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Infrastructure cluster Description Experimental facilities for biology and ecosystem studies Research facilities and laboratory equipment for the processing and analysis of marine resources. Marine data facilities Data management, computing and modelling facilities, data validation and storage (e.g. databases, biobanks), data dissemination, bioinformatics (omics data management) Marine land-based facilities for engineering Testing facilities for design, preparation and qualification of the sea/subsea sensors, instrumentation systems, mobile platforms and underwater vehicles before their operational deployment at sea. Relevance to marine biotechnology Essential supporting component for marine biotechnology e.g. marine genomics Essential supporting component for marine biotechnology Indirectly relevant to support other infrastructures. MRIs can also be grouped according to their place in the data processing chain which is an integral part of the discovery, bioprospecting and R&D stages of the marine biotechnology value chain as shown in Figure 3.2. Figure 3.2 Links between the marine biotechnology value chain, marine research infrastructures and the data processing chain. There are a number of initiatives and networks in Europe which specifically exist to coordinate marine research infrastructures and to facilitate access to them. These are listed in Annex 7. Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology 15

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