European support to biomedical informatics development: in pursue of genomic medicine

Analyses of the relationships and synergy between bioinformatics (BI) and medical informatics (MI) show that there is a great potential for synergy between both disciplines with a view on continuity and individualisation of healthcare, but that a collaborative effort is needed to bridge the current gap between them. Biomedical informatics (BMI) is the emerging discipline that aims to put these two worlds together so that the discovery and creation of novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods is fostered. The INFOBIOMED network is a new approach that aims to set a durable structure for this collaborative strategy in Europe, mobilising the critical mass of resources necessary for enabling the consolidation of BMI as a crucial scientific discipline for future healthcare. The specific objectives of INFOBIOMED aim at enabling systematic progress in clinical and genetic data interoperability and integration and advancing the exchange and interfacing of methods, tools and technologies used in both MI and BI. Moreover, it intends to enable pilot applications in particular fields that demonstrate the benefits of a synergetic approach in BMI, as well as to create a robust framework for education, training and mobility of involved researchers in BMI for the creation of a solid European BMI research capacity.