/ 2007

MESR, ANR (France), BMBF (Germany) and MEC (Spain) sign Memorandum of Understanding to reinforce the strategy of public-private partnerships

A meeting was held in Paris on September 4, 2007, at the initiative of the “Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche” (MESR, France), of the “Agence Nationale de la Recherche” (ANR, France), of the “Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung” (BMBF, Germany) and of the “Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia” (MEC, Spain), in order to launch a new research program combining the national activities in plant genomics, plant systems biology as well as biotechnology and to support the establishment of a knowledge-based bio-economy in Europe (KBBE). The “Transnational Plant Alliance for Novel Technologies - toward implementing the Knowledge Based Bio-Economy’ (PLANT-KBBE) in Europe" will start in early 2008 and will run until 2013.

More: http://www.mec.es/ciencia/jsp/plantilla.jsp?area=eranets&id=14; (at the PLANT-KBBE
secretariat of MEC) ; < http://www.fz-juelich.de/ptj/plant > (at PtJ; Projektträger Jülich);

Contact: Dr. Rainer Büschges at PtJ: < r.bueschges@fz-juelich.de >; Dr. Julio Barbas at MEC < julio.barbas@mec.es >; Dr. Francis Quetiér (DGRI/ANR)

SKEP ERA-NET launches first joint call

The ERA-NET on Scientific Knowledge for Environmental Protection (SKEP ERA-NET) is a partnership of 15 government ministries and agencies, from 11 European countries, responsible for funding environmental research. The project aims to improve the co-ordination of environmental research in Europe. SKEP (Scientific Knowledge for Environmental Protection) is unique as it isn't a topic based era-net, we are a network of public-sector research funders, including research institutes, environment ministries and regulatory authorities that aims to improve the co-ordination of all types of environmental research in Europe. The first SKEP joint call on sustainable consumption and production has now been launched. The call will have a total budget of €550 k, with a maximum of €100 k from each partner country. Topic areas for project proposals are:

· A review of environmental accounting approaches associated with the consumption of imported goods and services.
and
· An assessment of the interplay between environmental regulation and market forces with respect to the building and construction industry.

Website: www.skep-era.net

6/7/2007

5th Solanacea Genome Workshop 2008

Cologne, Germany (October 11-16, 2008)
The place for the SOL2008 workshop is already announced. The Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIZ), Cologne, Germany, will organize in collaboration with Phytowelt GreenTechnologies GmbH (sender) the 5th Solanaceae Genome Conference (SOL2008) from October 11 to 16, 2008 in Cologne, Germany. Cologne is a beautiful and lively city located at the river Rhine in the mid West of Germany, with lots of things to do and to see, with two airports nearby and fast train connections. The organizers cordially invite the international solanaceae research community to visit SOL2008 next year and experience an excellent conference with an attractive and stimulating scientific and social program. Further details concerning this conference will be published in due time on the MPIZ website.

6/7/2007

4th Solanacea Genome Workshop 2007

Ramada Plazam, Jeju Island, Korea (September 09-13, 2007)
The International Solanaceae Genome Project (SOL) was established based on the agreements of Solanaceae scientists from 11 countries who gathered in Washington DC on November 03, 2003. Over the coming 10 years SOL will integrate diverse disciplines and research groups from around the world to create a coordinated network of knowledge about life and agriculture.Coming SOL 2007 workshop will be focused on sharing the progresses of Solanaceae genomics works all over the world that will include genome sequencing, comparative genomics, nutrigenomics, bioinformatics and functional genomics of Solanaceae plant family and relatives.

More: http://www.solanaceae2007.org/