Page 40 - Roadmap

MOMENTUM OF INNOVATION

7.3. HEALTH AND FOOD SCIENCES

BIOINFORMATICS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP, ELIXIR NETWORK,
ELIXIR CONSORTIUM OF HUNGARY (ELIXIR-HU)

Presentation of the RI group
Bioinformatics research in Hungary can be grouped around five main themes: human genomics (medical genomics
and cell biology), agrigenomics, proteomics, veterinary sciences (virology) and ecology (biological networks) . Although
members of the RI group work in different research areas, what they have in common is the integrated handling, pro-
cessing and interpretation of large amounts of data originating from biological measurements.

The RI’s assets enable complex studies of clinical genomics, and the results of these studies can be used in research,
medicine and education. The most cited online softwares deal with protein structure prediction, prediction of trans-
membrane protein topology and evaluation of the prognostic value of oncology biomarkers.

Databases also constitute integral parts of the RI, for example the Hungarian Oncogenome Portal (human genomics),
the database of adenovirus sequences (virology), the UniTMP databases (proteomics) and the MÉTA website (ecology).
The RI group is also committed to the expansion of bioinformatics training services.

National coordinator of the RI group: Background information
MTA Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology (MTA The national coordinator of the RI group (and of the Hungarian
TTK EI) ELIXIR Node to be implemented) is the Institute of Enzymology
of MTA TTK. The RI group consists of intensely cooperating Hun-
Contact: László Patthy garian universities and research institutions that play a leading role
Email: patthy.laszlo@ttk.mta.hu in life sciences in Hungary. Members of the RI group participate in
Website: http://www.ttk.mta.hu/ major international research programmes such as the Joint Action
on Rare Cancers, COMPARE, ECRIN, EMBnet and eLTER RI.
Partners: The portfolio of equipments (next-generation sequencing systems,
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), University of Debrecen (DE), Semmel- high performance computing infrastructure) has been renewed by
weis University (SE), Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs major investments and continuous progress in software and database
(PTE); University of Veterinary Medicine (ÁTE), Pázmány Péter Catholic development is a hallmark of the development of the RI.
University (PPKE), National Institute of Oncology (OOI), National Agri-
cultural Research and Innovation Centre (NAIK), MTA Centre for Ecolo- Aim of the RI group
gical Research (MTA ÖK), MTA Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics The aim of the RI group is to promote the application and advance
(MTA RAMKI), Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, MTA Centre of bioinformatics in all areas of life sciences in Hungary. It strives
for Agricultural Research, (MTA ATK ÁOTI) to join international programmes as a full-fledged member of
ELIXIR and to provide Hungarian bioinformatics services to the
ESFRI connection: ELIXIR international scientific community. The ELIXIR membership is
expected to boost international research cooperation and this will
Status of the RI group: under implementation require further significant investments in the bioinformatics RI.

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