EuroBioFund Launches Second Call for Expressions of Interest

This new Call marks an important step in a process which will result in the selection of six Expressions of Interest addressing future life sciences challenges for discussion with scientists and funding organisations at the second annual EuroBioForum, scheduled to take place on December 5-7 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.

By bringing together key stakeholders in life sciences, EuroBioForum will set the scene for the future financing and implementation of new research programmes via public and/or private partnerships.

EuroBioForum 2007 follows on the success of the first annual EuroBioForum which took place in Helsinki on 14-15 December 2006.

That event had attracted over 150 participants from twenty five European countries, including representatives from national and intergovernmental research-funding organisations, leading research scientists, policy makers and representatives from the European Commission, foundations, industry and patient organisations.

Wouter Spek, the director of EuroBioFund, commented that “By seeking ideas for future research programmes from the key stakeholders in the area of life sciences, EuroBioFund aims to further develop the European Research Area”.

EuroBioFund, which was launched in June 2006, is focused on public or public/private consortia from the research, finance, industry, government and consumer/patient sectors that are aiming to develop and implement strategic research agendas. The coordinating body has three key objectives.

The first of these is to provide a platform for funding organisations and life science researchers to foster joint research initiatives through networking and brokerage.

The second goal is to help organise research communities and facilitate “bottom-up” Europe-wide research programs, via the newly-formed EuroBioGenerator.

Finally, the EuroBioFund is charged with shaping “a new funding way in Europe by helping to develop joint investments and funding of life sciences research,” through the establishment of EuroBioAccess.

The ESF is an association of 75 member organisations devoted to scientific research in 30 European countries. Since its inception in 1974, it has coordinated a wide range of pan-European scientific initiatives.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 28 May 2007 17.00 CET. For further information see www.esf.org/eurobiofund/eoi or contact Dr. Wouter Spek at wspek@esf.org or Dr. Fiona Kernan at fkernan@esf.org.