Spain Joins INFRAFRONTIER-ERIC as an Observer [interview]
We are pleased to announce that on 15 July, Spain was officially confirmed as an Observer in INFRAFRONTIER ERIC, represented through the INFRAFRONTIER Spanish Node at the Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC). The formal confirmation was provided by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain, to whom we all thank its support!
The CNB-CSIC has been part of INFRAFRONTIER since its very beginning, contributing its extensive expertise in the development and use of animal models. With Spain now formally joining INFRAFRONTIER-ERIC as an Observer, we build on this long-standing collaboration and strengthen our shared commitment to advancing cutting-edge disease models.
With this addition, the number of countries participating in INFRAFRONTIER ERIC continues to grow. As of today, it includes six Members –Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, and Sweden– and one Observer –Spain.
¡Bienvenidos!
Interview with Lluis Montoliu, Director of the Spanish National Node at CNB-CSIC.
What does it mean for Spain –and for CNB-CSIC as the National Node– to formally join INFRAFRONTIER-ERIC as an Observer, and what opportunities does this open for Spain’s participation in European biomedical research?
L.M.: “Spain’s Observer status in INFRAFRONTIER ERIC marks the resolution of a long-standing anomaly. CNB-CSIC has contributed since 2007, and we’ve been an official EMMA (the European Mouse Mutant Archive) node since 2009. However, Spain couldn’t join the original legal structure, INFRAFRONTIER GmbH. The transition to an ERIC in 2023 finally allowed us to begin the formal process of membership. This step not only integrates Spain into the governance structure of the consortium, but also enhances our visibility at the European level. As an Observer, we now participate in all consortium meetings (albeit without voting rights) and bring a new Southern European country into the partnership, alongside Greece. Our aim is to continue supporting the generation, cryopreservation, and distribution of mouse models for the entire biomedical research community, with a dedicated five-member team committed to contributing high-quality resources and services across INFRAFRONTIER.”
What role does CNB-CSIC play within the infrastructure?
L.M.: “A central one. CNB-CSIC is a national reference center for mouse model cryopreservation in Spain and one of the 16 official nodes of EMMA, to which we have contributed over 500 genetically modified mouse lines of biomedical interest –out of nearly 9000 currently cryopreserved in the archive.
Between 2005 and 2007, we pioneered a bottom-up internal process to identify the Spanish node. Rather than self-nominating, we built a dossier detailing our competence and capacity in mouse embryo and sperm cryopreservation, and gathered voluntary support from dozens of universities and research centers across Spain. Our application was accepted –and later served as a model for other countries. This broad institutional backing gave CNB-CSIC a leadership role from the beginning and was instrumental in obtaining ministerial support for Spain’s formal accession to INFRAFRONTIER ERIC as an Observer.”
Interview with Johannes Beckers, Scientific Director of INFRAFRONTIER ERIC.
As the new Scientific Director of INFRAFRONTIER ERIC, how do you see Spain’s entry as an Observer
J.B.: Spain’s decision to join INFRAFRONTIER ERIC as an Observer is a very welcome and long-anticipated step. Spanish institutions have been essential partners in INFRAFRONTIER for many years, especially through their strong and sustained contributions to EMMA (the European Mouse Mutant Archive) and the phenotyping of preclinical models. The move towards formal membership has long been desired, and I am particularly pleased that the transition from INFRAFRONTIER GmbH to the ERIC structure has now made this possible. Spain’s Observer status not only recognises past contributions but also opens the door to deeper strategic alignment and new collaborative opportunities. I very much hope that Spain will move from Observer to full Member status in the near future.
What would you say are the main challenges and opportunities in this new phase, with a more established structure and a growing number of Members and Observers?
J.B.: One of the key tasks ahead is to shape INFRAFRONTIER ERIC’s portfolio in a way that strategically serves the needs of the scientific community working with models of human disease. On a global scale, we have made tremendous progress in mutagenising nearly every gene in the mammalian genome – building what many have called an “encyclopaedia of life.” The next grand challenge is to explore the parts of the genome we still understand too little about: the so-called “dark genome” or “ignorome”, and the vast number of non-coding genes. Complementary model systems beyond animals – such as in vitro and in silico models – are also gaining importance and deserve more systematic integration. And finally, I believe we have an obligation to translate our deepening knowledge of gene function into therapeutic innovation. This includes not only novel gene therapies but also pharmacological approaches. With our INFRAFRONTIER ERIC partners, I aim to define a clear strategic positioning for this next phase – and turn it into a shared roadmap for the coming years.