Officially launched today in Geneva, Datarium is a free open-air exhibition explaining bioinformatics and its little-known contributions to society through engaging Swiss examples. The exhibition was inaugurated by political, scientific and academic leaders at an event co-hosted by SIB and the City of Geneva. Datarium opens #GenevaLovesData: an SIB initiative in partnership with Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the University of Geneva that reinforces Switzerland’s, and especially Geneva’s, position as a global reference hub of reliable, high-quality data.
#GenevaLovesData
#GenevaLovesData is a SIB initiative in partnership with HUG and the University of Geneva, which showcases the role of data in health, research, the environment and artificial intelligence. The initiative is built around three highlights: the open-air Datarium exhibition from 3 to 30 August; a public forum on 31 August that brings together scientists, decision-makers, media and the general public through talks, workshops and debates; and the European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB), the main European conference devoted to biological data science, organized by SIB in Geneva from 31 August to 4 September.
A tour through pathogen, health and biodiversity data
From fighting epidemics to treating cancer, from protecting the environment to realising personalized health, data are at the heart of major scientific advances. Datarium invites the public to explore how life-science data are transformed into discoveries and solutions for society. Featuring research projects, science images and diverse testimonies – including work by scientists from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals – the free exhibition (in FR/EN) reveals the essential role of bioinformatics: a field as strategic as it is invisible outside science.
#GenevaLovesData
#GenevaLovesData is a SIB initiative in partnership with HUG and the University of Geneva, which showcases the role of data in health, research, the environment and artificial intelligence. The initiative is built around three highlights: the open-air Datarium exhibition from 3 to 30 August; a public forum on 31 August that brings together scientists, decision-makers, media and the general public through talks, workshops and debates; and the European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB), the main European conference devoted to biological data science, organized by SIB in Geneva from 31 August to 4 September.
The free, multilingual exhibition, Datarium – running in Geneva's public parks this month and permanently online – officially launched today at the current open-air site, Parc des Bastions. Invitees from Switzerland’s political, scientific, and academic communities heard from Simone de Montmollin, SIB President and Swiss National Councillor, Joëlle Bertossa, Administrative Councillor of the City of Geneva, and Christophe Dessimoz, SIB Director, before a guided tour with curator Dorian Ziegler.
SIB created Datarium, and the wider #GenevaLovesData programme it kicks off (see box), as part of our mission to represent and promote Swiss bioinformatics. Today’s opening was hosted by SIB and the City of Geneva.
Life-science data have become indispensable for meeting major challenges in health, the environment and artificial intelligence. Datarium shows their concrete impact, and the expertise Geneva has built in this strategic field.
Exploring the promise and challenges of AI
With artificial intelligence occupying a growing place in public debate, Datarium provides an opportunity to explore what lies behind its incredible advances. The exhibition outlines the essential foundations of AI in the life sciences – high-quality data, rigorous comparison of methods to verify their reliability – and debunks some common misconceptions, including what models can and cannot do.
Without high-quality data, there is neither good science nor reliable AI. Datarium invites the public to discover the often-invisible work that turns data into knowledge.
Geneva is well-positioned on trustworthy AI worldwide
The exhibition and broader #GenevaLovesData initiative put the spotlight on Geneva’s high-quality reference data, scientific excellence, advanced data infrastructure, and international collaborations. This unique ecosystem supports its role in driving a global agenda for trustworthy AI that serves the common good.
Geneva's scientific know-how in life-science data is recognized internationally. This exhibition makes that expertise visible and creates a dialogue between science and society.
See Datarium – Geneva at the heart of life-science data at Parc des Bastions until 19 August, then at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc until 30 August – or visit online
Read the news from the City of Geneva website: Et si les données pouvaient raconter le vivant?
Photo credit: Nicolas Righetti | Lundi13"
