The LifeGrid programme

The LifeGrid platform unites all scientific stakeholders in Auvergne (public and private laboratories, businesses) by creating a regional information system that will organise, store and distribute the data obtained from research. The information system is an IT tool, comprising an organisational interface which categorises information and IT resources guaranteeing swift data processing and saving.

Supported by a regional innovative action programme

Regional Programme of Innovative Actions (RPIA) were set up at European level to help promote innovative practices in regional policies and narrow the gaps between European regions in the fields of research and technological development. Together with Blaise Pascal University, the Auvergne Region put together a project bearing on two themes, the regional economy based on knowledge and technological innovation and “e-Europe”, the information society at the service of regional development.

Accepted last December by the European Commission, the European programme e-nnovergne LifeGrid was launched on 1 January 2006 for a 24-month period. The ERDF has awarded a 50% grant for all operations carried out, up to a set limit of €1,570,800. The Auvergne Region, which manages this programme, implements and coordinates all action arising from it.

RPIA organisation and objective

The RPIA covers all themes associated with life sciences, including projects from molecule level right up to the ecosystem.
It breaks down into three strategies, all conducted at the same time:

• 1. creation of basic information systems for public bodies and businesses,
• 2. creation of the LifeGrid.fr regional information system by interconnecting basic information systems and integrating databases particularly in the medical and genetic fields,
• 3. development and exploitation of data processing and analysis tools,

plus 2 additional initiatives, implemented mainly by the Auvergne Region, on management and communication.

For these strategies, public and private stakeholders in life sciences are invited to submit information system development projects to improve their data management, as well as projects to create software for processing information.

A technical team working on the programme will be responsible for carrying out the feasibility study of the applications submitted and the specifications of the tools to be developed. The programme beneficiaries will be in charge of developing the IT tools associated with their project and receive a European grant of 50% of the total cost. Regarding public bodies, supplementary funding from co-financers of the programme (State, authorities) may be added to this grant, bringing overall funding of the total cost to 80% maximum.

The Auvergne Region chairs the Steering Committee, composed of decision-makers representing RPIA partners (State, authorities, public research organisations, consortia, competitiveness clusters). This committee defines the programme policies and checks that these are consistent with the additional initiatives developed in Auvergne.

The Project Selection Committee is composed of co-financers and scientific and technical coordinators of the RPIA, and can call on experts in some cases. Committee members with a direct interest in the projects to be examined will be excluded while the applications in question are being examined.

Documents available:

• Download the application file submitted to the European Union
• sha1sum : 2ee2ef5ee72a361d15ea5b1f8b1a8f2235a7fce4

LifeGrid, the regional information system