FESPForum for European Structural

Proteomics“A policy-oriented forum* for European structural genomics/proteomics to assess infrastructures and set a strategic research agenda”

Who is coordinating FESP?

•Lucia Banci - Italy•Wolfgang Baumeister - Germany

•Udo Heinemann - Germany•Gunter Schneider - Sweden (Eurosync)

•Joel Sussman* - Israel

http://www.ec-fesp.org

*Funded by the EC as a SSA (specific support action)

3D-EM

X-ray Crystallography

BIOXHIT

3D-EM

VIZIER 3D-REPERTOIRE

European Structural Genomics in FP5* & FP6

NMR

IP

NoE+ protein production

+ STREPs+ protein production

+ STREPs

CA, STREP

E-MEPTargeted

SG initiative

NMR-Life

FSG-V-RNA

NDDPUPMAN

IMPS

HT3DEM

Extend-NMR

SPINE*

2006

What do we need?

• A refined analysis of the resources available and the gaps identified

• A set of strategic objectives for Structural Genomics/Proteomics (SG/SP) in Europe

• The identification of opportunities

• The commitment of the main stakeholders

– Scientists: acadmic & biotech/pharma

– Funding agencies: European & national

– Politicians

Synchrotrons in Europe

Workshop "Future Needs for Research Infrastructures in Biomedical Sciences“, Brussels, 16-03-05

current

Xfuture

large

From the idea to the think-tank: The Forum for European Structural

Proteomics

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

• October 2003: SG workshop in Brussels

• June 2004: call for proposals

• July 2004: Eurosync meeting

• November 2004: FESP proposal (including Eurosync)

• December 2004: FESP presentation at the 1st EU projects meeting in Barcelona

• January-June 2005: First meetings, positive evaluation, project negotiations

• July 2005: Official start of the project

• 2006: FP7 preparation and launching

• June 2007: Official end of the project

FESP may help in…• Defining the field and the objectives: they provide the basis for the future research priorities.

• Assessing the needs for example by a detailed study on the availability and performance of the infrastructures and national resources.

• Identifying the bottlenecks and co-ordinating the efforts in addressing them in a joint effort.

• Building gateways between disciplines to train our first generation of “Structural Genomicists”.

• Giving visibility to the field by highlighting its achievements

OBJECTIVE: The definition of a long-term EU strategy for Structural Biology

Some specific objectives Assessment of Infrastructures in Europe:

synchrotrons (EUROSYNC), NMR facilities, EM, protein production, bioinfomatics…

Clustering/networking, establishing discussion fora and gateways between disciplines & projects; and industry (pharma/biotech).

To disseminate best practices and success stories related to the big collaborative projects, national and worldwide initiatives.

To debate and elaborate a proposal on the current/future policies needed for SG/SP in Europe (at national and European levels).

To get media and institutional visibility by highlighting the achievements and challenges of SG/SP in a position paper).

3D-EM

UPMANNDDP

GeneFun

We need to be able: ’to see

biomolecules & complexes dancing

in the cell’*

*Dino Moras (Montecatini, IT, 31-Aug-2005)

http://www.ec-fesp.org

FESP: Forum for European Structural Genomics

EuroSync: •European Synchrotron Radiation Users Group

• EuroSync: Steering Committee

(5 members)

• EuroSync Reference Group

(16 users, 4 synchrotron representatives)

Objectives of EuroSync

Assessment of synchrotrons from a users perspective

• Survey of available MX beam lines in Europe

• Present/future status of these beam lines

• Current and future beam time requirements for SG/SP in

particular and structural biology in general

• What type of beam lines and associated infrastructure will SG/SP

users require

• Is there a need for dedicated beam lines for SG/SP