NORBIS - Norwegian Research School in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics

The NORBIS research school supports PhD education within the areas of bioinformatics, biostatistics, and systems biology across Norway. The school is a collaboration between eight Norwegian universities. Bioinformatics, biostatistics, and systems biology are key to modern life science research and also have important industrial and governmental applications. The focus of the school is on methodology, giving its students an in-depth understanding of methods and theoretical aspects within the fields covered. We also give the students an understanding of the application domain and how methods can be applied in real-world projects. The school has set up a portfolio of in total 18 courses, aiming for each course to be offered every second year. In addition, the school activities since the start includes a range of workshops, international travel grants for research stays abroad, an annual summer school, and an annual national conference. The school enrolls about 40 students each year and currently includes 231 students.

Bioinformatics, biostatistics, and systems biology are fields of central importance for modern life science research. According to the evaluation of research in the bio-sciences in Norway, performed in 2011, Norway has under-invested in these fields. Here we propose to establish a national research school covering these fields - with participation from 8 Norwegian universities with activities in these fields. The school will focus on methods and methodology rather than applications and use of tools, and it will have approximately equal weight within bioinformatics and biostatistics and at least initially a smaller systems biology component. Together the involved groups will be able to offer a program including courses with sufficient both width and depth to make up a high-quality PhD education across these fields. The national school will benefit from expertise spread over the involved institutions and also contribute to strengthening the collaboration and coordination between the research groups involved. We propose to construct a portfolio of at least 10 courses, each being offered every two years. In addition, the school will organize workshops, summer schools, annual school meetings, organize a visitor and exchange program, and have activities directed toward the industry and government. The school will have a director and a co-director from the fields of bioinformatics and biostatistics, respectively. A coordinator will be employed at the host institution in a 100% position and have a central role in the day-to-day running of the school. The board of the school will set the priorities and for example decide on the course program to be offered.