Membership in the pan-European research infrastructure Instruct-ERIC will facilitate Finnish research in molecular bioscience.
From 14 February 2020, the Finnish Infrastructure for Integrated Structural Biology has opened its doors to European scientists as Instruct Centre FI as part of Instruct-ERIC.
The launch of Instruct Centre FI recognises the scientific excellence of the Finnish Infrastructure for Integrative Structural Biology and acknowledges its commitment to delivering world-class services to the pan-European structural biology community.
The new Instruct Centre, which has sites at the Universities of Helsinki, Oulu and Eastern Finland, will offer technology and expertise in sample preparation, characterisation and structure determination.
Instruct-ERIC is the single point of access to technology and expertise for structural biology research. Through its specialist research centres in Europe, Instruct-ERIC offers funded research visits, training, internships and R&D awards. By promoting integrative methods, Instruct-ERIC enables excellent science and technological development for the benefit of all life scientists.
Professor Sarah Butcher, Instruct Finland Chair, University of Helsinki, said that "I'm delighted that after years of work Finland finally joined Instruct-ERIC in 2019, and now the Finnish Instruct Centre is ready to offer high-end sample preparation and structural biology techniques through the Instruct catalogue."
Dr Hanna Oksanen, Instruct Finland Coordinator, University of Helsinki, commented, "There have been many people who have contributed, and this success is thanks to them. Now all staff, researchers and students from Finland are eligible to apply for funded access to advanced technologies and services at all Instruct sites and to use the training and mobility opportunities."
Dr Marko Uutela, who is a Science Advisor at the Academy of Finland and the Finnish delegate at the Instruct-ERIC Council, summarised, "Instruct-ERIC membership will promote high-impact research, interdisciplinarity and mobility; facilitate integration of Finnish researchers in networks of excellence within Europe and beyond; and enhance the international profile of Finnish science."
Susan Daenke, Instruct-ERIC Hub Coordinator, remarked, "The high-quality technologies and expertise of Instruct Centre FI are a valuable addition to the Instruct technology catalogue. We anticipate that our evolving partnership with the Finnish Infrastructure for Integrative Structural Biology will facilitate important research discoveries in molecular bioscience."
