Home institutions: University of Basel, ETH Zurich
The NCCR “MSE – Molecular Systems Engineering” combines the life sciences, chemistry, physics and engineering sciences in order to transfer the synthesis processes of biological cells to synthetic systems. Such molecular systems are the equivalent of tiny factories in which new compounds and substances are made. These can be used in energy supply and the chemical industry as well as in medical diagnosis or treatment.
The NCCR intends to break through the barriers of the traditional focus on individual molecular modules and develop new engineering principles that reveal how individual molecular modules can be combined to form working molecular production lines. The research findings could be used to meet future economic and technical challenges.
Further information on the NCCR:
Contact details
NCCR Management
NCCR Director
Prof. Thomas R. Ward
Departement Chemie
Universität Basel
Spitalstrasse 51
CH-4056 Basel
Phone +41 (0) 61 207 10 04
E-mail
head-nccr-mse@unibas.ch
Co‐Director
Prof. Daniel Müller
Departement für Biosysteme (D-BSSE) ETH Zürich
Mattenstrasse 26
CH-4058 Basel
Phone +41 (0) 61 387 33 07
E-mail
daniel.mueller@bsse.ethz.ch
Management / Coordination
Audrey Fischer
Head Finance & HR
NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering
University of Basel
Department of Chemistry
Klingelbergstrasse 80
4056 Basel
Phone +41 61 267 19 90
E-mail
audrey.fischer@unibas.ch
Website NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering
Funding
NCCRs are financed through grants awarded by the SNSF, but also from other sources. The home institutions involved in the NCCR also contribute a substantial amount of money. The available overall budget of the NCCR is further increased by monetary contributions from the project participants and third-party funds, which are generally invested by industrial companies.
The SNSF is financing the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering in its first funding period.
Financing 2014 – 2017 (Swiss Francs)
| Time-frame |
|---|
|
Funding source | 2014 – 2017 |
| SNSF grant* | 16'900'000 |
| Funds of Basel University* | 4’640’000 |
| Funds of ETH Zurich* | 4’660’000 |
| Group funds of the project participants | 4'894'087 |
| External funds | 190'000 |
| Total | 31'284'087 |
* contractually agreed funding
Evaluation / Review Panel
For each NCCR, the SNSF appoints a Review Panel composed of renowned experts whose task it is to evaluate scientific quality and the progress made in NCCR projects. The Review Panel of the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering consists of the following experts:
- Prof. Luisa De Cola, Institut de Science et d’Ingénierie, Supramoléculaires, Université de Strasbourg, FR
- Prof. Jean M. J. Frechet, Department of Chemistry, University of California, US
- Prof. Wolfgang Knoll, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, AT
- Prof. Prof. Timothy K. Lu, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
- Prof. Joachim P. Spatz, Max-Planck-Institut für intelligente Systeme, DE
- Prof. Gregory Stephanopoulos, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
- Prof. Gerhard Wegner, Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, DE
- Prof. Tanja Weil, Institut für Organische Chemie III, Universität Ulm, DE
In addition, the National Research Council appoints three of its members as representatives to the panel:
- Prof. Philippe Rudolf von Rohr (Chair), SNSF, Division Programmes, ETH Zurich
- Prof. Nicolas Rodondi, SNSF, Division Programmes, University of Berne
- Prof. Kai Johnsson, SNSF, Division Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences, EPFL
Contact person at the SNSF:
Dr. Stefan Bachmann
NCCR Team
Swiss National Science Foundation
Wildhainweg 3
3001 Berne
Phone +41 (0) 31 308 23 49
E-mail
stefan.bachmann@snf.ch
Research structures
National Centres of Competence in Research leave their mark on the research landscape well beyond the SNSF funding period. They help to define key topics and sustainably change Swiss research structures. Thus NCCRs can lead to the creation of new professorships and courses of study as well as new infrastructures or platforms at the universities involved.
NCCRs operate as a network in which a large number of scientific partners are active. Working within these networks has borne fruit in the form of new research approaches and excellent scientific contributions.
Contributions to society and the economy
The National Centres of Competence in Research not only engage in cutting-edge research, they also play an important role in transferring knowledge and new technologies to the economy and to society at large. They lead to the formation of start-ups, and the new insights have the potential to awaken the interest of politicians, globally active companies and the public at large.
Communication and knowledge transfer of the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering:
Promotion of academic careers and equal opportunities
The National Centres of Competence in Research consciously promote promising young researchers and are committed to equal opportunities for men and women in research.
Measures taken by the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering to promote young researchers and gender equality.