Innovate UK and BBSRC have opened a call for Collaborative R&D and Feasibility studies into the topic of “Finding value in complex biological data – integrated ‘omics'”, and are to invest up to £2.5 million to stimulate innovative, integrated approaches to biological systems. The aim of this competition is to build a commercial ecosystem to exploit the commercial opportunities of ‘omics (e.g. genomics, proteomics etc.), systems biology and complex biological data streams. These could become key technologies for growth in the UK economy through enabling quicker  identification of promising products and services and de-risking development.

Funding has been allocated of up to £2 million to fund collaborative R&D projects.
It is expected that the total project costs to be between £250,000 and £400,000 and projects to last up to 2 years. A further £500,000 is available for smaller-scale feasibility study projects lasting 12 to 18 months with total project costs up to £150,000. Projects must be business-led.

The purpose of this competition is to develop enabling technologies, products and services that pioneer the commercial exploitation of complex biological data-streams and models. We are looking to fund projects developing one or more of the following:

• data analysis platforms tailored to ‘omics and complex biological data streams
• analytical or diagnostic tools that look at multiple parameters within a discrete
complex biological system
• predictive biological system models in silico
• evidence based models that demonstrate the impact on a biological system by introducing new candidate compounds or interventions
• data driven tools and services to speed development of bio-products

A competition briefing is being held on the 2nd June 2015 in London (or via Webinar). This will be followed by the expression of interest deadline on the 24th June 2015, later followed by the application deadline of the 1st July 2015.

To find out more – Click Here (PDF)
To register for the briefing in London – Click Here
To register for the briefing via Webinar – Click Here