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COBRA C oordination o f B io/Chem-IT R esearch A ctivities http://www.cobra-project.eu. Concept. The capabilities of biological and chemical-based systems are being harnessed for the purposes of radically new forms of computation and nano- and micro scale production
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COBRA Coordination of Bio/Chem-IT Research Activities http://www.cobra-project.eu
Concept • The capabilities of biological and chemical-based systems are being harnessed for the purposes of radically new forms of computation and nano- and micro scale production • Natural systems are inherently self-organizing, self-repairing, resilient, distributed and adaptive • Importantly, they may also be interfaced with traditional, silicon-based substrates to offer the possibility of truly hybrid systems • Bio/chem IT encompasses emerging research areas such as systems- and synthetic biology, artificial cells, chemical information processing, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), nanotechnology and artificial intelligence
Opportunities • Bio/chem IT • Is one of the most vibrant and important emerging research domains in recent years • Is an enabling technology with wide ranging applications areas for current ICT and beyond • Has the long term potential for creating more life-like and intelligent computational, information processing and production processes, with impact on most sectors of our society • Engineered intelligent diagnostics and drug delivery systems, artificial tissues, nanotechnology for energy and environmental applications, adaptive bioelectronics and molecular synthesis
COBRA • COBRA will act as a unifying focus for bio/chem IT, across a range of different research topics • The long-term goal of the COBRA project is to place Europe at the cutting edge of international competitiveness in this increasingly significant area • By promoting research, development and take-up of bio/chem IT, COBRA will consolidate and catalyze a further development of Europe's existing research capabilities in the field
COBRA Goals • To formulate, develop and maintain a coherent European vision and strategy for bio/chem IT • To identify areas of critical importance in bio/chem IT, and to help focus research in these areas • To facilitate improvement in the quality, profile and applicability of European research in bio/chem IT • To provide a high-profile, high-quality framework for the discussion and resolution of current issues in bio/chem IT • To facilitate industrial involvement with bio/chem IT • To encourage and support the involvement of students and early-careerresearchers, and to promote high-quality teaching of topics in bio/chem IT
Achieving our Goals • Establish and maintain a living roadmap document • Provide support for innovative, high-quality meetings and exchanges • Establish high-quality channels of communication (dedicated website with collective intelligence, online networking, email lists and newsletter) • Establish and maintain a database of bio/chem IT expertise and skills • Encourage industrial engagement with bio/chem IT through targetted link-ups and invitations • Encourage the involvement of students with bio/chem IT, through the provision of curricula and materials
Structure • Brings together four existing projects: • BACTOCOM: Engineered bacterial populations • ECCell: Electronically programmable chemical cell • MATCH-IT: Programmable information chemistry • NEUNEU: Artificial wet neuronal networks • Linkage of bio-chemical, protocellular, cellular and cognitive computing with work on artificial chemical cells
Work Packages • Stakeholder Consultation • Harvesting and organizing group perspectives, using collective intelligence methods (alongside "traditional" methods) • Strategy and Vision • Development of draft roadmap • Community Building • Dissemination and Outreach • Management
Martyn Amos (coordinator), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK John McCaskill, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany Steen Rasmussen, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark Peter Dittrich, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany Irene Poli, Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia, ECLT, Italy
Specific Strengths • Scientific Roadmap • Dissemination and Outreach
Roadmap • Describes metrics and milestones towards success: • Scientific and technological milestones • Outreach/knowledge transfer • Funding • Standards/regulation • From this, we derive a set of broad and specific challenges and critical factors, highlight areas not covered by the document, and offer a set of recommendations for future action
Process • Two phases; audit and development • Audit • Creation of Online Expertise Database (OED) and collective intelligence web environment • Vision Discovery • Community Audit • Consultation Document
Process - Development Roadmap Design • Overall structure of the Roadmap document planned and agreed (for example, whether to structure as "technology push", "requirements pull", or a combination • Criteria for roadmap components established, as well as the criteria for "success" and "critical" • From this scheme, several working groups will be identified, and appropriate experts recruited. Roadmap Drafting • Each working group will be responsible for one or more nodes of the roadmap, as per standard roadmapping processes • Stakeholders will be engaged, and commitments gained (in terms of agreement to contribute) • Working groups then draft, in an iterative process, their section of the Roadmap (at most, two passes), whilst maintaining strong communication with other groups. A "final pass" collation phase will ensure internal consistency and overall quality. Vision Development Assessment and Delivery
Dissemination & Outreach • Project website • Construction of project website, including both external-facing and internal sections, and OED linkage. • Dissemination and Outreach strategy • Definition of strategy and procedures for dissemination of project outputs, external liaison protocols, document standards and formats, formation of Communications Group. • Edited collection • A published edited collection, comprised of chapters describing different research activities undertaken during the lifetime of the project. • External liaison • Management of Communications Group, to act as first point of contact with external agencies and individuals. Writing of press releases, appearances on broadcast media, and handling of media enquiries. • Project promotion • Creation of information and media packs. Active promotion of project, via participation in information and dissemination events, such as conferences or networking meetings, writing of articles for popular magazines/newspapers, contributions to online discussions and blogs.
COBRA Coordination of Bio/Chem-IT Research Activities http://www.cobra-project.eu info@cobra-project.eu