Euro-BioImaging contributes life science perspective to future European Research Infrastructure frameworks

Euro-BioImaging is contributing its experience as a distributed life science Research Infrastructure to European discussions on the future frameworks for Research Infrastructure access, funding and technology development. In September, Euro-BioImaging contributed to workshops of both COORDINA-INNOV and FUND-RI projects – two of three complementary Horizon Europe projects addressing these strategic areas alongside the Access2Access project, coordinated by Euro-BioImaging.

Bringing a distributed life science perspective to technology development

From 8–10 September, the first COORDINA-INNOV thematic workshop took place in Grenoble, France, focusing on a landscape analysis of the future European co-innovation ecosystem for Research Infrastructures. The project aims to develop more strategic approaches to joint technology development between Research Infrastructures, Technology Infrastructures, research and technology organisations, and industry.

Research Infrastructures are long-term investments in Europe’s scientific excellence and innovation capacity. FUND-RI gives us an important opportunity to look ahead and contribute evidence and practical experience to recommendations that can help shape a sustainable funding landscape for the European Research Infrastructures.”

— Ilari Pulli, Head of Operations, Euro-BioImaging ERIC

Euro-BioImaging was invited to contribute to the workshop as an external expert, bringing the perspective of a distributed life science Research Infrastructure to discussions that span different scientific domains and infrastructure models.

A particular focus of Euro-BioImaging’s contribution was its experience of working with technology providers and industry across the European imaging and microscopy landscape. Through its distributed network of Nodes and facilities, and strategic engagement with the Euro-BioImaging Industry Board, the Infrastructure has extensive experience at the interface between research infrastructures, technology development and industrial innovation. This was also strengthened by key Euro-BioImaging Industry Board partner Zeiss, represented at the workshop by Dr. Christian Jäger, sharing the perspective of a large technology developing company on questions of co-development and innovation.

This perspective is particularly relevant as COORDINA-INNOV maps the European RI technology landscape and explores future mechanisms for technology roadmapping, coordination, funding and structured RI–industry engagement. The project explicitly seeks to complement its foundations in large-scale physical sciences infrastructures with input from the life sciences and other ESFRI domains.

Exploring the future funding landscape

In parallel, Euro-BioImaging also participated as a project partner in a FUND-RI meeting held in Porto in  late August.

FUND-RI addresses another central component of long-term Research Infrastructure sustainability: funding and investment. The project is mapping funding streams across different stages of the RI lifecycle, examining funding and business models and developing recommendations to support future European approaches to RI funding and governance. Its work is intended to inform, among other areas, the next EU Framework Programme and future development of the European Research Infrastructure landscape.

Three complementary perspectives on future Research Infrastructure policy

COORDINA-INNOV and FUND-RI form part of a set of three complementary projects funded under the same Horizon Europe call to explore future frameworks for European Research Infrastructures. Together, they address three closely connected questions: how technologies required by Research Infrastructures can be developed strategically; how infrastructures can be funded sustainably; and how access to their capabilities can be organised effectively in the future.

The third project, Access2Access, is coordinated by Euro-BioImaging and focuses on the future of transnational access to Research Infrastructures. It brings together infrastructures and stakeholders from across scientific domains to develop evidence-based recommendations for sustainable and inclusive access models, taking into account the diversity of both distributed and single-site infrastructures.

Through its roles across all three initiatives – as coordinator of Access2Access, partner in FUND-RI and invited external expert to COORDINA-INNOV – Euro-BioImaging is contributing practical experience from the life sciences and from operating a distributed European infrastructure to discussions that will help inform the next generation of European Research Infrastructure policy.