ELIXIR

File:Biohackathon europe group photo.jpg organized by ELIXIR in Terrassa{{Cite web|title=BioHackathon Europe|url=https://biohackathon-europe.org/|access-date=2021-11-26|website=biohackathon-europe.org}}]]

ELIXIR's mission is to build a sustainable European infrastructure for biological information, supporting life science research and its translation to medicine and the environment, the bio-industries and society.{{cite journal |title=ELIXIR Scientific Programme 2019-2023 |journal=F1000Research |date=2 September 2019 |volume=8 |issue=1570 |pages=1570 |doi=10.7490/f1000research.1117352.1 |doi-access=free |author1=ELIXIR }}

The results from biological experiments produce vast amounts of results that are stored as data using computer software. European countries have invested heavily in research that produces, analyses and stores biological information.{{Cite web |url=http://www.elixir-europe.org/sites/elixir-europe.org/files/documents/businesscase_2011_high_res.pdf |title=ELIXIR Business Case |access-date=2013-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423024122/http://www.elixir-europe.org/sites/elixir-europe.org/files/documents/businesscase_2011_high_res.pdf |archive-date=2013-04-23 |url-status=dead}} However, the collection, storage, archiving and integration of these large amounts of data presents a problem that cannot be tackled by one country alone. ELIXIR represents the joining of independent bioscience facilities to create an integrated network that addresses the complex problem of biological data storage and management.

By providing a sustainable and distributed structure for handling data and data retrieval tools, ELIXIR hopes to secure Europe-wide investment in bioinformatics, providing the stability to conduct research in all areas of life science, both in academia and industry.

ELIXIR is an inter-governmental organisation which brings together existing bioinformatics resources. It is coordinated by the ELIXIR Hub, based alongside the European Molecular Biology Laboratory's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) on the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus in Hinxton, Cambridge.

The members of the ELIXIR consortium are European countries, represented by their governments and ministries; the scientific community in each member country develops their [http://www.elixir-europe.org/about/elixir-nodes national Node], which operates the services and resources that are part of ELIXIR. Each ELIXIR Node is itself a network of national life science organisations, coordinated by a lead institute.

European Molecular Biology Laboratory is an intergovernmental organisation so it is the only Node that is not associated with a country.

ELIXIR focuses efforts around five central areas of activity, referred to as [https://elixir-europe.org/platforms Platforms]. These cover Data, Tools, Compute, Interoperability and Training. Work in these areas is intended to improve access to open data resources and tools by improving connectivity, discoverability and access to computational power, as well as developing training for users and service providers to meet these aims.

ELIXIR supports users addressing the Grand Challenges in life science research across diverse domains. ELIXIR supports a [https://elixir-europe.org/communities range of self-selected Communities], which focus on high-level topics such as ‘Human Data’ and ‘Plant Sciences’ to more specific and focused disciplines such as ‘Metabolomics’ and ‘Intrinsically Disordered Proteins’, as well as a community dedicated to the ‘Galaxy’ resource. These communities are in place to develop bioinformatic and data standards, services and training that are required to facilitate that community to reach their scientific goals.

As of September 2023 the following countries and EMBL-EBI have signed the [https://www.elixir-europe.org/documents/elixir_consortium_agreement ELIXIR Consortium Agreement (ECA)] in order to become a member of ELIXIR: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Austria, Cyprus and Romania are Observer countries, working towards ratifying the ECA in the near future.

Countries that have signed the ECA are allocated representation on the [https://elixir-europe.org/about-us/governance/board ELIXIR Board].

The preparatory phase of ELIXIR was coordinated by Professor Dame Janet Thornton of EMBL-EBI.

The Founding Director of ELIXIR, Dr Niklas Blomberg, took up his position in the new ELIXIR Hub in Cambridge in May 2013.{{Cite web |date=2013-02-05 |title=ELIXIR appoints Founding Director |url=https://elixir-europe.org/news/elixir-appoints-founding-director |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=ELIXIR |language=en}} He left ELIXIR in December 2023 and Prof Tim Hubbard has been appointed the new Director as of March 2024.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-01 |title=Tim Hubbard to be new ELIXIR Director |url=https://elixir-europe.org/news/new_director |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=ELIXIR |language=en}}

By the end of 2012 ELIXIR completed its five-year preparatory phase funded by the EU's Seventh Framework Programme[http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/6250/The_European_Unions_Seventh_Framework_Programme_FP7_.aspx Economic and Social Research Council description of FP7]. {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901083546/http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/6250/The_European_Unions_Seventh_Framework_Programme_FP7_.aspx|date=2011-09-01}} as part of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) process.

In 2015 ELIXIR was awarded €19 Million HORIZON 2020 funding to run the EXCELERATE project, this was followed by the CONVERGE project in 2020.{{cite news |last1=ELIXIR |title=ELIXIR accelerates with major Horizon 2020 funding |url=https://elixir-europe.org/news/elixir-accelerates-major-horizon-2020-funding |access-date=30 September 2019 |publisher=ELIXIR |date=11 May 2015}}{{cite web |title=ELIXIR-EXCELERATE: Fast-track ELIXIR implementation and drive early user exploitation across the life-sciences. |url=https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/198519/factsheet/en |website=CORDIS |publisher=European Commission |access-date=30 September 2019}} Both projects enabled ELIXIR to coordinate and extend national and international data resources.{{cite news |last1=ELIXIR |title=Successful completion of ELIXIR-EXCELERATE marks new stage in ELIXIR's development |url=https://elixir-europe.org/news/end-elixir-excelerate |access-date=30 September 2019 |publisher=ELIXIR |date=2 September 2019}} ELIXIR has also set up collaborations to apply for other large scale funding for other EU projects, in which it is also involved in an organisational capacity, for example for the CORBEL, FAIRplus, EOSC-Life, B1MG, GDI and BY-COVID projects.

Each member state jointly contributes towards the funding of the ELIXIR Hub in proportion to their GDP. Some countries have allocated new funds to contribute towards their ELIXIR Node. The services and activities of the ELIXIR Nodes will continue to be funded by national agencies. Collectively, ELIXIR members will apply for additional external funding.

In 2024, ELIXIR commences its fourth [https://elixir-europe.org/sites/default/files/documents/elixir-scientific-programme-2024-28-brochure.pdf five-year scientific programme].{{Cite web |date=2023-12-04 |title=ELIXIR publishes 2024-28 Scientific Programme |url=https://elixir-europe.org/news/programme-2024-28 |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=ELIXIR |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/pdf/esfri-strategy_report_and_roadmap.pdf ESFRI Strategy Report on Research Infrastructures]
• [https://elixir-europe.org ELIXIR website]

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Category:Bioinformatics organizations

Category:European Union and science and technology

Category:Information technology organizations based in Europe

Category:South Cambridgeshire District

Category:Science and technology in Cambridgeshire

Category:Wellcome Trust