New and Emerging Science and Technology

Specific Activities covering a Wider Field of Research New and Emerging Science and Technology

New and Emerging Science and Technology

NESTNEST

Carlos SARAIVA MARTINSEuropean Commission

RTD.B.1Anticipating Scientific and Technological Needs (NEST activity); Basic Research

Athens, November 22


• The last NEST Call for Proposals The last NEST Call for Proposals

• Pathfinder Topics 2005/2006Pathfinder Topics 2005/2006• Tackling Complexity in ScienceTackling Complexity in Science• Synthetic BiologySynthetic Biology• Measuring the Impossible Measuring the Impossible • Cultural DynamicsCultural Dynamics• What it means to be humanWhat it means to be human

Outline of presentation (1)


• Some info on the outcome of Call 2004/2005 Some info on the outcome of Call 2004/2005

• Practical information / Frequently Asked Practical information / Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestions

• Towards the 7th FWPTowards the 7th FWP

• Specific Programme “Ideas”Specific Programme “Ideas”

Outline of presentation (2)


NEST WP 2005-06

• NEST PATHFINDER Call: published on 27 October 2005, closing on 15 February 2006

• This is the last Call for NEST; no further call for NEST ADVENTURE, INSIGHT, or SUPPORT

• Call budget: €50M


PATHFINDER topicsIdentification/Selection

• Ideas must come “bottom-up” from the science base

• Open forum for ideas may be useful (ADVENTURE + INSIGHT proposals, NEST “ideas in-box”)

• A “Structured dialogue” with the research community is required to make choices:

– Search strategy within the science and technology “space”

– Interaction with the research community structured over time to move from global assessment to specific choices


PATHFINDER topics“Structured dialogue”

1. Definition of search strategy:– Areas of research where cross-disciplinary transfers of

technique are creating new opportunities– Outside the frame of thematic priorities

2. Identification of candidate areas, on basis of research literature, foresight and other strategic analysis, plus open invitations for ideas

3. Iterative process of testing and refining choices:– Targeted workshops with external experts to explore

candidate areas– Internal consultation with thematic priorities– High level consultation with EURAB, programme committee


PATHFINDER: Implementation

• Build and consolidate European capabilities in promising emerging (interdisciplinary) areas with high future potential for Europe in the long term.

• Provide “early stage funding”: as ideas mature they should be translated into more conventional funding modes

• Up to 10 Mio. EUR or more per topic (for several STREPS + one or more CAs)

• Annual calls for proposals; several topics per call


Main Workshops this year

• Initial “blue sky” topic analysis (8 March 2005)– How Things Evolve: Evolution Outside of Biology – Laboratory of the Future; Speeding up the Discovery Process – Transmission of Culture – New Techniques for Molecular Imaging – Time in Biological Processes and Systems

• More detailed “opportunity analysis” (3 May 2005)

– Transmission of Culture

• Work programme text preparation meeting (8 July 2005)

– Cultural Dynamic: from transmission: and change to innovation

• More details, summaries of meetings, list of participants, on NEST web site.


PATHFINDER: Topics 2005/2006

1. Tackling Complexity in Science2. Synthetic Biology3. Measuring the Impossible4. Cultural Dynamics (New topic)(New topic)

5. What it means to be human (only CAs and SSAs)


PATHFINDER initiative on:

Tackling complexityTackling complexityin sciencein science

Contact:Alejandro MARTIN HOBDEY2005

www.cordis.lu/nest


Background / motivation

• Complexity is a critical challenge towards progress in many areas of Science (e.g. biology, cognitive science)

• Increasing need to understand behaviour of ever more complicated man made systems (e.g. electrical grid) – Technological Systems

• Same is true of natural phenomena such as weather, geology, etc – Natural Systems

• Also true of understanding human networks (social, political, enterprise, etc) – Social Systems

• Common approach and techniques emerging to dealing with complex problems in science and technology


Objectives of initiative

• Bring together high level groups in Complex Systems Science and others in specific disciplines to tackle important problems where complexity is a key issue

• Extend and generalise techniques used in one area to other areas of science (“generalisability”)

• Help structure and co-ordinate the complexity field in Europe


Emphasis and approach

• Use of tools and techniques of complex systems science such as: – Representing complex systems as networks, and networks

of networks, etc– “Emergence”: key characteristic of complex systems– Predictability and extreme events

• Transfer or extension of successful techniques from one area of science to another

• Projects should take a practical problem solving approach, grounded in (experimental, real) data


Some possible topics

• Biology, Health, MedicineBio-complexity, Cellular signalling and regulation processes,

animal biology (BIOPHOT, STARFLAG, EMBIO, BRACCIA, etc)

• Social Sciences– Emergence and robustness of social institutions, financial

markets, etc (COMPLEXMARKETS, COL-PLEXITY, CAVES

• Environmental Sciences– Predictability and distribution of extreme events in natures,

such as earthquakes, floods, weather, ecology (E2C2)

• Particularly interested in projects that help bridge gap between physical sciences, and social and other natural sciences


Possible Co-ordination Actions

• Already have a “General Coordination Action” linking together the already funded PATHFINDER projects in the initiative: “GIACS”

• Expect that new funded projects will have some link to GIACS in some formal or informal way

• Expect newly proposed CAs to focus on particular scientific areas or approaches to complexity


Possible Support Actions

• Focussed Actions of more limited scope• One to two years of duration• Budget range: up to 250.00 €• Sort of activities envisaged: science mapping,

foresight, conference or large workshop, etc• It would make sense if there were a link

between the SSA and the already supported activities in the NEXT- Complexity initiative


Examples of topics not included

• Research of a purely theoretical nature

• ICT – IT related research (FET initiative)

• Purely industrial or engineering nature

• Financial research not related to social sciences (eg. Stock market analysis)

• Research of limited interdisciplinary nature

• Proposals whose primary focus lies in one of the other Pathfinder Initiatives

• Research in Thematic Priorities


PATHFINDER initiative on

Synthetic BiologySynthetic Biology

Contact:

Christian KRASSNIG

2005

www.cordis.lu/nest


It is the engineering of Biology:

the synthesis of complex, biologically based (or inspired) systems which display functions that do not exist in nature.

This engineering perspective may be applied at all levels of the hierarchy of biological structures – from individual molecules to whole cells, tissues and organisms.

In essence, synthetic biology will enable the design of ‘biological systems’ in a rational and systematic way.

Definition?


• To understand how cells work you need more than a « list » of parts

• Systems biology provides knowledge how parts of the cell operate together

• New tools available such as computer models and bio-informatics, rapid synthesis, better experimental techniques to explore gene interactions

Why is this topic emerging?


• It will drive industry, research, employment, education in a way that might rival the computer industry’s development during the 1970s to the 1990s

• Progress will be made much faster and in a much more organized way

• It will enable developments of complex systems not achievable by evolutionary and screening procedures

• If the « engineering of biology » becomes available it will be used for more and more day-to-day applications

Main vision – Biotechnology that works


• Major change through Synthetic Biology will be achieved by integration of existing disciplines.

–Biology and engineering, computer modeling, information technology, control theory, chemistry and nanotechnology

• Synthetic Biology is primarily not concerned with investigating how nature works, but is ultimately about a new way of making things.

Main directions


Objective/s

• The DESIGN and ENGINEERING of biologically based (or inspired) PARTS or SYSTEMS with:

– New standardised functionalities NOT present in NATURE

– High level of internal complexity

– Logical or complex dynamical behaviour


• Demonstration of mastering control over key biological processes.

• Development and application of robust modules amenable to standardisation.

• Combination of rigorous engineering methods and high-quality science, involving adequate expertise in core engineering disciplines.

Specific Target Research Projects (STREPs) (1)


Specific Target Research Projects (STREPs) (2)

• Demonstration of real capacity to drive new discoveries and theories

and/or

• Proof of concrete applicability to model areas.


• Co-ordination of existing and future research projects. • Networking of European activities in relevant fields• Intellectual and material infrastructure requirements of

synthetic biology• Perspectives and strategies for innovation and industrial

translation, including intellectual property • Societal acceptance, including ethical, safety and

regulatory aspects

Co-ordination Action (CA)


• Tackling practical questions related to the field.

• To assist in the mapping and development of the definition of the field in question.

• Assessing future development prospects and trends in the field.

Specific Support Actions (SSAs)


What research will NOT be pursued ?

• Research whose main focus is computational, combinatorial or biomimetic chemistry.

• Research on functional genomics and proteomics.

• Single-component genetic engineering and classical biotechnology, including classical metabolic engineering.

• Research on structural biology and systems biology mainly aimed at the generation of basic knowledge.



• Protein engineering or chemistry in its classical sense.

• Research on tissue engineering.

• Research on artificial organs and bionics implants, and other research on classical biomedical engineering.

• Research related to Artificial Life (as the term is used by the ICT community e.g. life-like machines or computers).


Background/results (1st and 2nd Call)

– 1st Call 2003, 2nd Call 2004– 30 proposals received (7 STREPs, 1SSA

funded)– Refinement of reference document for 3rd

Call– Expert Group delivered report (to develop a

broader strategy for the area)


• Limited number of STREP proposals• A lot of proposals not regarded as within the

scope of the Call• Lack of ambition in terms of the

« technology vision »• No particular interest in safety issues linked to

the topic• No Coordination Action (s)

Background/results (1st and 2nd Call)



MeasuringMeasuring the Impossible the Impossible

Contact:

Carlos SARAIVA MARTINS

2005


Objectives

Interdisciplinary research

Novel investigative methods

Significant advance in the scientific basis for rigorous measurements of phenomena

Intrinsically multidisciplinary and mediated by

human interpretation and/or perception


PATHFINDER: Mandate

“support research on specific topics that are identified during the course of implementation of FP6 on the basis of their urgency and potential for future societal, industrial or economic relevance.”


Why this initiative ?

…becomes a general concern for science, business and public authorities …

Science - strong cross-over between physical, biological and social sciences

Business - products and services appeal to consumers according to parameters of quality, beauty, comfort which are mediated by human perception

Public authorities - provide citizens with support and services whose performance is measured according to parameters of life quality, security or well being


Measuring the impossible

“Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what isn’t”

Descartes (1596-1650)



“ If you can not measure it and/or what it means” then

=> how can you improve it ? ”



• It is simply impossible to find out what a test measures, without knowing how it works

• Tables of correlations are unable to fill this gap, because what is lacking is not data, but theory

• A radical shift in orientation is needed in our thinking about measurements and validity



Food industry – chemical and physical analysis combined with empirical psychometric studies

moved to

…a more systemic understanding of the ways in which the physical world is mediated via the

senses and the internal processing of signs in the human brain



•But, is it possible to measure the role of memory in the appreciation of food?• ….Or the food-addictive behaviour?

Predicting food selection

How to make “healthy choice the easy choice” ?


• Fundamental scientific advances supported by interdisciplinary research and novel investigative methods for the measurement of intrinsically multidimensional phenomena, and which are mediated by human interpretation and/or perception.

Specific Target Research Projects (STREPs)


• Focus on measurement

• Multidimensional phenomena

• Mediated by human interpretation and/or perception

• Interdisciplinary research

• Novel investigative methods

• Concrete and tangible objectives

• Well posed problems and measurement challenges

• Long-term impact in terms of advancing science

STREP Characteristics



• to act as a forum for the development and exchange of ideas of active players

• to promote a wider understanding of the implications of research across the various relevant disciplines, as regards measurement

• to bring together experts in metrology, material scientists, biologists, psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, sociologists, ergonomic experts to take up work in this “field”

• to provide a degree of coordination and interaction between the research projects ultimately selected in this initiative

Co-ordination Action



• to assist in the mapping and development of the definition of the field in question, assessing future development prospects and trends in the field.

• to discuss the contextual aspects of the measurement (social, institutional, economic, political, etc)

• to re-think assumptions about measuring systems and how uncertainties are treated.

Specific Support Actions (s)



30 proposals

It corresponds to 50% of PATHFINDER submissions

1st Call

2 CA

4 SSA

24 STREP

(20% success rate / ~ 11M€ )

Results:

0

0

6


Recommended PROJECTS

BioEmergences – towards the measurement of the individual susceptibility to diseases or responses to treatments

BrainTuning – to resolve the neural determinants of music emotions. What are the biological determinants of music appreciation?

Closed – Objective measurement of functional-aesthetic sound qualities of artefacts

Fuga - Measuring the human experience of media enjoyment – the fun of gaming

MONAT – Measurement of Naturalness

SysPAQ – Measurement of perceived air quality

1st Call



Ethical Issues:

Use of animals and GMOs (replacement, reduction, refinement) / research with children and infants

Informed consent procedures

Personal data protection and anonymisation

Long term storage of sensitive data

Social implications of research


Scientific areas involved (1)

e.g.

BioEmergences (6 academic + 1 industrial partner) biology, toxicology, computational vision, applied mathematics, cognitive science, computer science, optics/physics)

BrainTuning (6 academic partners) cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, music acoustics, neuroimaging, psychology, music perception)

CLOSED (3 academic + 1 industrial partners) – acoustics, computer science, signal processing, neurosciences,


Scientific areas involved (2)

e.g.

FUGA (6 academic partners) applied psychology, computer science, human-computer interaction, communication, psychotherapy, experimental psychobiology, media technology

MONAT (6 academic + 1 industrial partners) cognitive neurosciences, psychology, metrology, mathematical modelling, sensor technology, neuroimaging

SysPAQ (7 academic + 3 industrial partners) aerodynamics, civil engineering, sensory perception, psychology, materials, analytical chemistry, instrumentation, indoor climate technology


Feedback for first call

• Successful call with many interesting projects integrating different fields of science

• Projects of very high quality with the participation of highly renown institutions and scientists

• A topic as complex as “Measuring the Impossible“ needs time to develop

• Some problems with the scope and the instruments

( + )

( - )


Feedback for first call

CA - (2) - complexity; cluster of 3 STREPs

SSA - (4) - research with one or two partners

STREP – (18)

(NO Relevance + YES excellence) - 2

(~ Relevance + ~ excellence) - 5

(OK Relev + ~ excellence - 4

(NO Relev + NO excellence - 7


Second call

• Focussed on perception/interpretation

• Problems => last call => resubmissions

tailoring



Cultural DynamicsCultural Dynamicsfrom transmission and change to

innovation

Contact:

Shamila NAIR-BEDOUELLE

2005

www.cordis.lu/nest


Why this initiative ?

• Culture impacts all sectors of human life (poverty, global change, education etc)

• Interactions between culture and technology : global communication networks, media

• Objective is to develop better scientific tools and methods to understand culture transmission, change and innovation.


What research will be pursued ?

• Research including the cognitive correlates of cultural phenomena: culture control vs. resistance; effects of cultural variables on behaviour ;

• Interactions between cultural markets: public policies, trade integration, culture and power

• Interactions between culture and technology; Cultural changes brought about by modern technologies (influence and resistance to these)

• Research on new predictive models linking and understanding diverse phenomena: health epidemics, consumer behaviour, economic markets, social networks

•



• Pure empirical research

• Single component data collections e.g. social behaviour

• Classical research on cognitive systems in general

• Research which could be carried out under the TPs

• Research which is mono-disciplinary


• The research supported by this initiative through Specific Targeted Research Projects will be aimed at bringing together from different fields of science, technology, the social sciences and humanities, concepts, data and analytical methods, to promote a better understanding and predictive capacity relating to transmission, change and innovation in human culture.

Specific Target Research Projects (STREPs)


• Proposals for Co-ordination Actions are strongly encouraged. They should focus on cross-disciplinary networking, in relation to particular areas of cultural dynamics, or particular research methods or analytical approaches.

• Networking of European activities in relevant fields

Co-ordination Action


• To assist in the mapping and development of the definition of the field in question, assessing future development prospects and trends in the field.

Specific Support Actions



““What it meansWhat it means to be human” to be human”

Contact:

Shamila NAIR-BEDOUELLE

2005

www.cordis.lu/nest


Overall objectives

• This initiative aims to investigate why humans are different:

– What features make our cognitive abilities unique?

– What are the origins of these features?

• Why this question?:

– Today, a more integrated understanding of the human mind/brain and its specific features should open up new scientific opportunities

– It provides a way to bring together cognitive sciences and related disciplinary areas that can all contribute to explore the opportunities at the interface


Scientific objectives• Projects may have different individual objectives.

However, they must address “what features make human cognitive abilities unique, and what are the origins of these features?”

• focus on higher cognitive faculties, (thinking, reasoning, using language) and individual cognitive development (in the context of social and cultural factors)

• take a comparative and evolutionary perspective

• be highly interdisciplinary

• In all cases however, the research must address the key question: why are humans different?


Results

24 submissions

21 STREPs / 8 funded

~13.5 Mio. €

2 CAs

1 SSA

SSA : ineligible

2 CA‘s: not retained for funding

STREPS Scientific projects:

•9 Cognitive science

•7 Neuroscience

•3 Anthropology

•2 Linguistics


Examples of projects and scientific areas

involvedABSTRACT:The formation and use of abstract concepts by humans. Research will focus on how abstract concepts in different languages and cultures are represented in the mind/brain and how they are learnt during childhood.

ChLaSc:What makes us smart? Focussing on structural complexity in language acquisition and other cognitive systems e.g.natural numbers.

Paul Broca II:Neural and genetic features that distinguish Homo sapiens; human brain asymmetry : link to language and genes


Conclusions

•Successful second call, transdisciplinary integrative projects

•Already have a critical mass of projects from the previous 2 calls

•Therefore : Would like to have a CA or CAs to coordinate and bring together people in areas of ongoing research

•Next call: only CAs and SSAs

•Commission set up an Expert Group to examine new scientific opportunities and assess the potential for a concerted research program in this area (Brochures)


PATHFINDER

Practical Aspects and Frequently Asked QuestionsResults of the previous call


• Each PATHFINDER initiative/topic will be composed of several STREP projects submitted individually (not as clusters)

• Proposals have to be submitted as FULL proposals (one stage evaluation process not two stages as in NEST-OPEN)

• Proposers need to choose clearly one PATHFINDER initiative/topic they are addressing

• Proposals will be evaluated and selected on their individual merits

• Projects funded within a PATHFINDER initiative will be expected to develop a degree of interaction, exchange and cooperation

• Project size expected to be in the 1.5-2.0 Mio. EUR range; 4 - 6 partners

STREP projects


• Expect to fund one (exceptionally more) co-ordination action for each PATHFINDER initiative/topic

• Co-ordination actions will be evaluated and selected at the same time as the STREP proposals

• Role of co-ordination depends on topic

• An added task will be to provide a means and venue of interaction for the chosen projects

• Funding expected to be in the 1 to 1.5 MEuro range; 15 – 25 partners

CoordinationActions


• Possibility of Support Actions open for each topic

• Support actions will be evaluated and selected at the same time as the STREP proposals

• Role of support depends on topic; do not expect to fund “general” support actions on “general” topics

• Funding expected to be ~250.000 range

Support Actions


• Call budget 35M€

• 59 STREP proposals, 17 retained

• 4 CA proposals, 0 retained

• 5 SSA proposals, 1 retained

Previous Call:FP6-2004-NEST-PATH


• Synthetic BiologySynthetic Biology – 3 new STREPs funded out of 14 submitted

(21% success rate)– 1 SSA funded, no CAs

• What it means to be humanWhat it means to be human– 8 new STREPs funded out of 21 submitted

(38% success rate)– No CAs or SSAs

• Measuring the ImpossibleMeasuring the Impossible– 6 STREPs funded out of 24 submitted

(25% success rate)– No CAs or SSAs

Previous Call:FP6-2004-NEST-PATH


Pathfinder Reference documents

• Reference documents available on NEST Web Site for each topic

• Generated following iterative consultations with experts

• Provide further practical guidance to proposers in terms of the scope, objectives, partnerships, etc

• Proposers are strongly encouraged to consult and read over the documents prior to preparing proposals


Pre-proposal check service

• Pre-proposal check service available up to 3 weeks prior to the deadline (that is: 25 January 2006)

• Pre-proposal Forms: Guide for Proposers• Requested: project summary + partnership• Before submitting, ideas and partnership should be pretty

clear and stable• NEST will give guidance regarding suitability of scope and

eligibility, based on information submitted• Responses from the EC are simply for guidance and do not

commit the Commission either way• Final decision on proposals made by external expert

evaluators• Not a discussion forum!• Pre-proposals (PATHFINDER) and OUTLINE Proposals

(ADVENTURE, INSIGHT) are something different


Evaluation

• Evaluation will be performed first by sending proposals to remote referees for detailed technical evaluation

• Following that, a Panel with wide ranging expertise will be brought together to choose the most outstanding proposals, and that form a complementary set

• Evaluation expected to take place in April 2006, and initial results available before the end of July

• Expert referees on these topics always needed / welcome (include NEST activity code) (http://www.cordis.lu/experts/fp6_candidature.htm)


NEST-PATHFINDER Information and Brokerage Event, Brussels, 6th Dec 2005

• Overall Information on Pathfinder• Parallel sessions on each topic• Chance to meet potential partners• Jointly organised with NCPs

New and Emerging Science and Technology

Documents

Transcript of New and Emerging Science and Technology