Objectives

Objective 1: Upgrading the existing technological capacities

The major obstacle in the establishment of a comprehensive antibody collection against proteins of interest is the shortage of the equipment used on a daily basis and lack of instrumentation needed to produce and characterize mAbs of the highest quality. CAPRI2010 should support equipping the Center with new research equipment (e.g. high speed-centrifuge, digital gel/blot imager, multimode reader device with platforms for absorbance, luminescence & fluorescence, antibody purification devices).

Objective 2: Recruitment of research personnel that will optimize the Center’s workflow and disseminate its potential

Two experienced teams will be responsible for the implementation of the CAPRI2010 project. The first team will be preferably oriented at hybridoma production optimization and establishment of new protein expression systems (eukaryotic cells or cell-free proteins), whereas the task of the second team will be the various methods of protein expression and further purification, characterization as well as quality control. The teams will comprise additionally experienced laboratory engineers (three in total). Since the increase in the visibility of the Center is an important objective of the project CAPRI2010, an additional, third research investigator will be responsible for dissemination activities, like systematically approaching all relevant institutions in the area.

Regarding the non-research personnel, the Center’s expansion requires a highly educated person, preferably with a degree in International Economics, who will be able to cope with administrative and financial issues, organizing workshops and conferences but also with the dissemination activities to ensure visibility of the research entity.

Objective 3: Facilitation of knowledge transfer

Another specific aim of CAPRI2010 is to ease knowledge transfer at the regional, national and international levels by organizing workshops and conferences. The Center for Proteomics should acquire sustainable human and technological resources to organize annual two-week experimental, i.e. hands-on workshops for approximately 8 participants and conferences aimed at network building between regional and international experts, researchers and former workshop participants.

Objective 4: Exchange of know-how and experience

In order to promote the exchange of know-how and to develop strategic partnerships with regional institutions of similar interests that could result in future collaborations and well-established research entities in the EU, a number of short-term visits will be organized in both directions. Also, long-term research-oriented secondments will take place between the Center for Proteomics and the partner institutions.

Objective 5: Increasing the visibility of the Center for Proteomics

Finally, the overall objective of the CAPRI2010 project is to implement an action plan that will consist of various activities necessary to increase the visibility of the Center for Proteomics in the EU and associated countries. This action plan includes: improvement of the existing web-site, reviews published in international research magazines, cooperation with national proteomics societies and the European Proteomic Association (EuPA), and the improved advertising policy with regular press conferences. The dissemination activities will be conducted on two levels:

• scientific community (both from academia and industry),
• non-scientific community (public bodies, private investors) and general public.