Biomedical Imaging Organization for South East Europe or BIO-SEE for short was formed in the Spring of 2022 with the help of a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to address the need for a regional network of biomedical researchers interested in advanced imaging techniques. The four main goals of BIO-SEE are:
- To share the expertise, methods, and protocols that facilitate the use of both individual and shared bioimaging equipment
- To facilitate collaborations between BIO-SEE members, particularly those driven by junior investigators
- To connect BIO-SEE researchers to a global biomedical imaging community.
- To develop educational activities aimed at raising the next generation of young scientists interested in bioimaging equipment and applications
CZI Foundation
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our local communities. CZI's mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.
The two areas of CZI interests relevant to BIO-SEE include Science and Education. See the CZI website for details of their activities in these domains, including grants and trainings.
Science. CZI supports the science and technology that will make it possible to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of the 21st century. It fosters collaboration between scientists and engineers, helps to develop new technologies, and provides support for basic scientific research.
Education. CZI wants to ensure that every student —not just a lucky few—can get an education that’s tailored to their individual needs and supports every aspect of their development. It wants every teacher to be equipped with the tools and research they need to help get them there.
OIPH
Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA (OIPH) serves as the host institution for the CZI award. It is also a physical location of the BIO-SEE head office.
OIPH is one of the first institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian Soviet Republic (now called the National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia or NAS RA). It was established by Ivan Pavlov’s famous disciple, Leon Orbeli during the turbulent period of World War II. The Institute had an objective of concentrating, in one physical place, research efforts conducted at different Armenian universities in physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology fields. Despite its multiple relocations and reorganizations over the past 75 years, the Institute has maintained a fierce dedication to educating physiology professionals and has been at the forefront of multiple research areas, particularly in the neuroscience field. Similar to other academic institutions, the OIPH’s ability to conduct research was impacted by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic hardships that followed. Today the OIPH is actively re-establishing its scientific status and collaborative ties. Participation in various grant programs and initiatives allowed to partially renew the experimental and technical base of the Institute, renovate its infrastructure, and expanded the use of digital technologies. OIPH also strives to strengthen the links between its academic efforts and clinical medicine.