EMBL-EMI Computational Neurobiology Group

	director:	Nicolas Le Novère (lenov@ebi.ac.uk)
	institution:	European Bioinformatics Institute
	e-mail:	lenov@ebi.ac.uk
	WWW:	www.ebi.ac.uk/compneur/
	phone:	+44 (0)1223 494521
	fax:	+44 (0)1223 494468
	adress:	Computational Neurobiology, EMBL-EBI, Wellcome-Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK

The main goal of the group is to build realistic models of neuronal function at various levels, from the synapse to the micro-circuit, based on the precise knowledge of molecule functions and interactions (Systems Biology). By creating computational models of neuronal systems, it will be possible to gain a better appreciation of how these systems function, how they malfunction in neuronal disease, and how the the diseased nervous system might respond to different therapeutic approaches.

The group is also part of three collaborative systems biology projects:

• the European Membrane Protein Consortium, which is using high-throughput technologies solve the structures of membrane proteins.
• DopaNet, which is investigating neurotransmission in the meso-telencephalic dopamine system - involved in many neuropathologies including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and drug addiction.
• The development of the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML), an XML-based language designed to facilitate the exchange of biological models between different simulators.