COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND RECENT ACTIVITIES

1. A UNESCO-sponsored cooperative programme in bioinformatics between W.I.S. and the Institute for Biophysics and Biochemistry (IBB) of the Polish Academy of Sciences has been in effect since 1994. To summarize activities: (a) Several Polish apprentices underwent training at W.I.S. ; (b) equipment was purchased in Poland and a local network established in Warsaw; (c) a regional bioinformatics workshop, with the participation of instructors from IBB and W.I.S. , was held in Warsaw; (d) the IBB node was accepted as the national Polish node and passed the requirements for admittance to EMBnet.

2. A UNESCO-sponsored bioinformatics programme between W.I.S. and the Marmara Research Centre, Gebze, Turkey got underway in 1995-6 with mutual planning visits, initial Marmara network setup, presentation of a full bilateral proposal to UNESCO, and professional assistance with a Turkish Bioinformatics Conference held in Ankara in 1996.

3. A UNESCO-sponsored feasibility study between W.I.S. and several institutions in India on bioinformatic cooperation. Technical and scientific meetings were held at J. Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and M.S.University (MSU), Baroda, and administrative meetings at the Department of Biotechnology and Department of Communications, New Delhi. There was agreement to proceed with a collaborative demonstration project in 1996-97.

4. At a meeting at UNESCO, Paris, April 1995, the then Director for Science, A. Badran, suggested that training and cooperation in bioinformatics at UNESCO should concentrate around the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. He suggested that a UNESCO Centre, along the lines of the ICCB, should be created at W.I.S. , radiating to different regions through the intermediate of Regional Nodes. Institutions in Poland, Turkey and India (where W.I.S. had ongoing UNESCO-sponsored cooperation projects) were mentioned as potential regional partners. It was suggested that a fourth region (China was mentioned as a possibility) be incorporated. Badran imagined the structure of such a bioinformatics center as similar to MCBN (Molecular and Cellular Biology Network, directed by A. Azzi) and hoped that such a structure could get UNESCO core support, if approved by the General Conference.

5. To this end, seed were awarded to W.I.S. by UNESCO, through Israel's Participation Programme, for preparing an inclusive proposal to the General Conference, in the form of a joint Draft Resolution to be presented in 1997. In this regard, together with the IBB, Warsaw, plans are being drawn up for an East-European regional bioinformatics workshop to be attended by delegates of the national UNESCO commissions and a delegate scientist or the heads of national science commissions from Israel, Poland and several regional countries (Bielorussie, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech, Slovaka, Ukarina, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary). The purpose of the workshop will be to initiate an East European regional branch of the UNESCO-ICCB network.

6. Separate seed funds have also been awarded to W.I.S. by UNESCO, through Israel's Participation Programme, to further bioinformatics cooperation between Israel and Asia. On the educational and scientific levels, the program will get started: (a) in India - by supporting the installation of networking capabilities at MSU, Baroda, and at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, and by working visits of bioinformatic personnel to W.I.S. ; (b) in China - with a site visit to the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing and a working visit of bioinformatic personnel to W.I.S. ; (c) in Turkey - by a working visit of bioinformatic personnel from the Research Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tubitak, Gebze to W.I.S. and a follow-up workshop in Gebze.