In a world where scientific questions are becoming increasingly complex scientists and engineers must respond by spanning the traditional boundaries between disciplines in order to develop the more sophisticated tools required to conduct leading research. With this need in mind, IBIOS was formed from two existing and successful groups; the Cell Biophysics Group headed by Professor Paul O'Shea from the School of Biology and the Applied Optics Group headed by Professor Mike Somekh from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. IBIOS provides an environment in which researchers from a range of disciplines can work in a close knit community, with integrated facilities, in physical proximity and a shared research agenda. We see this as the key to a successful interdisciplinary research programme.
The fundamental approach of the Institute is to combine state of the art developments in optical imaging technology with curiosity driven research into cellular biology. This nationally unique combination of disciplines is entirely natural because the key problems facing us in the investigation of the cell arise from the need to pose intelligent questions and extract more information from the systems of interest. As the technology required to obtain this information is simply not available its development and application provides one of the major scientific and technological challenges of the next twenty years or so.
IBIOS provides a focus within the University of Nottingham for research in both cellular and sub-cellular interactions and the technologies that are and will be utilised to investigate these interactions. The Institute will act as a resource for researchers with specific bio-imaging problems and will endeavour to foster strong collaborations with other researchers within the university.
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