ERA-SAGE partners found each other – research funding also to Finland
17.10.2008
The ERA-SAGE project (European Research Area on Societal Aspects of Genomics), focused on the ethical and societal aspects of genomics, has generated a new kind of funding cooperation. “We’re planning to launch a call early next year,” says Programme Manager Mika Tirronen from the Academy of Finland.
The original ERA-SAGE was launched in 2005 and completed at the end of 2007. The project involved eleven funding agencies from nine different countries. “ERA-SAGE was a laborious project from the very beginning. It was a challenging task indeed to define the theme, and besides, the coordinator and one partner withdrew from the project in summer 2007.”
However, most of the partners did not want to yield but carried on the project in summer 2007, this time on the basis of a new plan but without EU funding. “The project also applied for additional EU funding but without success.”
Even after this, Germany (Ministry of Education and Research), Austria (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture) and the Academy of Finland decided to continue cooperation. The decision was made in spring 2008.
Experience of research in bio- and neuroethics
“I firmly believe that the new call will attract high-level research teams also from Finland, even though Finnish research in the field is not on a very broad front.”
In terms of applied ethics, the new call also concerns research in bio- or neuroethics. “We already have experience of these fields, for example within the Life 2000 programme, which involved two bioethics projects. Presently, the Academy co-funds neuroethics research together with Canada and Germany.”
In the latter international project funding, Finnish researchers have researched, for instance, neuroscience measurement of the contents of the mind.
A comparative perspective needed
According to Tirronen, international researcher cooperation has much to contribute to a new type of post-genomics research. “First, it provides a comparative perspective. Besides, in-depth research also easily attracts expertise from another country, such one doesn’t have.”
A purely international call alone activates researchers to broaden their perspective. “This was clearly seen with the international project funding in neuroethics.”
After all, the previous ERA-SAGE project also left behind something good, states Tirronen. “Even though the project wasn’t able to initiate any calls, it was positive that the funding agencies got to know each other.”
Who owns the human genes?
Overall, same-type European research funding agencies should cooperate, even without EU funding. “In cases where ERA-NET partners have been very different, it’s been quite difficult to draft a joint research theme and to prepare a joint call. Here, I find funding cooperation between a few partners very sensible.”
Finnish genome research is currently advancing on a wide front. This is why research-related ethical, philosophical, legal and economic issues are very topical indeed – and this is precisely why also the Academy decided to participate in this new European cooperation.
“Substantial investments have been made in genome research. It’s interesting to think about how these monies have been channelled, what can be expected from research or how much profit genome businesses are making.”
All this information can be of decisive importance also in terms of the Academy’s calls and research programmes. Tirronen says that the same also concerns the whole bio business more widely.
Another challenging theme concerns the ethics of patenting inventions related to genome research, in other words, considerations such as “who owns the human genes”.
Text: Tiina Ruulio
More information:
ERA-NETs
www.erasage.org
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