Systems Biology and Bioinformatics

The main objective of the SYSBIO Research Programme is to promote an integrative and holistic approach in research on biological processes at the systems level. Multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity are essential characteristics of the Programme, with bioinformatics envisioned to play a central integrating role in the projects. The programme aims to develop research and reaearch environments, national and international networking and researcher training.

Multidisciplinarity and integration are characteristic features of postgenomic research. Genes, gene products, their regulatory networks and interactions with environment must be analysed as components of higher order structures, metabolic pathways or entire cells and organisms. This type of an integrative and holistic approach has been termed systems biology. Research defined as systems biology is characteristically multidisciplinary and dependent on bioinformatics, the computer-assisted analysis of biological data. Close collaboration of biologists, biochemists, physiologists, chemists and physicists with computational biologists and mathematicians is needed for the characterisation and modelling of the complex interactions of genes, proteins and metabolic processes. Storage and use of human genetic information and manipulation of genomes may pose ethical questions and challenges, necessitating research on the ethical, social and cultural dimensions of bioinformatics and systems biology.

The Research Programme on Systems Biology and Bioinformatics has been planned jointly by the Academy of Finland and the National Technology Agency Tekes. The Board of the Academy of Finland has allocated EUR 9 million to the Programme. The volume of Tekes funding will be decided later.