SFBI network

Initially set up in 2005 to ensure the continued organization of the French bioinformatics conference (JOBIM), the SFBI's mission is to lead and support the French bioinformatics community as a whole. Since its creation, the SFBI has broadened its activities. In addition to the missions specific to a learned society, the SFBI also works closely with other bioinformatics groups with the aim of joining forces on specific missions.

Figure 1 (Fiston-Lavier et al (2024) ISMB/ECCB 2023 organization benefited from the strengths of the French bioinformatics community. Bioinformatics Advances, Volume 4, Issue 1, vbae040, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioadv/vbae040)

The SFBI is leading the organisation of the JOBIM with the support of the IFB (Institut Français de Bioinformatique) and the GDR-BIMMM (Groupe de Recherche de BioInformatique Moléculaire : Modélisation et Méthodologie) (Figure 1).

With the Jeunes Bioinformaticiens de France (JeBIF), SFBI promotes bioinformatics to young people willing to continue their studies in bioinformatics. A directory of university courses has also been made available to the community (REBIF). During or after their studies, students can search for an internship or a job via the SFBI website (Figure 1).

For members of the community, the IFB-Elixir offers a range of resources. To keep pace with the rapid advances in our field, the SFBI is working with the IFB to promote thematic training courses aimed at enhancing the skills of members of the community.

Since 2021, SFBI has been an active member of the Collège des Sociétés Savantes Académiques de France (CoSSAF), to ensure that the community's voice is heard by the highest authorities. SFBI takes part in discussions and adopts positions on national and international issues that could have an impact on our community (Figure 1).

SFBI also organizes international conferences. It co-organized the International Bioinformatics Conference with the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB), which was held in France in July 2023. As a result of this collaborative work, SFBI has been invited to become an affiliate member of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB) and is continuing its involvement in bioinformatics at the international level (Figure 1).

SFBI also supports the professional networks and working groups set up by the MERIT and BioinfoDiag networks.

More recently, SFBI wanted to highlight the Bioinfo-fr blog, a fine initiative by members of the community that enables bioinformaticians to discuss a wide range of subjects, from lab life to new computer technologies.