NCCR Guide 2013 - Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF)

Frontiers in Genetics – Genes,
Chromosomes and Development
NCCR Genetics
• Genetics and Development,
Montreal, CA
• Gene Expression and Regulation
Program, Wistar Institute,
Philadelphia, US
• Health Science Center, University
of Utah, Salt Lake City, US
• Institut de Génétique Humaine,
Université de Montpellier, FR
• Institute for Molecular Biology,
Hannover Medical School, DE
• Institut Jacques Monod,
Université Paris Diderot, FR
• Institut National de la Santé
et de la Recherche Médicale,
Université de Lille, FR
• Instituto de Bioquimica
Vegetal y Fotointesis,
Universidad de Sevilla, ES
• Jussieu Paris I, FR
• Max Planck Institute for
Experimental Endocrinology,
Hannover, DE
• Max Planck Institute for Molecular
Biology, Munich, DE
• Mechanisms of cancer, FMI,
Basel, CH
• MRC University of Edinburgh,
Centre for Inflammation Research,
Scotland, GB
• Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle, Paris, FR
• Neuroscience Center, University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, US
• Oncosuisse, Berne, CH
• Quantitative Biology and
Bioinformatics Group, Technical
Research Centre of Finland,
Helsinki, FI
• School of Biological Sciences,
Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore, SG
• Section on Developmental
Neurobiology, National Institutes
of Health, Washington DC, US
• Stowers Institute for Medical
Research, Molecular Biology,
Kansas City, US
• Systems Neurobiology
Laboratories, Salk Institute for
Biological Studies, La Jolla, US
• Telethon Institute of Genetics
and Medicine, Naples, IT
• Unité d’Endocrinologie et
Métabolisme, Université
Catholique de Louvain,
Brussels, BE
• Université de Rennes, FR
• Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, US
Economy / Industry
• Affymetrix, Santa Clara, US
• Bioresearch & Partners,
Monthey, CH
• Bitplane, Zurich, CH
• Leica Microsystems,
Glattbrugg, CH
• L’Oreal, Paris, FR
• Novartis Institute for BioMedical
Research NIBR, CH
• Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, CH
Achievements of the previous years
Research
NCCR funding has not only
reinforced the scientific
productivity of many member
groups, allowing them
to stay at the forefront of
international competition
in their respective fields
of research, but has also
allowed the emergence
of younger group leaders.
Collaborative projects are
now delivering and a new
culture of networking has
been installed.
Education
Our doctoral school is up
and running. The organization
of an international
program, while promoting
a strong national participation,
was a challenge.
This school is unique in
Switzerland and its access
is extremely competitive.
The University of Geneva
launched a new master of
Science program in fall 2010
entitled ‚Genetics, development
and evolution‘. Eight
of the 14 researcher groups
participatingin the program
are members of the NCCR.
Technological platforms
NCCR funding has been an
essential catalyst to equip
the Lemanic region with
state-of-the-art technological
platforms, in particular
in genomics technologies,
which would otherwise
have been beyond our
means. These platforms are
very successful and heavily
used by customers from
the entire country, including
clinicians or scientists
working in research areas
unrelated to those pursued
by the NCCR itself.
Frontiers in Genetics, via
its direct link with the SVS
program (Life, Sciences
and Society), has also been
instrumental in launching
a common structure for
animal houses in the Lausanne-Geneva
area.
Infrastructural effects
The NCCR had a major impact
on the local scientific
priorities within the Faculties
of science and medicine
of the host institution, in
terms of budget, positions
and infrastructures. Genetics
has been declared as
one of the six general research
priorities by the rector
of Geneva University.
The Centre for Integrative
Genomics (CIG), launched
via the SVS program at the
University of Lausanne, is
fully running and the EPFL
is actively reinforcing basic
research in genetics.
Our NCCR is being integrated
within a new institute,
named iGE3 (Geneva
Institut of Genetics and
Genomics). The structure
of iGE3 includes most of
the scientists of the Faculty
of Medicine and the
Biology Section of the
host institution. Representatives
from the faculties
have been elected (3 NCCR
members out of 5) and the
first director will be Professor
Stylianos Antonarakis
(4- year rotating mandate).
iGE3 was inaugurated at
the end of 2011.
Visibility, public understanding
of science
Frontiers in Genetics has
continued to support numerous
scientific events
(local or national conferences
and public manifestations)
and has strengthened
its collaborations with
the local press. The NCCR’s
visibility is also ensured all
year around through its
leading activity of the forum
Questions à un biologiste
on the website of the Télévision
Suisse Romande.
Further information see
www.frontiers-in-genetics.org
14 | Guide 2013