PROJECT COORDINATOR
 | Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia |
Main expertise: Structure, stability, thermodynamics of proteins
Role in the project: CIB TIP-UPJS is the coordinator and the main beneficiary of the APBC project. Staff, scientific as well administrative, and early stage researchers at CIB TIP-UPJS will participate on all activities of the project, organization of workshops, symposia, trainings, joint summer and winter schools. CIB TIP-UPJS will benefit from the incoming expert visits from universities and private sector as well as outgoing short-term visits at the partners institutions and private companies. Dissemination and communication activities will be performed by the designated members of CIB. Finally, CIB TIP-UPJS will manage and coordinate work-packages (WP1-WP5 involved in the project and communicate with EC.
PAVOL JOZEF ŠAFÁRIK UNIVERSITY IN KOŠICE (UPJS), CIB TIP-UPJS
UPJS established in 1959, is the second-largest classical Slovak university with five faculties (Medicine, Science, Law, Public Administration, Arts) and approximately 7500 students and 650 teachers/researchers. The recent reports of several Academic Ranking and Rating Agencies confirm that the quality of research outputs from the UPJS is increasing and that the University belongs between the best three Research universities in Slovakia. Research infrastructure of the UPJS has been in the previous years (2010-2019) upgraded by the implementation of 24 scientific and research projects within the national Operational Program Research and Development (OPRD), which is an implementation strategy for European Cohesion Policy defined in the official National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 negotiated with EC. Individual laboratories from UPJS have participated in FP5, FP6, FP7, and H2020 projects. The most important from the point of view of the recent CasProt project was the FP7 project – „Fostering Excellence in Multiscale Cell Imaging“ – 316310 CELIM, [REGPOT-2012-2013-1 HEALTH], period: 2013-2016, total budget 2.7 million of EUR.. Another significant project is the H2020 project CasProt, from 2020 to 2023, with a total budget of 0.88 million EUR.
The successful execution of these projects facilitated the establishment of the Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences Technology and Innovation Park at the UPJS (CIB TIP-UPJS) and the creation of a network of EU partners in interdisciplinary bioresearch. Our collaborations are founded on a complementary exchange of expertise, yielding joint research projects and papers published in prestigious scientific journals such as Nature Communications, PNAS, Scientific Reports, Analytical Chemistry, and the Biophysical Journal. CIB TIP-UPJS has consistently delivered high-quality, interdisciplinary bioscience research utilizing advanced experimental and theoretical methods. The laboratories of CIB TIP-UPJS have been fitted with cutting-edge equipment for molecular biophysics, protein engineering, organic biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, laser spectroscopy, bioenergetics, microscopy, and molecular simulations. To further develop the Center’s research profile, eight distinguished Slovak scientists, who have previously worked at internationally acclaimed scientific institutions, have been reintegrated into CIB UPJS. This strategic decision is pivotal for UPJS’s future scientific advancements and for fostering biomedical and biotechnological start-ups within Slovakia.
CIB TIP-UPJS in the 7 years of its existence has become known as an innovative interdisciplinary science and technology center dealing with oriented research at the intersection of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and informatics and the transfer of scientific knowledge into production practice. The dominant mission of the center is the implementation of high-quality basic research in the areas of protein engineering, directed protein evolution, nanomedicine, bioenergetics, and the environment. This is linked to the development of new technologies and innovations for the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases, environmental analysis as well as their marketing and the application of the latest scientific knowledge in economic practice and education.
Over the years, CIB TIP-UPJS established very close connections with the Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the joint effort these teams successfully obtained projects and funding from H2020 and EU structural funds, including projects like Openmed and BioPickmol. The cumulative funding (grants + budget) of over 16 million EUR has enabled the sustainable growth of the center and the implementation of performance-based salary schemes for CIB TIP-UPJS members, ensuring a competitive and motivating work environment.
COOPERATING PARTNERS
 | University of Groningen, Netherlands |
Main expertise: Protein engineering in silico and experimental approaches
Role in the project: UG’s contribution to the project will consist in helping to establish a bioinformatics group at CIB TIP-UPJS and in the development of a rational design strategy in combination with the method of directed evolution with a focus on the design of robust and effective photosensitizers. The photosensitizers based on flavoproteins have the potential to be used in medical-oriented cell biology research, in photodynamic therapy, and in dermatological applications, are the research focus of UG and UPJS. The combined effort by in silico and rational design and protein evolution methods has a high potential to evolve suitable enzyme candidates for biotechnological applications at TRL3 and higher. The expertise of UG will be utilized in a stregthening study program oriented to protein engineering in both in silico and experimental approaches and an establishment of R&D laboratory used as a joint laboratory of the APBC participating on all tasks of WP2 (Advanced biotechnology R&I) and reaching goals of WP3 (Commercialization & industry engagement strategy).
UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN (UG)
The University of Groningen is an internationally oriented university with a rich academic tradition. Since the establishment in 1614, the university has brought forward striving academics, like the first female student, the first Dutch astronaut and various Nobel prize winners. Geographically, the University is rooted in the Northern part of the Netherlands, a region very close to its heart. They connect education and research with sustainable and economic processes within society. This comes together in our three spearheads: Energy, Healthy Ageing and Sustainable Society. UG is known for its strong natural sciences programs, its research-oriented approach, and its international outlook. It collaborates with various research institutes and industries, providing students with ample opportunities for practical experience and internships. The university’s faculties and research centers often conduct cutting-edge research, contributing to advancements in natural sciences.
 | Technical University of Munich, Germany |
Main expertise: Single-molecule biophysics, protein folding, optical tweezers, and related software and hardware development, data analysis, molecular assays, new protocols protein conjugations.
Role in the project: Providing expertise in the specific area of protein science, single-molecule protein folding and refolding, development and customization of high-resolution optical tweezers, participation on workshops, symposia and joint summer schools during the project, providing capacity and tutoring for the outgoing visits of the scientists and early stage researchers from CIB TIP-UPJS to TUM. Helping the staff of the coordinating institution (the UPJS) to improve its project management/administration skills through short-term expert visits, trainings and workshops. The co-coordinator of WP1 and WP5.
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH (TUM), Department of Physics E22
TUM was founded in 1868 to provide the state of Bavaria with a centre of learning dedicated to the natural sciences. The university played a vital role in Bavaria’s transition from an agricultural to an industrial state – and accelerated the pace of technological advancement across Europe. TUM is clearly structured. It has 14 academic departments, and Integrative Research Centres engaged in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. The TUM Board of Management oversees the running of the university, the TUM Board of Trustees is the university’s central supervisory board. The TUM is one of Europe’s top universities. It is committed to excellence in research and teaching, interdisciplinary education and the active promotion of promising young scientists. The university also forges strong links with companies and scientific institutions across the world. TUM was one of the first universities in Germany to be named a University of Excellence. Moreover, TUM regularly ranks among the best European universities in international rankings.
