NPC Progress Meeting 2012 - Netherlands Proteomics Centre

13.5 M€ investment for large-scaleproteomics research facilityThe Proteins@Work project has received financing from the Ministry ofEducation, Culture and Science (OCW) to set up a large scale researchfacility. On March 2 State Secretary Halbe Zijlstra of OCW and Jos Engelen,chairman of NOW, presented the 13.5 M€ cheque. “The grant providesa clear perspective for the development and application of proteomicstechnologies in the Netherlands,” argues Albert Heck, scientific director ofthe Netherlands Proteomics Centre and coordinator of the project.Proteins@Work belongs to one of the five programmes thathave been awarded for NWO funding within the National RoadMap for Large-scale Research Facilities. In total almost 80M€ ismade available for the awarded projectsincluding: Mouse Clinic for Cancer andAgeing Research (18.6 M€); Ultra-HighField NMR Facility (18.5M€); SAFARI, anadvanced IR facility for space studies(18 M€); Proteins@Work, a large-scaleproteomics facility (13.5M€); High FieldMagnet Laboratory (11M€). The selectedprojects fit excellently within the Dutch‘topsectoren plan’ according to the StateSecretary: “The investments will boostour scientific research efforts and contributeto solving major challenges forAlbert Heck (l) receives the 13.5M€ cheque the future, such as health questions andfrom State Secretary Halbe Zijlstra. the search for new materials.”WorkhorsesThe project Proteins@Work, in which various Dutch researchinstitutes collaborate, is of great benefit to Dutch LifeSciences (see Scheme). The research programme will focus oncancer and other ageing diseases, developmental biology andplant biology. “The participating partners will make stateof-the-arttechnology, equipment and expertise available tobiological and biomedical researchers,” explains Albert Heck,initiator of Proteins@Work.Proteomics deals with large scale analysis of proteins and theirinteractions in relation to biological functions. Following technicaland scientific breakthroughs, proteomics is now becomingmore integrated with genetic information and clinical data.The Proteins@Work facility will be essential for making progressin life sciences and health research and will contribute to theinnovative climate in the Netherlands. “We cooperate with anyonewho wants to know how proteins work, for example, howproteins can cause diseases but also how these compounds stemcells can turn into healthy bodies,” says Heck. “Proteins arestill the essential working horses in the cell, and to understandthe life we must map out how proteins work together.”Firmly-rootedProteins@Work will elaborate on the NPC which has firmly beenrooted in the international proteomics research. The NPC has wonits spurs, according to the Committee Meijer that advised NWOabout the National Roadmap Strategy. Their explanatory memorandumreads: “The NPC is the 2nd most important proteomics facilityin Europe and highly regarded worldwide. The applicants areleaders in the field, and many of the proposed research questionswill benefit from their expertise and from the already ongoingproteomics research at the laboratories. In addition, because theproposed facility will be similar in concept and execution to manyother excellent proteomics facilities world-wide, the technicalrisk is well under control. Conversely, the social and commercialrelevance of research in proteomics is evident, ranging from thesearch for novel medicines to applications in the food industry.”Under the umbrella of the Netherlands Genomics Initiative(NGI) the NPC was initiated in 2003. Over the last decaderesearch groups from all over the country and in all branchesof the Life Sciences have become involved in proteomics-associatedresearch programmes within the framework of NPC.The result of this nationwide effort is that Dutch proteomicsresearch is ranked 5th in the world (2nd in Europe) based onscientific output.Future perspectiveSince current funding by the coordinated effort of NGI andNWO will end in 2013, the NPC is very much focused nowon continuation. “Therefore we are highly pleased with theawarded Proteins@Work project that will start in 2014 fora period of five years. It indisputably helps us to secure ourway into the future,” concludes Albert Heck. “The NPC maycontinue its key role in the increasingly challenges withinproteomics research.”More info: www.proteinsatwork.nl/The Large Scale Proteomics Research Facility is hosted by the UU Science facultyand supported by committed users from leading research institutes in the LifeSciences in the Netherlands. These partners all commit significant resources toa collective proteomics associated research programme that is estimated 50M€in the period 2014-2020. Proteins@Work will provide open, albeit competitive,high-quality access to research institutes (e.g. RIVM, TNO, PRI), universities,academic hospitals and industry, including SME’s. The core facility will also bepart of the European Union FP7 initiative PRIME-XS.| 35