INTRODUCTION

A network has been formed focusing on biotechnology based research on “Root-Microbe Systems Biology”. It will strongly promote training and education of research students, but also be highly beneficial to experienced researchers by providing a firm network structure targeting the significant problems of root and microbe interactions.

NorFA Planning Meeting
NOVA-ScanBalt AgroBiotech Research Network
Copenhagen, 20-21 February 2004

The network was formed at the planning meeting in Copenhagen 20-21 February 2004, sponsored by a NorFA grant, where scientists from all the ScanBalt countries met to discuss common interests and needs, map regional focus areas and to identify potential partnerships.

A steering group of 22 researchers from all the ScanBalt countries will work to develop this network.

Following work group will lead the NorFA network application:

Igor A. Tikhonovich, Professor, Dr
All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg
Russia

Sigute Kuusiene, Assoc. Professor, Dr
Lithuanian Forest Research Institute, Lab of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Kaunas
Lithuania

Günther Adam, Professor, Dr
University of Hamburg, Institute of Applied Botany, Hamburg
Germany

Jari P.T. Valkonen, Professor, Dr
University of Helsinki, Department of Applied Biology, Helsinki
Finland

Background:
Agricultural sciences have been a leading area in Nordic-Baltic research collaboration and postgraduate training. However, biotechnology did not receive adequate attention, despite its growing potentials. The Nordic and Baltic countries are relatively small, and specific scientific fields are often developed by just a handful of specialists. This is especially pronounced in new research areas, such as AgroBiotech. Therefore, to form a worldwide competitive region within AgroBiotech, the countries of the Baltic Sea and Nordic Region need to boost the development via collaboration.

Contact: jw@scanbalt.org