What is BioSB?
BioSB is the national community for bioinformatics and systems biology research in the Netherlands. We connect researchers, PhD candidates, students, educators, and industry partners to accelerate impact and scientific innovation, enable collaboration, and provide postgraduate training.
Research on living systems at all scales -from molecules and cells, to patient populations and ecosystems- through the development and application of computational methods.
We cover computational methods and resources, including:
- artificial intelligence, machine learning, and statistics
- sequence and structure analysis algorithms
- modelling: digital twinning, simulations, mechanistic and mathematical modelling
- FAIR data resources, digital infrastructure, and technologies enabling Open Science
- computational workflows and (automated) computer-guided experimentation
We cover different data modalities, including:
- (multi-)omics data
- protein, RNA, DNA sequences, and biomolecular structures
- biological networks, integrated system data, time-series, and dynamic data
- spatial, single-cell, imaging, and multi-modal data
- observational, phenotypical, clinical cohort, and population data
We cover different (application) domains and sectors, including:
- biomedicine, clinical and health research
- fundamental and evolutionary biology
- food, agriculture, environment, plants, and sustainability
- biotechnology, cell and tissue engineering
BioSB is the national community for bioinformatics and systems biology research. Our key aims are to:
- facilitate the research community in exchanging research ideas, and highlighting upcoming research areas and technologies
- facilitate collaboration across industry, clinical research, and academia
- facilitate application, translation, and societal impact of research
- facilitate inspiring education courses and programmes covering essential topics in bioinformatics and systems biology
- provide career support and networking opportunities for all levels of bioinformaticians and systems biologists
- Annual organization of the BioSB conference
- BioSB postgraduate courses for researchers in academia and industry in the field of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Community support of early career researchers through YoungCB & ISCB-RSG
- Organization of strategic advice through the BioSB Faculty group
- Organization of BioSB Hot Topic meetings
- Industry engagement through BioSB Industry Platform
BioSB Community Board
- Ilja Arts, Maastricht University (Chair and general strategy)
- Patrick Kemmeren, Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht (Finances)
- Sanne Abeln, Universiteit van Utrecht (Research and Faculty)
- Jaap Heringa, VU Amsterdam (ELIXIR)
- Robert Smith, Wageningen University and Research (Education)
- Denise Slenter, Maastricht University (Young CB)
- Ali May, dsm-firmenich (Industry)
- Andrew Stubbs, Erasmus University (Conference)
- Anne Kupczok, Wageningen University and Research (Hot Topics)
- Magnus Palmblad (Infrastructure)
BioSB Education Committee:
- Perry Moerland, Amsterdam UMC (Chair)
- Robert Smith, Wageningen University and Research (Vice-Chair)
- Denise Slenter, Maastricht University
- Miaomiao Zhou, Avans Hogeschool Breda
- Olga Tsoy, VU Amsterdam
- Andrew Stubbs, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam
- Dragan Bosnacki, TU Eindhoven
- Bram Pronk, TU Delft
- Yiting Shen, Amsterdam UMC
BioSB Support
The BioSB research school is supported by Health-RI and the TDCC-LSH
- BioSB community manager: Petra Aarnoutse, Health-RI
BioSB Faculty group
The main role of the Faculty Group is to serve as a sounding board for the BioSB Community Board and Education committee. The Faculty Group may also be consulted regarding strategic issues at the national level, including scientific agenda setting, ambassadorship or specific lobbying activities. Read more about the BioSB Faculty group here. On this page, you will also find the requirements and the link to become a member of the faculty group.
Hottopics committee
- Anne Kupczok, Wageningen University and Research
- Zerrin Isik, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Nikolaos Strepis, Erasmus MC
- Daniel Tamarit, Utrecht University
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Ilja Arts
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Patrick Kemmeren
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Sanne Abeln
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Robert Smith
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Ali May
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Denise Slenter
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Andrew Stubbs
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Anne Kupczok
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Perry Moerland
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Magnus Palmblad
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BioSB contributes to Digital Life Sciences through its expertise in scientific method development and education in the field of bioinformatics and systems biology.
Please contact the community manager Petra Aarnoutse if you want to contribute to or collaborate with BioSB or if you need information on
- BioSB courses,
- the BioSB conference,
- the BioSB faculty group
- BioSB hotTopics
- Any other BioSB related subject
International collaborations
ISCB
NBIC/BioSB is an affiliated National Center of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB).
The ISCB Affiliates program is designed to forge links between ISCB and regional non-profit membership groups, centers, institututes and networks that involve researchers from various institutions and/or organizations within a definied geographic region involved in the advancement of bioinformatics.
In June 2009, ISCB has approved NBIC’s application in the category of Affiliated National Centers and Networks.
Organisation website: http://www.iscb.org/
GOBLET
Under the auspices of EMBnet, leaders of a number of International Societies, Networks and Organisations met to discuss world-wide bioinformatics training initiatives, in Uppsala, Sweden on 2 June 2012. The participants concluded that, as a natural evolution of the achievements of the Bioinformatics Training Network (BTN), a Global Organisation for Bioinformatics Learning, Education and Training (GOBLET) is needed to coordinate world-wide bioinformatics training activities: to share, not duplicate, effort; to share, not duplicate, cost; to work together in a mutually respectful way towards common solutions and a sustainable future.
Celia van Gelder, was one of the participants of this inaugural meeting. Ruben Kok, director of NBIC, signed the Memorandum of Understanding, to establish GOBLET.
Organisation website:http://www.mygoblet.org/
Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
Founded in 1998, the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics coordinates research and education in bioinformatics throughout Switzerland. In addition, SIB provides high quality bioinformatics services to the Swiss and international research community. Since 2008, NBIC and SIB have started regular visits and discussions on opportunities for collaboration on a variety of topics. One of the first agreements is to grant (PhD) students free access to each other’s PhD schools and training programmes.
In 2010 NBIC and SIB have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. See also news item: SIB and NBIC formalise collaboration.
Organisation website: www.isb-sib.ch
ELIXIR
ELIXIR is creating an infrastructure – a kind of highway system – that integrates research data from all corners of Europe and ensures a seamless service provision that it is easily accessible to all. In this way, open access to these rapidly expanding and critical datasets will facilitate discoveries that benefit humankind.
The BioSB research school is closely involved in the Dutch ELIXIR node.
Organisation website: http://www.elixir-europe.org/
Affiliated organisations
LOBIN
LOBIN Network – The Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS; in Dutch HBO: higher vocational training) that have a Bachelor of Applied Science programme in bioinformatics are organized in LOBIN (Hogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, Hogeschool Leiden). Several other UASs that have a substantial bioinformatics part in their life sciences or biomedical programmes are also involved in LOBIN activities.
LOBIN Activities – LOBIN activities include exchange of curriculum information, collaborative PR-efforts to increase interest in bioinformatics amongst students and organisation of teacher trainings – in 2008 on Workflow management and Grid, in 2011 about Next Generation Sequencing and in 2013 about HBO & Research.
Website: http://www.nbic.nl/education/bsc-programmes/bioinformatics-dutch-universities-of-applied-sciences/
Young Computational Biologists Netherlands
The Young Computational Biologists Netherlands is a student organisation of (PhD-) students and young researchers and professionals in bioinformatics, computational biology and systems biology in the Netherlands.
The organisation aims to initiate and stimulate scientific discussion as well as collaboration between young scientists by creating a scientific and social network for computational biologist. This is being achieved by organizing activities such as BioCafés, company visits and an annual PhD retreat.
The Young Computational Biologists Netherlands is the official Regional Student Group (RSG) Netherlands of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB). The organisation also collaborates closely with the Netherlands Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Research School (BioSB) and the ISCB Student Council.
Read more here and join us now!
The BioSB research school builds on the bioinformatics community developed by the (former) Netherlands Bioinformatics Centre (NBIC) and the systems biology community developed by the (former) Netherlands Consortium for Systems Biology (NCSB) / Netherlands Platform for Systems Biology, both technology centres funded by the Netherlands Genomics Initiative (NGI).
- Established in 2014
- First BioSB conference 2015
- First member’s assembly 2016
- International review 2017