SciLifeLab mobilizes expertise and technologies around seven research themes
To facilitate internationally competitive, cutting-edge collaborative research, SciLifeLab now announces its support for seven Research Community Programs – networks that will connect top researchers across Sweden with each other and with the SciLifeLab infrastructure.
In February 2018, SciLifeLab launched a national call for Research Community Programs (RCPs) and seven applications from different research areas were approved by the SciLifeLab Board on May 22, 2018. The RCPs will receive 1 MSEK/year over a three-year periodfor coordination, scientific interaction and community building around their respective topic. All RCPs will remain as open communities for including new qualified members and new technologies.
“I am delighted that we have now defined the first seven RCPs and key scientific areas across the SciLifeLab community ”, says Olli Kallioniemi, Director of SciLifeLab. “Our infrastructure will remain open and accessible to all scientists in all areas as before. However, these RCPs, and others to be nominated in future calls, represent a new way to connect the best scientists in the country with each other and with the SciLifeLab infrastructure.
Kristian Pietras, Professor at Lund University and a coordinating researcher of the RCP focusing on tumor microenvironments, believes that this effort will positively impact his area of research.
“I was very happy to learn that our application had been approved by SciLifeLab”, says Kristian Pietras. “My research field has a strong scientific presence in Sweden, but this is the first time we have joined forces and created this type of nationwide network. The RCP support will enable us to organize annual meetings, as well as opportunities for exchanging both knowledge and technologies. To have the SciLifeLab Eukaryotic Single Cell Genomics unit onboard also provides a great resource. ”
The following themes were included in this first round of RCPs:
Biology of Molecular Interactions
Coordinated from Stockholm University
The Human Developmental Cell Atlas
Coordinated from KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Development of Disease-relevant Models for Phenotypic Drug Discovery
Coordinated from Karolinska Institutet
Swedish Tumor Microenvironment Program
Coordinated from Lund University
The Human Protein Atlas
Coordinated from KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Genomic Medicine Sweden
Coordinated from Karolinska Institutet
Aquatic Microbiome Research Initiative
Coordinated from Uppsala University
To note, names of specific RCPs may change before they start in August 2018.
