Euro-BioImaging Project Solicits New Members

Euro-BioImaging, the pan-European open-access research infrastructure for biological and medical imaging technologies, is now accepting new member applications from imaging facilities.

Recent developments in imaging technologies have enabled scientists to visualize and better understand the processes that govern life and diseases in cells and organisms. However, European life scientists have not had access to these technologies, which has slowed scientific discovery. Euro-BioImaging aims to fill this gap by creating a network of geographically distributed, interlinked imaging facilities. Each partner, or node, will provide open access to advanced imaging technology for all European life scientists.

“Access to cutting-edge imaging technologies is a growing challenge for European scientists even though they are ready to travel long distances to carry out experiments with the best technology,” said Jan Ellenberg, scientific coordinator of the project at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). “Euro-BioImaging will provide access to the latest equipment, at a reasonable cost and distance. This will be a unique advantage for the European life science community — it will foster many new discoveries in biology and medicine, and drive innovation of imaging technology.”

Proposals submitted will be reviewed by a board of independent international experts. Facilities that are accepted as members will be able to expand their capabilities to attract and serve transnational users with funding secured from agencies in the node’s host country, as well as from the facility and Euro-BioImaging.

Euro-BioImaging’s preparatory phase is funded by the European Union and coordinated by EMBL in Heidelberg. Since 2010, the 39 Euro-BioImaging partners from 15 different European countries have prepared the technological, legal and governmental framework to construct this new European research infrastructure. The project is now in the last year of the planning phase.

Applications are being accepted through April 30.

For more information, visit: www.embl.de