Visible networks

How has scientific research come to present itself in the glossy brochures and at networking events we see today? Since the 1990s, the way research is conceptualized, organized, and legitimized has fundamentally changed. However, this transformation cannot be solely explained by the introduction of New Public Management practices and a massive increase in funding. The image of science and research practices have also evolved during this period. The author traces the changes in research policy and life sciences in Switzerland from 1990 to 2016 through the case study of the Swiss Initiative for Systems Biology, SystemsX.ch. The emergence and functioning of this highly funded initiative—where the government invested around half a billion Swiss francs in SystemsX.ch—are contextualized within the societal framework.