Bioinformatics on a national scale: an example from Switzerland

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Genomics
• Proteomics
• Systems Biology
• Personalized Health

Background:

• Switzerland has a long history of pioneering bioinformatics research since the early 1980s.
• The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) was founded in 1998 to consolidate national bioinformatics efforts.
• SIB celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2018, federating 65 research groups and 12 competence centers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To represent and advance bioinformatics nationally in Switzerland.
• To provide bioinformatics and biocuration expertise to life scientists.
• To address the revolution in medical data through personalized health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Federating diverse research and service groups across Switzerland.
• Establishing competence centers for bioinformatics and biocuration.
• Creating a Clinical Bioinformatics group to focus on personalized health.

Main Results:

• SIB currently federates 65 research and service groups covering a wide range of life science domains.
• 12 competence centers offer specialized bioinformatics expertise.
• SIB actively contributes to the Swiss Personalized Health Network, enhancing patient data accessibility for research.

Conclusions:

• SIB has become a central entity for bioinformatics in Switzerland, supporting diverse research areas.
• The institute's focus on clinical bioinformatics is driving personalized health advancements.
• SIB's unique governance model has influenced other European life science organizations like ELIXIR.