COSBI research center was founded in 2005 as joint venture between Microsoft Research and the University of Trento. At COSBI researchers of different disciplines collaborate with the aim of improving the understanding of biological processes using programming languages. Through advanced computer techniques used to create abstractions we can simulate and predict the dynamic behavior of real biological systems. It is easy to understand the savings in terms of time and cost of this "virtual lab", compared to the traditional biological laboratory.
In addition to major research programs and collaborations, from this year on COSBI welcomes a new challenge: provide solutions, in terms of expertise and hoc computational tools, to both academic and industrial partners. These technology transfer activities also include the development of research projects with these partners in order to produce publications and co-finance our research activities. Research at COSBI is now therefore concentrated in pharmaceutical, biotech and food industry, with particular focus on cellular and molecular biology, pharmacology, translational medicine, nutrigenomics and ecology.