Timothy Hall

T.J. Hall worked as a research scientist in the UK before joining the Commission services in 1983, becoming Head of Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation with Developing Countries in 1994. He has also headed units in the Quality of Life Directorate under the Fifth Research Framework Programme (FP5) and in the Health Directorate under FP6. His current position (since October 2006) is Head of Unit for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research with primary responsibilities for overseeing collaborative research and coordination activities related to "Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest and aquatic environments" in FP7. From September 2007 to June 2009, he also held the position of Acting Director for Biotechnologies, Agriculture and Food.

Genomics Research in European Programmes.

The European Commission through its recent Research Framework Programmes has supported trans-European and wider international scientific cooperation in a range of biosciences and other disciplines.

Genomics/genomics-related research in the areas of human health, crop plants, livestock and micro-organisms has featured strongly.

A brief overview of these activities will be given as well as an outline of future opportunities for submitting research proposals with particular reference to the Themes 'Health' and 'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies'.

Since European Commission research funding represents only a  small fraction  of  the overall European effort, it is vital that, to maximise research output, a more coordinated and coherent approach is developed across Europe in terms of pooling research activities, biological infrastructures and resources, and where appropriate, in collaboration with counties outside the EU. In recent years there has been progress towards realising a more complete European Research Area in the biosciences but further advances are still needed. Several Technology Platforms are playing an important role in this respect, together with  a number  of coordination  actions (ERANETs) which bring together managers/funders of national programmes from different countries with a view to developing complementary priorities, joint calls and possibly, ultimately, common programming.

Forthcoming funding opportunities in EU Research Programme