Key figures
SERI’s contribution represents 41% of our institute’s 2021 budget, excluding the specific BioMedIT/SPHN funding. CHF 10.8 million were raised in addition to fulfil SIB’s mission.
1 Powered by the Swiss Confederation
The largest and most stable funder of SIB is the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), which accounts for 39% of our institute’s income, excluding specific BioMedIT/SPHN funding.
2 A unique funding model to sustain Open Resources
SERI’s contribution to our Open Resources (53%, CHF 7 million) is complemented by many additional funding sources, including competitive grants and contributions from the industry. In addition, most resources are also supported by short-term research funds held at partner institutions.
3 One third of SIB’s income comes from competitive funds
32% (CHF 9.8 million) of the funds secured by SIB originate from competitive grants, collaborations and services. SIB’s independent status, the diversity of skills of its employees, and the full professional support they offer, from scientific expertise to project management, make the institute a desirable partner. This includes innovative projects with the industry (e.g. Innosuisse) and long-term collaborations in European public-private consortia (e.g. Innovative Medicines/Health Initiatives).
4 Keeping up with increasing demands
The loss (3%) is funded by reserves to support additional Open Resources, in accordance with the investment strategy for the 2021-2024 period.
5 A Centre of Excellence that delivers
Our Centre of Excellence includes training and bioinformatics services to universities, private companies and hospitals amounting to a total of CHF 8.4 million. It is mostly funded through collaboration and competitive grants - many international.
6 Lean and effective management & support
The management and support functions expenses (14%, CHF 4.2 million) cover day-to-day administrative, people and culture, finance, communication, legal and IT support. These support teams also contribute to projects in the key pillars, for which the funds are allocated to the relevant activities (e.g. legal expertise for SPHN is allocated to Coordination).
7 Investing in people at the heart of research
77% (CHF 23.8 million) of SIB’s funding is invested in our people, of which 73% for employees at the SIB Hub and 27% for employees embedded in partner institutions. This reflects our unique and efficient model anchoring Open Science infrastructure in research.
8 Bioinformatics: a variety of competences and shared life science data expertise
5 As of 1 january 2022
Sustained federal support
At the occasion of SIB's 20th birthday (1998-2018), we asked Mauro Dell'Ambrogio, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) what has made SIB eligible for federal funding over the past years and how was Switzerland positioned internationally regarding its bioinformatics infrastructure. He also gives us his vision of the field's main challenges for the next 20 years.
Evolution of the SERI funding
A sustained support of the federal government to SIB over the years, matching the growing need for bioinformatics infrastructure provision.