Researchers awarded in the first MIRRI/IS_MIRRI21 TransNational Access (TNA) call 2021

We are pleased to announce the first four users awarded by MIRRI’s IS_MIRRI21 project during the 1st TransNational Access (TNA) call.
These researchers will be granted access to IS_MIRRI21 resources and facilities from July to November 2021.

Roksana Majewska – Postdoc researcher at the North-West University South Africa (South Africa)

Roksana is a marine biologist, phycologist, and natural scientist with experience in various fields of aquatic and environmental studies. She is a research fellow at the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University (South Africa) and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, where she studies tropical and extreme habitat diatoms using both morphological and molecular approaches and supports the management and development of the South African National Diatom Collection. Roksana is also a visiting scientist at the Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas in Austin (USA), and the Chair of the Africa BioGenome Project Pilot Committee.

Assunta Saide – Postdoc researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Italy)

Assunta’s research interests are marine biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology with a strong expertise in mechanisms of induction of apoptosis and cellular death in human cancer cells. As a researcher of the POR project ADVISE at the SZN, she is involved in the characterisation of the biological activities of chemical compounds extracted from microalgae, on different cancer cell lines and the identification of the targeted genes. The aim is to identify new compounds that induce a specific type of cell death in cancer cells; and/or stimulates an immune response in normal cells so that they can inhibit cancer cell growth.

Agapi Doulgeraki – Assistant researcher at Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, ELGO-DEMETER (Greece)

Dr. Agapi Doulgeraki is an Assistant Researcher (topic: Food microbiology) at the Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products of Hellenic Agricultural Organization – DIMITRA. She is specialized in food microbiology and application of molecular techniques. Specifically, her research interests focus on monitoring microorganisms and their behaviour in foods by application of standard and molecular techniques, enhancement of foods’ safety and quality (use of natural antimicrobials, fermentation, packaging, probiotics etc.), biofilm formation on biotic and abiotic surfaces and biofilm decontamination. She holds a degree in Food Science and Technology from Agricultural University of Athens and a Ph.D. in Food microbiology from Cranfield University.

Fortunato Palma Esposito – Postdoc researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Italy)

Fortunato is an early career Postdoc researcher at Marine Biotechnology Department at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Naples. He obtained his PhD degree in biotechnology in 2018 followed by almost 2 years as an innovation consultant writing and managing European projects. Fortunato has a broad experience in microbiology, working with bacteria, yeast and fungi especially from marine sources. Fortunato’s scientific interests are mainly based on the sustainable exploitation of marine microbial biodiversity to identify novel bioactive compounds for biotech applications. He was a visiting student in several Biotech labs in Europe and successfully participated in others TNA programmes.

MIRRI has received a delegation from the European Commission

On 08 June 2021, MIRRI was honoured with the visit of a delegation of Economic Advisers and other elements from the European Commission. The visit, taking place at the University of Minho (Braga, Portugal), where MIRRI has its headquarters, has occurred on the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and has been coordinated by the Directorate-General for Economic Activities (DGAE) and the Portuguese Permanent Representation to the European Union (REPER). MIRRI had the chance to share with the visitors an overview of its mission, organization and activities, as well as to present its Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda 2021-2030.

MIRRI successfully concludes its 1st TNA call for proposals and thanks all applicants

The Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure (MIRRI) is pleased to inform that recently, and after 3 months of continuous and intense dissemination, has successfully completed its 1st call for Transnational Access (TNA) under the IS_MIRRI21 project. Applications have been received from Europe, Africa and Latin America, covering fields as diverse as biotechnology, bioeconomy, pharmacology, agri-food and environmental conservation.

The process is now proceeding with the evaluation phase, where external experts review the submissions and select the most suitable ones to have funded access to develop their projects at the IS_MIRRI21 partners’ facilities. The awarded submissions will be announced on the 4th   of June on the IS_MIRRI21 TNA page and the access to the facilities will be granted from July 2021.

The unprecedented health crisis the world is living nowadays has made a lasting impact on research and the mobility of scientists. Notwithstanding, MIRRI and the IS_MIRRI21 project partners are always committed to guarantee, as much as possible, the access to its facilities and resources and keep supporting the development of meritorious research and innovation projects.

MIRRI and the IS_MIRRI21 project partners deeply appreciate the interest and the participation of all the applicants on this 1st Transnational Access call!

Publisher: Institut Pasteur