2. Commitment of Freiburg University towards establishment of
Systems Biology and continuation beyond FORSYS
The University of Freiburg is one of the few classical universities in Germany with research and
training foci in Life Sciences as well as Informatics/Microsystems Technologies. In a strategic
decision of the Life Sciences Task Force of the University of Freiburg under the lead of Rector
Prof. W. Jäger, in 2001 Systems Biology was identified as one of the focus areas for future
development in Freiburg University. As a result of this decision, the University of Freiburg
entered the 2001 state-wide competition for new Life Sciences Centers with a concept for a
Systems Biology Research Center, the “Zentrum für BioSystemAnalyse ZBSA” (Coordinator: W.
Driever). The University of Freiburg succeeded in this competition and was awarded 21 Mio
Euro for construction of a new 3000 sqm research building to house the ZBSA. Construction of
the ZBSA Building has well advanced and will be completed in 2007.
2.1. The new systems biology center ZBSA
The ZBSA has been founded as an interdisciplinary center of the University of Freiburg in
November 2005. ZBSA center foundation has been unique in the history of Freiburg University
with respect to its broad support by essentially all Life Sciences and Technical Faculties. The
Faculties of Biology, Medicine, Mathematics & Physics, Forestry & Environmental Sciences,
Chemistry & Pharmacology, and Applied Sciences (Infomatics & Microsystems Technology).
The concept of the ZBSA consists of three major components (see Fig 1).
Figure 1: Organization of ZBSA:
(i) Bioinformatics and Modeling
research groups working closely
together in theoretical systems
biology; (ii) technology core
competence
laboratories
developing new data acquisition
paradigms and providing service
to systems biology projects; (iii)
scientific project areas working
toward
a
systems
level
understanding
of
regulatory
networks in cellular as well as
supracellular systems, as well as
metabolomics. Some
scientists
are directly appointed to the
ZBSA, and project contribution
come from all life sciences and
technical faculties
In Theoretical Systems Biology as well as in Laboratory projects, permanent Freiburg University
faculty members with their projects as well as junior research groups will be housed in the
ZBSA. Freiburg faculty members will not move their whole groups into the ZBSA, but may apply
for “hotel” style lab spaces specifically for Systems Biology projects. This will keep the ZBSA a
dynamic place for systems biology research. the ZBSA has been designed for optimal
interactions of experts in theoretical systems biology with data acquisition experts and project
scientists (Figure 2). While all institutions contributing to research at the ZBSA, including the
University Faculties, the University Hospital, as well as the Max-Planck-Institute for
Immunobiology are located on separate campuses, the unique proximity of all campuses makes
it possible to reach the ZBSA within 5-10 minutes from each site (Figure 3).
Figure 2: The concept of the new
ZBSA research building will bring life
scientists with “wet lab” projects in
direct contact with theoreticians
working in infomatics and systems
biology modeling: each floor has both
lab space (blue) and theoretical
sciences research areas (yellow),
linked
by
a
joined
large
communications area (red) on all four
floors.
Data
acquisition
core
competence laboratories (green) in
genomics/transcriptomics,
proteomics, metabolomics and life
imaging are directly accessible to all
scientists.
Figure 3: The location of the ZBSA is in short distance
to all Freiburg research sites. This enables all close
interactions with research groups at various sites.
Figure 4. The ZBSA is embedded in a
network of Freiburg research centers
for
bioinformatics,
modeling,
computational
neurosciences
and
applied projects.
The ZBSA is well integrated into a scientific network of centers in Freiburg (Figure 4). For more
than ten years, the “Freiburger Zentrum für Datenanalyse und Modellbildung” FDM has
established excellence in mathematical modeling and statistical analysis of projects in a broad
range of sciences. In 2005, the “Bernstein Center for Computational Neurosciences” BCCN
was founded, and it is expected that based on the similarities in approaches of computational
analysis, close scientific interactions will exist with the ZBSA. The “Zentrum für Bioinformatik”
ZfBI is planned to be founded as a joined center of the Faculties of Informatics and Biology, and
will be dedicated to research as well as training of biology and informatics students in
bioinformatics. The ZBSA itself is a not-for-profit entity by state and federal tax lows, and
dedicated to basic research. However, the “Zentrum für Angewandte Biowissenschaften”
(Center for applied biosciences ZAB) is dedicated to contract research with commercial entities,
enabling any prtner from industry to efficiently perform collaborative or contractual research
projects with the Freiburg systems biology research community.
2.2. Establishing Systems Biology: The Faculty
Since the start of the strategic initiative in systems biology at the University of Freiburg, the
Faculties as well as the University have dedicated resources into the ZBSA to establish a critical
size of the systems biology scientific community. The following appointments have been made
and positions have been created:
 Full Professorship in Bioinformatics and Molecular Genetics
(2004) Prof. Ralf
Baumeister (currently Director of the ZBSA)
 Full Professorship in Bioinformatics (2005) Prof. Rolf Backofen (adjoined member board
of directors, ZBSA)
 Associate Professorship in Systems Biology and Modeling (2005) Prof. Jens Timmer
(member board of directors, ZBSA)
 Associate Professorship in Bioinformatics (2004) Prof. Wolfgang Hess
 Senior Scientist and Group Leader Genomics (position advertised June 2006)
 Senior Scientist and Group Leader Proteomics (position advertised June 2006)
 Senior Scientist and Group Leader Life Imaging (position advertised June 2006)
 Senior Scientist and Group Leader Metabomics (position advertised June 2006)
Further, several appointments are planned in the next year to contribute next to research and
training in their home faculties also to systems biology. This includes for example an Associate
Professorship in Systems Theory in the fcaulty for applied sciences, to be appointed in 2007. In
addition, the foundation of the ZBSA was supported by 47 professors of Freiburg University and
the Max-Planck-Institute, all of which envision to contribute to the ZBSA over the next years.
Thus, Freiburg has made already a significant move towards the establishment of systems
biology. To further strengthen the initiative, three new tenure track junior group leader positions
are applied for in this grant.
2.3. Commitment for Continuation of Systems Biology beyond FORSYS / FRISBY
(Trägerschaft)
As outlined above, the University of Freiburg has already started a significant commitment
towards the establishment of systems biology in Freiburg. The University of Freiburg has made a
commitment to continue operation of the ZBSA as long as external scientific review of the ZBSA
certifies its scientific productivity. Further, the dedication of several professorships and Group
Leader positions (see 2.2) reveals the commitment of the University of Freiburg.
With regard to the three applied positions for junior group leaders in systems biology, the
faculties of Biology, Medicine, and Mathematics&Physics have each dedicated a professorship
such that the junior groups can be advertised as tenure track positions, and filled with the
successful FRISBY group leaders, or in case the FRISBY group leaders are not sufficiently
successful or want to take other career opportunities, these positions will be available in 2012 to
make new appointments in the field of systems biology. Specifically, the following positions have
been dedicated as tenure track positions:
 Associate/Full Professorship in the Faculty of Biology, which may develop a research
focus in systems biology of procaryotes / genetics
 Associate/Full Professorship in the Faculty of Mathematics&Physics, dedicated to
theoretical systems biology and modeling
 Associate/Full Professorship in the Faculty of Medicine on biomedically relevant topics in
systems biology
This commitment gives a clear long-term perspective to the establishment of systems biology as
initiated by FORSYS / FRISBY.
With regard to the Systems Biology Training Program (PhD, Masters, Bachelors), the University
of Freiburg plans top be the core of a Trinational Study Program in Systems Biology including
the SystemsX initiative at Basel as well as the University of Strassbourg. Potentially, other
universities in the upper Rhine valley may be integated into this program. The Trinational Study
Program in Systems Biology will be initiated with the funds provided by FORSYS / FRISBY, and
the University of Freiburg is dedicated to continue this study from its own funds as well as from
funds from the state of Baden-Württemberg.
In summary, the University of Freiburg provides an ideal environemnet for FORSYS / FRISBY,
and fully complies with the FORSYS goal of establishing long-term research and training in
systems biology in Freiburg.