CA15110 - Harmonising standardisation strategies to increase efficiency and competitiveness of European life-science research (CHARME)

An essential prerequisite of modern life-science R&D is a high quality of the research data. By enabling the reuse of research assets, research becomes considerably more efficient and economical. This can only be achieved reliably and efficiently if these are generated according to standards and Standard-Operating-Procedures (SOPs).

Thus, standards represent important drivers in the life-sciences and technology transfer because they guarantee that data become accessible, shareable and comparable along the value chain.

Several initiatives launched the development and implementation of standards. Unfortunately these efforts remain fragmented and largely disconnected. CHARME will merge the different approaches in the field with a particular reference to systems biology, and thus avoid too many different solutions being generated in parallel universes that in the worst case are neither compatible nor suitable for large-scale approaches.

CHARME will increase the awareness for the need of standards, enabling the reuse of research data and its interoperability within the scientific community. CHARME provide a common ground for researchers from academia, research institutes, SMEs and multinational organizations.

The fruitful interactions between these sectors will

• firstly combine and review existing community standards and standardization options including the development of a common understanding/definition of the needs,
• secondly push the implementation of minimal standards in biotechnology especially in systems biology, and
• thirdly provide and establish interdisciplinary training for Early Career Investigators with an emphasis on inclusiveness countries.

This will be achieved via workshops, short-term scientific missions, training schools and symposia, and deployment of standards optimising the transfer from basic research into innovation.