TransBioNet: A distributed bottom-up effort to organise bioinformatics activities around the Spanish National Health System

TransBioNet is the Translational Bioinformatics Network impulsed and coordinated by the Spanish National Bioinformatics Institute (INB) as a reference network of 43+ bioinformatics support units working at health care settings including Health Research Institutes (IIS) certified by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), and bioinformatics core facilities from biomedical research institutions. TransBioNet is an Excellence Thematic Network (Red de Excelencia Temática) recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

The main purpose of TransBioNet is to create an expert forum where bioinformaticians working in healthcare can share best practices and working experiences, have early access to the latest technological developments and guidelines by international organizations and initiatives such as ELIXIR (European Life Science Infrastructure for Biological Information) and GA4GH (Global Alliance for Genomics and Health), and benefit from access to the computational infrastructures provided by the INB and ELIXIR.

The commitment of INB includes logistic and economic support for TransBioNet activities, e.g. training, including the periodic workshops held at different sites. Given the highly collaborative nature of TransBioNet, it is open to bioinformatics units working in healthcare settings and/or bioinformatics core facilities at biomedical research institutions.

Currently, TransBioNet is organising its activities around three working groups and a task force to answer the identified needs and opportunities in the following areas: Standards and Benchmarking, Sustainability models, Training, and a report about the translational bioinformatics landscape in Spain.