmes bring down
  barriers
• between countries
• multinational consortia
• coordination of national funding programmes
• researchers from almost any country in the world
  can participate in EU research projects.
• between different types of organizations
  universities, research centres, SMEs, large
  companies, NGOs, etc.
• between disciplines increased focus on
  translational research
• and encourages mobility Marie Curie fellowships
  available for researchers and for host
  institutes, including ingoing outgoing grants.

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EU-funded research Framework Programme 6
(2003-2006)

• for research on Health 2.4 billion to support
  over 540 collaborative research projects
• for research on Food Quality Safety 800
  million to support some 170 collaborative
  research projects
• topics are set by the EC following consultation
• projects evaluated by independent experts (peer
  review)
• average success rate 1 in 4
• consortia receive EC funding for RD tasks
  (shared cost)and for project management

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International Participationin FP6 Health
Research
207 international participants from 42 countries
in 548 projects
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EDCTP

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International participationin FP6 agro-food
research projects
312 partners from 54 different non-EU countries
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Towards the Seventh Framework Programme(2007-201
3)
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FP7 main elements

• Annual budget to be increased gradually (75 by
  2013)
• Collaborative research (Cooperation)
• continuity in themes instruments, longer
  duration.
• funding levels (50) to be raised in specific
  cases (25)
• simplification of procedures
• European Research Council (Ideas)
• Joint Technology Initiatives

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FP7 2007-2013
Cooperation Collaborative research

• 9 Thematic Priorities
• Health
• Food, agriculture and biotechnology
• Information and communication technologies
• Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and
  new production technologies
• Energy
• Environment (including climate change)
• Transport (including aeronautics)
• Socio-economic sciences and the humanities
• Security and space
• Euratom Fusion energy research, nuclear
  fission and radiation protection

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Collaborative researchin Framework programme 7
for Health

• Main policy drivers
• Improving the health of European citizens
• Increasing the competitiveness of European
  health-related industries and businesses
• Addressing global health issues, including
  emerging epidemics

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Collaborative researchin Framework programme 7
Health

• Activities in 3 main areas
• Biotechnology, generic tools and technologies for
  human health
• Translating research for human health
• Optimising the delivery of healthcare

• Budget
• 6 billion over 7 years (2007-2013)

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Collaborative researchin Health

• 1 Biotechnology, generic tools and technologies
• High-throughput research (enhancing data
  generation, standardisation, acquisition
  analysis).
• Detection, diagnosis and monitoring (with
  emphasis on non-invasive or minimally invasive
  approaches).
• Innovative therapeutic approaches and
  interventions(with potential application in many
  diseases and disorders).
• Predicting suitability, safety and efficacy of
  therapies (biological markers, in vivo and in
  vitro methods and models, including simulation,
  pharmacogenomics, targeting approaches and
  alternatives to animal testing)

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Collaborative research in Health

• 2 Translating research for human health
• Integrating biological data and processes
  (large-scale data gathering, systems biology)
• Research on the brain and related diseases, human
  development and ageing
• Translational research in infectious diseases to
  confront major threats to public health
  (antimicrobial drug resistance, HIV/AIDS,
  malaria, TB, emerging epidemics)
• Translational research in other major diseases
  (cancer, cardiovascular disease,
  diabetes/obesity rare diseases and other
  chronic diseases)

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Collaborative research in Health

• 3 Optimising the delivery of health care
• Enhanced health promotion and disease prevention
  (providing evidence of best public health
  measures life styles, interventions, special
  focus on mental health, etc.)
• Translating clinical research into clinical
  practice (patient safety, better use of
  medicines, benchmarking, pharmacovigilance, etc.)
• Quality, solidarity and sustainability of health
  systems (organisational and financial aspects,
  health systems, etc.)

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Collaborative research in Health

• Two other issues will be addressed across
  activities
• Child health
• The health of the ageing population

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Collaborative researchin Framework programme 7
Food, Agriculture Biotechnology

• Activities in 3 main areas
• Sustainable production and management of
  biological resources from land, forest and
  aquatic environments
• Fork to farm food, health and well being
• Life sciences and biotechnology for sustainable
  non-food products and processes

• Budget
• 2 billion over 7 years (2007-2013)

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International Cooperationin FP7

• Strategic objectives
• Support European competitiveness through
  strategic partnerships with other countries in
  selected fields of science
• Address specific problems that other countries
  face or that have a global character, on the
  basis of mutual interest and mutual benefit
• Use ST cooperation to reinforce the EUs
  external relations and other relevant policies

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International Cooperationin FP7
Two different mechanisms

• 1. All collaborative research activities are open
  for International Cooperation
• International Cooperation Partner Countries may
  participate in all projects and receive EC
  funding, as in FP6
• Partners from industrialised countries may be
  funded only if seen as indispensable
• Minimum number of participants 3 from Europe

INCO target countries in FP6
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International Cooperationin FP7
Two different mechanisms

• 2. Specific International Cooperation Actions
• Address specific issues of common interest and
  mutual benefit.
• Minimum number of participants 2 2 (2 from
  EU 2 from International Cooperation Partner
  Countries)
• Non-EU researchers can participate in EU-funded
  research programmes to the mutual benefit of all.
• to do so, they need to network with European
  researchers

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EU member and associated states
European Union 25 Member States

• 9 non-EU countries contributing to and
  participating in the
• EU RTD programmes
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Iceland
• Israel
• Liechtenstein
• Norway
• Romania
• Switzerland
• Turkey

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More Information

• EC funded health research Framework Programme 6
• http//cordis.europa.eu/lifescihealth
• Towards Framework Programme 7
• http//cordis.europa.eu/fp7
• Innovative Medicines Initiative
• http//ec.europa.eu/research/fp6/index_en.cfm?p1_
  innomed

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Thank you