<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; ">Dear Colleagues,</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; ">Many of you may be familiar with te functionalities of BEN, the Belgian EMBnet Node, our Belgian Bioinformatics server. Many of you have followed one or more of its courses as an introduction to sequence analyses and bioinformatics or have used or are still using its databases and search facilities. This national service, jointly operated by the VUB and the ULB and financially supported by the Belgian Science Policy, is about to be dismantled because of discontinuing government funding.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; ">In an effort to reverse this unfortunate decision I have written an open letter (see below) to Minister Laruelle of Belgian Science Policy. I would like to ask everybody who agrees with my views about this decision to send a similar letter to the responsible minister and the other responsible persons mentioned below with a copy to Guy Bottu (<a href="mailto:gbottu@vub.ac.be">gbottu@vub.ac.be</a>) and to the secretary of the BMB (<a href="mailto:info@biochemistry.be">info@biochemistry.be</a>). </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><div><br></div><div>Prof. Fred R. Opperdoes, <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></span></span></span></span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></span></span></span></span> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></span></span></span></span> </div><div>Secretary</div><div>Belgian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology</div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div>Avenue Hippocrate 74-75, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium</div><div>Tel: ++32-2-764.74.39</div><div>Fax: ++32-2-762.68.53</div><div>E-mail:</div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000EE"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="mailto:info@biochemistry.be"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">info@biochemistry</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">.be</span></span></font></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">PGP key: 0x037DDD42</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Web site: <a href="http://www.biochemistry.be/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); ">http://www.biochemistry.be</span></a></span></div><div>Blog: <a href="http://www.biochemistry.be/bmb_blog/">http://www.biochemistry.be/bmb_blog/</a></div><div>Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/biochem_be">http://twitter.com/biochem_be</a></div><div>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000004937038&ref=nf">http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000004937038&ref=nf</a></div><div><br></div></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bruxelles, le 6 juillet 2009</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mme Sabine Laruelle</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ministre des PME, des Indépendants, de l'Agriculture et de la Politique Scientifique</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Avenue de la Toison d’Or 87</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">1060 Bruxelles</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mr. Philippe Mettens </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Président du Comité de Direction de la Politique Scientifique fédérale</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Rue de la Science 8</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">1000 Bruxelles</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mr. Christophe Hardy </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Directeur de cabinet </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Avenue de la Toison d’Or 87</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">1060 Bruxelles</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Lettre ouverte</span></b></span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Madame, Messieurs,</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Le contrat passé entre Belspo et "Belgian EMB Net Node" (BEN) a pris fin le 30 avril 2009. Le seul scientifique encore responsable des ordinateurs et de l’ensemble de l’infrastructure est sans emploi depuis le 1</span></font></span><span style="font: 8.0px Courier; letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12px;">er</span></font></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> mai 2009. Il a cependant – et bénévolement - maintenu un contact par internet à partir de son domicile. On s’attend donc à ce que le réseau BEN disparaisse sous peu. La Belgique se trouvera alors revenue à l’âge de la pierre en ce qui concerne la bioinformatique. </span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Pendant de nombreuses années, l’infrastructure matérielle et logicielle de même que les membres de l’équipe BEN ont rendu des services inestimables à la communauté scientifique et à l’industrie. Plus de mille jeunes chercheurs ont fait leurs premières armes en bio-informatique grâce aux instructeurs du réseau BEN. Personnellement j’ai envoyé au cours des quinze dernières années une centaine de mes étudiants suivre les cours organisés par BEN. Des milliers de scientifiques ont non seulement utilisé les ordinateurs et les programmes spécialisés développés par BEN, mais ils ont également profité de l’expertise et du savoir-faire des membres de l’équipe. A l’heure actuelle, BEN a créé et rendu opérationnelles 75 banques de données. Elles sont consultées quotidiennement par des chercheurs belges et étrangers grâce aux interfaces développées par l’équipe BEN.</span></font></span></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Courier; min-height: 14.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></font></span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></span></font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">BEN fait partie d’un réseau européen de bioinformatique dans lequel chaque pays possède son propre centre. L’abandon du centre belge signifierait une perte considérable non seulement pour la Belgique mais pour l’Europe entière. Cette décision des pouvoirs publics belges d’abandonner BEN pourrait bien apparaître comme scandaleuse aux yeux de la communauté scientifique internationale.</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">J’ose espérer que les responsables belges reconsidèrent la situation et annulent cette décision plus que malheureuse avant que ne s’installent des dommages irréparables.</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">En espérant une réponse favorable, je vous prie d’agréer l’expression de ma haute considération. </span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Prof. F. Opperdoes</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Professeur de Biochimie, Parasitologie et Bioinformatique</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;">Secrétaire de la Société Belge de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire</span></font></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Courier; min-height: 14px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Brussel, 6 juli 2009</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mevrouw Sabine Laruelle</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Minister van KMO's, Zelfstandigen, Landbouw en Wetenschapsbeleid</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Guldenvlieslaan 87</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">1060 Brussel</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">De Heer Christophe Hardy </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Kabinetsdirecteur </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 14px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Guldenvlieslaan 87</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">1060 Brussel</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">De Heer Philippe Mettens</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Voorzitter van het Direktiecomité van het Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Wetenschapsstraat 8</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">B-1000 Brussel</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Open brief</span></b></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Mevrouw, Mijne heren,</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Op 30 april 2009 werd het contract van Belspo met de "Belgian EMB Net Node" (BEN) beëindigd. De enige wetenschapper die tot dan nog verantwoordelijk was voor de computers en de gehele infrastructuur is sinds 1 mei werkloos. Hij bedient de computers nog van huis uit via het internet. Het is te verwachten dat binnenkort het netwerk in elkaar stort en dan bevindt België zich op het gebied van de bioinformatica weer in de steentijd.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">De BEN computers en de leden van het BEN team hebben gedurende vele jaren onschatbare diensten bewezen aan de wetenschappelijk gemeenschap en aan de industrie. Meer dan duizend meestal jonge onderzoekers hebben hun eerste schreden op het gebied van de bioinformatica gezet aan de hand van de BEN instructeurs. Persoonlijk heb ik in de afgelopen vijftien jaar een honderdtal van mijn studenten naar de BEN cursussen gestuurd. Duizenden wetenschappers hebben niet alleen gebruik gemaakt van de gespecialiseerde BEN computers en hun geavanceerde programmas, maar hebben ook kunnen profiteren van de gespecialiseerde kennis van de leden van het BEN team. Op het ogenblik zijn er op BEN 72 databanken operationeel en deze worden dagelijks geconsulteerd via de door het BEN team ontwikkelde web interfaces, niet alleen door Belgische onderzoekers, maar door onderzoekers uit de gehele wereld. </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">BEN maakt onderdeel uit van een Europees netwerk voor bioinformatica met voor ieder land zijn eigen knooppunt. Het wegvallen van het Belgische knooppunt zou niet alleen voor België maar voor heel Europa een groot verlies betekenen. Bovendien zou de internationale wetenschappelijke gemeenschap dit als een schandaal kunnen ervaren. </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ik hoop van ganser harte dat de Belgische verantwoordelijken deze ongelukkige beslissing ongedaan kunnen maken voordat er onherstelbare schade is aangericht.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hoogachtend,</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Prof. Fred Opperdoes</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Hoogleraar biochemie, parasitologie en bioinformatica</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">UCL</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; min-height: 15px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px">Secretaris Belgische Vereniging voor Biochemie en Moleculaire Biologie</span></div><br><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; 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orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div></span></span></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></div></span></span></span></div></span></div></span> </div><br><br>--
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