Investing in the future of D-BSSE

The governments of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land are looking to assure the continued success of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering and to further strengthen collaboration between the University of Basel and ETH Zurich. It is for this reason that, as announced last Tuesday, the cantons have asked their respective parliaments for CHF 5 million. They have set aside CHF 6 million of the total for infrastructure projects, while the remaining CHF 4 million will be allocated to measures aimed at extending research collaboration.

CHF 6 million will be invested in the Rosental Campus, where the Department of Biosystems is currently located on a provisional basis. D-BSSE is scheduled to move into a new building on the Life Sciences Campus in Schällemätteli by 2020. The Department will then be able to teach and carry out research in the immediate vicinity of the University of Basel and the university clinics. The investment will allow D-BSSE to rent and renovate laboratory facilities at the Rosental Campus.

Mustafa Khammash, Professor of Control Theory and Systems Biology and Head of D-BSSE, says the investments will provide much-needed support for D-BSSE’s planned expansion from 17 to 20 professorships. D-BSSE will therefore receive the additional space they require before the move to the new building.

According to the cantons, the solution also means that ETH Zurich will not need to enter into any long-term commitments before the move. Following D-BSSE's move, the University of Basel will be able to use the laboratory facilities as part of the Rosental Campus or, if necessary, continue to make the space available for D-BSSE's expansion.

A boost for personalised medicine

The CHF 4 million earmarked to strengthen research links between the two universities will be invested in personalised medicine, an area of focus for both D-BSSE and the University of Basel. The creation of a common, regional research platform, the so-called “Personalised Health Platform Basel", will be furthered within this context. According to the two Basel cantons, this platform will also strengthen the ties between the regional research location and Zurich’s universities.

Mustafa Khammash, Head of D-BSSE, says he is looking forward to all the “promising research opportunities that these investments will create.” D-BSSE will act as a unique link between research activities in Basel and Zurich in the field of personalised medicine."