The European Science Foundation has launched a new Research Networking Programme “Quantitative Models of Cellular and Developmental Biology (Quantissue)”, and has appointed Dr. Hernán López-Schier, group leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation and the coordinator of this cooperative network, as the Chairman of the Steering Committee.
Research Networking Programmes (RNPs) of the European Science Foundation lay the foundation for nationally funded research groups to address major scientific and research issues in order to advance the frontiers of science.  These long-term programmes, subject to selection through an open call and an international peer review process, deal with high-quality science and demonstrate the added value of being carried out at the European level.
Quantissue will run from 2011 to 2016. It represents a multidisciplinary project whose main objective is to bring together experts from complementary disciplines with a firm interest in a quantitative understanding of the basic mechanisms that govern morphogenetic processes from subcellular to tissue levels.
This RNP of the European Science Foundation is supported by Austria: Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF); Belgium: Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO); Germany: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG); The Neterlands: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO); Portugal: Fundaçao para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); Slovenia: Slovenian Research Agency; Spain: Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT); Sweden: Vetenskapsrådet (VR); Switzerland: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF); and the United Kingdom: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Hernán López-Schier remarks that “it has become evident that imaginative and refined experimental strategies based on genetics, imaging, quantitative and biophysical approaches, combined with the exploration of the fullest potential of mathematical modeling are necessary to understand cellular and developmental biology. We aim to form an interactive and collaborative network to bridge the gap between traditional developmental cell biology, biophysics and systems biology. We believe this RNP will be the necessary first step towards this ambitious goal. It is also rewarding and encouraging that Spain coordinates this international effort".