111 | ERA-NET PathoGenoMics Produced by CSO-MOH, Israel Grant number: ERAC-CT-2044-006973 Produced by Produced by CSO-MOH, Israel CSO-MOH, Israel 1 | Foreword Zsuzsanna Kőnig, Project Officer I have been a project officer for the PathoGeMonics ERA-NET since 2008, and I always appreciated its smooth and efficient work. In its long life of 8 years, it has managed to form a strong, open minded and creative network of public funding agencies in Europe and to establish effective co-ordination of national research programmes in human pathogenic microorganisms. PathoGenoMics has performed very well in establishing a common ground for launching regular joint calls and PhD awards. It has also established a solid monitoring system of the funded research projects. It has excelled in strong science for society activities as well as in innovation related actions. A very positive spill-over of the best practices from PathoGenoMics to the ERA-NET community has taken place. I believe that it is very important to have such efficient communities of public research funders in Europe to find solutions for long-standing or emerging problems such as diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. They can contribute to reducing duplication in European research funding, to increasing synergies among Member States as well as to forming joint strategies. I would like to congratulate the PathoGenoMics network for their valuable work and excellent results. |2 3 | Foreword Executive Summary: Giorgio Clarotti ERA-NET PathoGenoMics, a project funded by the European Commission launched in PATHOGENOMICS: I REMEMBER THAT... September 2004 was established to coordinate genome-based research programmes on I remember joining the ERA coordination unit in spring 2005. The objective was to allow human-pathogenic microorganisms and to consolidate cooperation between the national programme managers to work together. In some countries there were no such figures, so agencies funding this research in the participating countries. involving ministries, which we called programme owners, became the first challenge. The funding institutions from partner countries participating in ERA-NET PathoGenoMics I remember meeting the PathoGenoMics project in September 2005, in Helsinki. It was a include: glorious summer day and the city like it could be on a Mediterranean shore. Austria- Federal Ministry for Science and Research (BMWF) and Austrian Science Fund We met in the splendid “Paasitorni” conference centre, which friendly warmth helped us (FWF); launch off fighting the super-bugs. Finland-:Academy of Finland (AKA); The project had been going on for a year, but this was when it was decided to launch the France- Institut Pasteur (IP), and The National Agency for Research (ANR); first joint call. The main discussion led to the decision, I remember that, to be inclusive: Germany- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Project Management addressing both bacterial and fungal pathogens of, again, both humans and animals. Juelich (PtJ); I recall having to leave “my” ERA-NETs to focus on the Joint Programming process. This Hungary- Hungarian Academy of Science (HAS) and Hungarian Scientific Research Fund was a sad decision, but “my” ERA-NET sprouts had grown and it was time to move to (OTKA); something new. Israel- The Chief Scientist Office, Ministry of Health (CSO-MOH); I remember sitting in the Council when the High Level group on Joint Programming (better Portugal- The Science and Technology Foundation (FCT); known under its French acronym “GPC”) selected, after a hot discussion the launch of a Joint Slovenia- Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MHEST); Programming Initiatives on the microbial resistance societal challenge. This was officially Spain - Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN). launched by the ministers gathered in the Competitiveness Council of December 2011. Funding for ERA-NET PathoGenoMics activities started in September 2004 and ended in According to the first mapping, this area is one where European cooperation is the strongest. August 2012. A first mapping suggests that, together, FP7 and ERA-NET PathoGenoMics account for The transnational framework of ERA-Net PathoGenoMics significantly advanced some 50/60% of all research in microbial resistance in the European Research Area. pathogenomics research by providing the means to overcome obstacles imposed by The future challenge is, for me, that an adequate governance is developed to national research programmes, such as limitations on funding research and unnecessary ensure that activities in national and European programmes develop synergies and duplication of efforts. Within the course of the PathoGenoMics programme, a mapping of complementarities so that, together, they effectively address the “superbugs” we pathogenomic-related research programmes was carried out by surveying the activities of started fighting jointly in 2005. partners as well as those of funding organizations outside of Europe. A strategic research agenda in pathogenomics was articulated and published in 20081. In addition, a web portal on ERA-NET PathoGenoMics' innovative activities was constructed and two PathoGenoMics Innovation Partnership (PIP) workshops were held. The information gathered in these workshops as well as a comprehensive analysis of pathogenomics-related Research and Technological Development (RTD) was detailed in the PathoGenoMics Innovation Paper, published in 20082. The core and most important achievement of ERA-NET PathoGenoMics, however, was the launch of three Joint Transnational Calls (JTCs) for research projects. While the first call aimed primarily at strengthening basic research in the field of functional genomics of human- pathogenic bacteria and fungi, the second and third calls focused more heavily on application and consolidated cooperation between academia and the clinical and industrial participants. 1 | Demuth A, Aharonowitz Y, Bachmann T. , Blum-Oehler G, Buchrieser C, Covacci A, et al, ." Pathogenomics: an Updated European Research Agenda", Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2008;8(3):386-93 2 | ERA-NET PathoGenoMics Innovation, Pathogenomics, Innovation and Public Health, http://www.pathogenomics-era.net/innovation/index.php?index=88 Giorgio Clarotti, former project officer, ERA-NET PathoGenoMics |4 5 | These calls included topics pertaining to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring What is ERA-NET? of infectious diseases, hence supported the transfer of the findings from basic research into The European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) is a European Commission initiative clinical and industrial applications. The number of funded scientists increased from the first launched within the Sixth and Seventh Framework Programmes, which is designed to to the second and third JTCs. The ERA-NET partners dedicated approximately €41.9 million to deepen scientific collaboration and coordination by facilitating transnational scientific fund projects approved under the three JTCs. Due to the high volume of applications received research. National and regional ministries and funding organisations comprise the in the first call, the application and selection process was revised for the subsequent calls, to ERA-NET partners. The main objective of an ERA-NET is to provide a framework to a two-step submission (pre-proposals and full proposals) evaluation process. promote networking by mutually opening national and regional research programmes to Project monitoring was conducted through a series of scientific and financial reports sent transnational research. ERA-NET programme sets the framework for concrete cooperation, by the coordinators. In addition, status seminars were held in which scientists presented such as the development and implementation of joint transnational calls. ERA-NET activity their work to the funding agencies and representatives of the programmes' Scientific complements EU research programmes, and the EU Commission funds both networking Advisory Board (SAB). activities and the management of the joint calls. Funding of the research activities resulting ERA-NET PathoGenoMics promoted the participation of young scientists in a number from the ERA-NET calls, however, is derived from the budgets of the regional and national of ways. Procedure was established to support consortia comprised and led by young ERA-NET partners. scientists. In addition, over the duration of the project, 17 doctoral students were awarded for exceptional doctoral theses in the field of pathogenomics. These were bestowed to the recipients at ceremonies held during major scientific conferences. Information regarding ERA-NET PathoGenoMics activities was disseminated by newsletters, flyers, brochures, press releases, help desks and the internet. An interactive teaching tool for junior high school students was also launched under the programme. "ERA-NET" is a Coordination Action (CA) scheme supported by the In preparation for follow-on activities, the overall efficiency and effectiveness of ERA- European Commission, designed to strengthen scientific foundations NET PathoGenoMics and its activities were evaluated by participating scientists and throughout Europe and to support the structure of the European agencies who were asked to fill a questionnaire on the programme's achievements and Research Area (ERA). Within this framework, ERA-Net PathoGenoMics on the future of concerted action in the study of infectious disease. The questionnaire was has created an cross-border venue