European Life Science Research Infrastructures
What do LS RIs offer the life science community?
The 13 European Life Science Research Infrastructures (LS RIs) have the mission to support cutting-edge science by offering access to their resources and services to European scientists from academia and industry.
Resources and services can simply be consultation, access to experts, but also access to data and biological samples, use of data analysis tools, access to facilities (e.g. highly specialised microscopes) plus support from technicians and much more.
Some of these services are even free to use for institutions location in the RI's member states.
The Catalogue of Services, which has been developed within the CORBEL project, is the first tool to list the main services of all LS RIs at a glance and it aims to facilitate the utilisation of RI services by researchers from all over the world. The Catalogue of Services as displayed below aims to provide you a basic overview on existing services within distinct thematic fields.
You can either use the Catalogue of Services to identify a single RI to help you with your work or you can create a service pipeline, i.e. using several RIs simultaneously.
What’s your need?
Please select…
Samples
Data & Databases
Technologies & Facilities
- accreditated/certified facilities (ISO certified, GLP, GMP, GCP)
- adaptation / development of assays (compounds etc.)
- adaptation / development of assays (human/non-human samples)
- high-throughput screening
- imaging (biological)
- imaging (medical)
- isolation / cultivation / characterisation of microorganisms
- -omics technology platforms
- plant phenotyping technologies/facilities
- production of high quality protein samples
- structural biology technologies/software
Models & Tools
Expertise & Support
- biomarker validation
- biosecurity / biosafety (incl. regulatory) issues
- data management expertise
- development of project towards a medical application
- ethical / legal issues, informed consent
- innovation management support
- mouse model generation, phenotyping and cryopreservation
- multinational clinical trial (establishment / management / monitoring)
- outbreak / emergency response / epidemiology
- support to submit a project proposal
- systems biology expertise
- training courses
- The following RIs offer complementary services:
EMPHASIS
Contact person(s): Dr. Roland Pieruschka, Dr. Sven Fahrner
EMPHASIS is a pan-European, distributed plant phenotyping infrastructure. EMPHASIS will focus on developing and enabling access to plant phenotyping infrastructure and provision of services essential for the analysis of crop performance with respect to structure, function, quality and interaction with the environment. It will thus support the exploitation of crop genetic diversity required for the enhancement of plant productivity and progress in plant breeding.
Services provided
In cooperation with EPPN2020, EMPHASIS offers access to plant phenotyping infrastructures, which includes
- high-throughput facilities
- lean field facilities
- intensive field facilities
- assay development
- data management
Further services are currently under development and will be implemented in its operational phase.
Costs
The access provided currently via EPPN2020 is free of charge for selected user-groups, based on a simple application procedure and includes the logistical, technological and scientific support as well as specific training required to successfully complete the approved Transnational Access project.
For further information please contact us.
Access modes
European-wide access to plant phenotyping infrastructures is currently under development in our partner project EPPN2020 and is provided via its homepage.
Access will be accordingly provided by EMPHASIS once it reaches its operational phase.
Why work with us
EPPN2020 provides transnational access to plant phenotyping infrastructure as a basis for novel scientific approaches to quantitative plant assessment in high throughput. The installations represent a diverse set of facilities for plant phenotyping in Europe with focus on: i) non-invasive high-throughput phenotyping under controlled conditions, ii) destructive sampling aiming at assessing underlying traits helping to understand the genetic variability of different plant processes, iii) controlled field facilities allowing users to control rainfall and/or the concentration of air CO2 together with high-definition, non-invasive sensors. Transnational access will be available based on a simple and transparent access procedure.
Countries involved
Preparatory Phase of the project: BE, FR, IT, NL, UK, DE
Services contact
Contact person(s): Dr. Roland Pieruschka, Dr. Sven Fahrner
About
EMPHASIS is a pan-European distributed plant phenotyping infrastructure project. EMPHASIS will focus on developing and enabling access to plant phenotyping infrastructure and provision of services, essential for the analysis of crop performance with respect to structure, function, quality and interaction with the environment. It will thus support the exploitation of crop genetic diversity required for the enhancement of plant productivity and progress in plant breeding.
Plant derived products are at the centre of grand challenges posed by increasing requirements for food, feed and bio-based raw materials. Integrating approaches across all scales from molecular to field applications are necessary to develop sustainable plant production with higher yield and at the same time using limited resources. While significant progress has been made in molecular and genetic approaches in recent years, the quantitative analysis of plant performance has become the major bottleneck. The challenge is to address multi-scale phenotyping for analysing genotype performance under diverse environmental conditions and quantify the diversity of traits contributing to performance, i.e. plant architecture, major functions, yield components and quality. Improvement of plant performance under changing climates requires the use of different categories of infrastructure combined with a coordinated infrastructure for storing and analysing data, and platforms for plant/crop modelling associated with phenotyping platforms.
Thus, plant phenotyping focuses on development and implementation of non-invasive technology, which can be used beyond plant sciences in disciplines such as image analysis, remote sensing or automation engineering. Additionally, plant phenotyping produces a number of data relevant for basic understanding in life sciences and practical breeding.
ERINHA
Contact person(s): Diana Stepanyan-Yerdamian, Dylan Bonfils, contact(at)erinha.eu
ERINHA is a pan-European distributed life sciences research Infrastructure dedicated to the study of highly infectious emerging and re-emerging high-consequence pathogens (RG4 & unknown). It brings together leading European high containment and complementary research facilities and expertise required to perform cutting-edge research on highly infectious diseases. ERINHA provides access to its state of art BSL-4 laboratories and complementary capacities and expertise to perform excellence orientated in-vitro and in-vivo research projects, trainings and advise. A wide range of capabilities and functions from high basic research laboratory capacities to NHP modeling research are provided by ERINHA, as well as expertise of senior scientists and access to complementary functions (from BSL1 to BSL4, genomics, proteomics etc.).
ERINHA produces the ideal environment to facilitate coordination of research on high-consequence pathogens in Europe. The infrastructure will contribute to the enhancement of the European and global capacity, capability and emergency preparedness in the response to global outbreaks.
Since 2018, ERINHA has been granted landmark status by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI).
Services provided
The services offered by ERINHA include
- Access to state of art European high containment (BSL4 & BSL3) and complementary facilities to advance research on high-consequence pathogens. In-vivo testing with a variety of animal models (including small rodents, ferrets, and non-human primates). In-vitro experiments using highly pathogenic agents with both in-person and remote access possibilities.
- Project coordination and management of large scale research programmes on high consequence pathogens
- Training (General Biosecurity Training; Operations of a Biosafety Laboratory; Training for potential users)
- Advice and scientific expertise provider: RG4 pathogens research, containment facilities construction, biosafety/biosecurity issues, sample transport etc.
- Access to pathogens specimens
Costs
For access costs information contact ERINHA Central Coordinating Unit (CCU) at contact(at)erinha.eu
Access modes
ERINHA provides in-person and remote access to its services. Projects can be submitted by academic, public and industrial users. For more information contact ERINHA CCU at contact(at)erinha.eu
Why work with us
The 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak and cases in Europe demonstrated the worldwide vulnerability and need for common action putting together rare high containment capacities and expertise to be able to increase European and global preparedness for outbreaks of high consequence pathogens. ERINHA facilitates access to required infrastructure capacities thanks to its CCU and multiple high containment and complementary European resources. It is a unique coordinated infrastrucuture providing transnational access to its facilities, large scope of services and shorter delays in access.
Countries involved
Austria (Medical University of Graz), Belgium (KUL), France (Inserm), Hungary (Ministry of Human Capacities), Netherlands (ERASMUS MC), Portugal (INSA), Spain (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Sweden (FOHM)
Services contact
Contact person(s): Diana Stepanyan-Yerdamian, Dylan Bonfils, contact(at)erinha.eu
About
ERINHA is a pan-European distributed life sciences research Infrastructure dedicated to the study of highly infectious emerging and re-emerging high-consequence pathogens (RG4 & unknown). It brings together leading European high containment and complementary research facilities and expertise required to perform cutting-edge research on highly infectious diseases. ERINHA provides access to its state of art BSL-4 laboratories and complementary capacities and expertise to perform excellence orientated in-vitro and in-vivo research projects, trainings and advise. A wide range of capabilities and functions from high basic research laboratory capacities to NHP modeling research are provided by ERINHA, as well as expertise of senior scientists and access to complementary functions (from BSL1 to BSL4, genomics, proteomics etc.).
ERINHA produces the ideal environment to facilitate coordination of research on high-consequence pathogens in Europe. The infrastructure will contribute to the enhancement of the European and global capacity, capability and emergency preparedness in the response to global outbreaks.
Since 2018, ERINHA has been granted landmark status by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI).
MIRRI
Contact person(s): MIRRI Interim Secretariat
MIRRI is the pan-European research infrastructure for microbial resources [i.e. bacteria (including cyanobacteria), archaea, fungi, yeasts, plant viruses, bacteriophages and their isolated DNA]. In addition, the MIRRI repertoire also covers human, animal and plant cell cultures.
By provision of high quality microorganisms, associated data and the broad expertise of our partners, MIRRI aims to support research and development in the field of biotechnology.
Services provided
MIRRI services comprise
- access to microorganisms/cell lines deposited in public collections
- deposit of microorganisms/cell lines (public collection/patents)
- phenotypic/molecular characterisation of microorganisms
- identification/molecular typing of microorganisms
- isolation/cultivation/preservation of microorganisms
- microbial community analyses
- microbial phylogenetic studies
- screening/bioassays with microorganisms
- access to microbiological databases
- consultancy/contract research
- legal issues (e.g. Nagoya Protocol)
- biosafety/biosecurity
- training
Costs
Costs depend on the kind of service requested.
For further information please contact us.
Access modes
Access modes depend on the kind of service requested.
For further information please contact us.
Why work with us
MIRRI offers not only a broad spectrum of high quality microorganisms, but also a longlasting expertise in each field of microbiology. Aiming at harmonising the current microbial Biological Resource Centre (mBRC) landscape, MIRRI enables facilitated access to deposited microorganisms and is constantly improving the corresponding state-of-the-art service offers. Our experts ensure legal compliance of resources (Nagoya Protocol) and with the envisaged interoperability of existing and future databases researchers can exploit the full value of microorganisms.
Countries involved
under development
Services contact
Contact person(s): MIRRI Interim Secretariat
About
MIRRI-ERIC provides a unique access point to biological resources, related information, services and expertise of 35 microbial resource centres (mBRCs) located in 10 countries. This means that about 450.000 resources (such as bacteria -including cyanobacteria-, archaea, fungi, yeasts, plant viruses, bacteriophages and their isolated DNA as well as human, animal and plant cell cultures) can be readily provided to users from academia, health and agriculture authorities, and the bio-industry. Pathogenic material is provided to risk group 2, selected risk group 3 organisms are available from a few mBRCs. In addition MIRRI-ERIC offers unrivalled expertise in the integrated analysis of complex microbial interactions, ranging from the isolation of a specimen from the environment to the description of novel species, deciphering the genomic information and its path to gene expression. Targeted identification of genes of interest for biotechnological exploitation as well as analysis of ‘microbiomes’ make MIRRI-ERIC an interesting partner not only for academic researchers but also for industry and ‘personalized medicine’.
Currently MIRRI-ERIC is under development, but basic services are already available. Full operability as well as the virtual entry point to all services will be achieved once the legal status is established.
Please note: Most of the RIs are constantly developing their portfolio of services, so if you do not find the service/tool you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact the RI and ask for it!