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Experimental facilities for biology and ecosystem studies These facilities are subdivided according to their specialised field and consist of marine biology stations with genomics facilities, aquaculture experimental facilities, mesocosm facilities and ecosystems and biodiversity observatories. Of most significance to marine biotechnology are the marine biology stations with genomics facilities which offer the following ‘services’:  Access to analytical platforms in relation ‘omics’ such as genome sequencing, microarray, 2Dgel electrophoresis, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry;  Access to model marine organisms, culture collections and databases;   Cultivation of micro- and macro-organisms; ‘Mining’ of genomes and novel molecules;  Novel knowledge on biological mechanisms and complex disciplines;  Integration of marine biology with other biological sciences i.e. biomedicine;  Marine biology stations with genomics facilities produce a range of outputs including: molecular data, gene functions, functional genomics, protein structures, metabolic pathways and cellular, physiological, evolutionary or ecological knowledge. Ecosystem and biodiversity observatories also support marine biotechnology in their research on biodiversity from genes to ecosystem functioning and the analytical tools used in particular metagenomics. There are some 29 marine biology stations with genomics facilities in Europe230, an inventory of 24 these is presented in Table 0.26 . European networks, projects and initiatives have been established for experimental facilities (i.e. research laboratories). With regards to marine biology stations with genomics facilities the most significant of these are ASSEMBLE231 and the more recently established European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC)232, which was established under the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures233 (ESFRI) and is in its preparatory phase. Table 0.26 An inventory of marine biology stations with genomics facilities in Europe Country Norway 1 Number Name(s) of marine biology stations with genomic facilities Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology Sweden 2 The Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences: Tjärnö. The Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences: Kristineberg Germany 3 Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPIMM), Bremen. Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg UK 4 Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) University of St Andrews - Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI) 230 This figure is taken from SEAS-ERA Work Package report D4.1.1 which can be found here: http://www.seasera.eu/np4/19.html 231 http://www.assemblemarine.org/ 232 http://www.embrc.eu/ 233 ESFRI is a strategic instrument created in 2002 by the European Commission and the Member States to support a coherent and strategy-led approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe and to facilitate multilateral initiatives leading to a better use and development of research infrastructures. http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/index_en.cfm?pg=esfri 164 Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology

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