About
BioSB is the national community in the field of bioinformatics and systems biology research. It has a strong background in integrative molecular research across all areas of the life sciences.
BioSB acts as a parent organization for YoungCB, the official Regional Student Group (RSG) of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB).
International review committee 2017:
“Overall, we consider BioSB to be a unique programme of national importance and relevance – indeed, ‘a National Treasure’, of which BioSB members should be proud.”
BioSB is committed to train the next generation of computational life scientists. Our challenging and inspiring education programme covers essential topics in bioinformatics and systems biology, taught by expert teams.
BioSB contributes to Digital Life Sciences through its expertise in scientific method development and education in the field of bioinformatics and systems biology.
You can join BioSB as a member. Members can propose and vote for BioSB board candidates and other matters presented at the BioSB members meetings. Members can join the scientific and education committee and thereby influence the direction of the conference and course program and actively contribute to the Dutch Bioinformatics and Systems Biology community.
You can join as a member by indicating this when you register for the BioSB conference.
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about our activities and courses.
Office
Health-RI/DTL supports the BioSB research school.
BioSB Board
- Jaap Heringa, VU Amsterdam (Chair)
- Patrick Kemmeren, Princess Máxima Center, Utrecht
- Sanne Abeln, VU Amsterdam
- Ilja Arts, Maastricht University
Members of the Education committee:
- Perry Moerland, Amsterdam UMC (Chair)
- Robert Smith, Wageningen University and Research
- Dick de Ridder, Wageningen University and Research
- Natal van Riel, TU Eindhoven
- Chris Evelo, Maastricht University
- Miaomiao Zhou, Avans Hogeschool Breda
- Evert Bosdriesz, VU Amsterdam
- Katharina Waury, VU Amsterdam
- Andrew Stubbs, Erasmus Rotterdam
- Celia van Gelder, Dutch Techcentre for Life Sciences/Health-RI
Hottopics committee
- Meike Wortel, UvA
- Nikolaos Strepis, Erasmus MC
- Evert Bosdriesz, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Li-Ting Chen, UMC Utrecht
![]() |
Petra Aarnoutse BioSB Community manager |
![]() |
Femke Francissen Event manager
|
![]() |
Jaap Heringa
|
![]() |
Perry Moerland
|
![]() |
Ilja Arts
|
![]() |
Patrick Kemmeren
|
![]() |
Dick de Ridder
|
![]() |
Natal van Riel
|
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
For the first time, 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 building of the Dutch ELIXIR node via the Dutch Techcentre for Life Sciences (DTL).
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!
BIUP
The BioInformatics Industrial User Platform (BIUP) is a group of Dutch companies that use bioinformatics expertise and tools in research and product development.
- BIUP members have a common interest in:
- informal discussions between industrial parties that use bioinformatics tools for research and product development
- an infrastructure for joined bioinformatics research (e.g. safe data repository)
- stimulating relevant bioinformatics research
- shaping the competences of the bioinformaticians of the future
The BIUP organises Industry meetings during the yearly BioSB conferences.
General documents
General members assemblee
Here you can find the minutes of the meetings of the General Member Assembly:
- Minutes meeting April 2016
- Minutes meeting April 2017
- Minutes meeting 30 November 2017
- Minutes meeting 15 May 2018
- Minutes meeting 2 April 2019
BioSB Review 2017
On April 3rd 2017 an international review committee was invited to review the BioSB research school activities. The documents concerning the review meeting will be shared with you below.
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