Results  
Click on each Work Package to view the CAPRI2010 project results.
Work Package 1
Upgrading the existing technological capacities of the Center for Proteomics
Work Package 2
Recruitment of research personnel who will optimize the Center’s work-flow and disseminate its potential
Work Package 3
Unlocking research potential by organizing workshops and seminars or conferences
Work Package 4
Developing human resources by exchange of specific know-how in mAb development as well as protein expression and analysis
Work Package 5
Dissemination activities
Work Package 6
Project management
Work Package 1
Upgrading the existing technological capacities of the Center for Proteomics
Legend:
Deliverable: D4 - Purchase and establishment of equipment for optimization of hybridoma production and screening
Planned delivery date: M3 (May 2009), M12 (February 2010)
Actual delivery date: M11 (January 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M24 (February 2011)
Activities done:
Procurement of the ELISA Multimode Reader
The ELISA analyser (manufacturer: Berthold Technologies) was procured, which will significantly reduce time needed to characterise hybridoma cell lines. It will also speed up the process of mAb characterisation in terms of their in vitro blocking capacity. The same system will enable the Center for Proteomics to routinely test the hybridoma cell lines on the existence of mycoplasma, which is a crucial step in their quality control.
ELISA Multimode Reader after the instalment at the Center for Proteomics
Deliverable: D5 - Establishment and testing of new equipment for mAb purification, mAb characterization and protein analysis
Planned delivery date: M3 (May 2009), M12 (February 2010)
Actual delivery date: M3 (May 2009); M13 (March 2010); M18 (August 2010); M29 (July 2011)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M32 (October 2011)
Activities done:
Date: 5th July 2011
New ultracentrifuge at the Center for Proteomics
A high-performance ultracentrifuge (manufacturer: Thermo Scientific - Sorvall) has been procured and installed at the Center, with the aim of upgrading the existing technological setup for mAb characterization.
 
- Instalment of the ultracentrifuge at the Center for Proteomics
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- Date: 30th August 2010 / 16th December 2010
Procurement of various components for protein purification
The supporting components - platforms, columns, column adaptors, membranes, gel electrophoresis system (manufacturers: GE Healthcare, Millipore, Hoefer) have been procured for the characterization of the generated mAbs and protein purification.
Instalment of a platform for mAb and protein filtration at the Center for Proteomics
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Procurement of the bioflasks
The CELLline1000CL tissue flasks or bioreactors (manufacturer: Integra) for mAb production with high yield have been procured. The expected final result of accomplishment of this task is the move of the mAb production in high yield away from ascites in the direction of bioflasks and cell culture-based systems.
Work with the bioflasks at the Center for Proteomics
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Procurement of the liquid chromatography system
The high-performance liquid chromatography system - HPLC (manufacturer: GE Healthcare) has been procured, with the aim of upgrading the existing technological setup for mAb purification and characterization. This system is used on a daily basis for the purification of expressed target proteins and produced mAbs.
The liquid chromatography system in use at the Center for Proteomics
Deliverable: D10 - Hybridoma and mAb database upgrade
Planned delivery date: M6 (August 2009)
Actual delivery date: M14 (April 2010)
Activities done:
Lab management programme upgrade
The existing data organization system for accurate management of the large numbers of hybridoma and mAbs (lab management program called webLAB) has been upgraded to a fully operational level. This database/laboratory management software provides detailed information about proteins, hybridoma and mAbs, and is being updated with new inputs (clone names, clonality, growing media, production and purification details, storage and quality control information) on a regular basis. The detailed information on each clone stored in the system is called the clone identification card and includes: the antibody isotype, working techniques and used protocols.
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IT capacities upgrade
The IT capacities of the Center for Proteomics have been upgraded through the procurement of three computers. These will be used by the personnel newly employed on the CAPRI2010 project.
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Procurement of the liquid nitrogen tank
The high capacity liquid nitrogen tank (manufacturer: ThermoFisher) has been procured in order to increase the capacity of the cryoconservation and storage facilities of the Center for Proteomics due to the growing number of new proteins for immunization, hybridoma cell lines and respective mAbs.
Instalment of the new high-capacity liquid nitrogen tank at the Center for Proteomics
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Dissemination capacities upgrade
The dissemination capacities have been upgraded through the acquisition of an LCD projector and conference equipment for the seminars and conferences room of the Center for Proteomics.
The newly equipped conference room’s capacity is 20 persons and it was fully exploited for the first time during the Advanced Laboratory Training Course “Viral Subversion of Immune Response” (http://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/1212010_international_courses_list.pdf) sponsored by HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute). This prestigious course was organised by Astrid Krmpotic (Dpt. of Histology and Embryology) and Stipan Jonjic and held at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, from June 7 – 18, 2009, with the aim of providing intensive theoretical and practical overview of viral regulation of innate and acquired immune response. The lecturers and trainers were among the world’s most reputable scientists in the field of immunology and virology.
The newly equipped conference room of the Center for Proteomics
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Project financial management software upgrade
The existing project financial management programme of the Center for Proteomics has been upgraded in order to completely meet the CAPRI2010 project reporting requirements. This software will facilitate the just-in-time and accurate monitoring of the project revenues and costs as well as other project accounting and financial management statistics.
Deliverable: D11 - Purchase and testing of new equipment for protein expression with already existing vectors
Planned delivery date: M9 (November 2009)
Actual delivery date: M4 (June 2009), M26 (April 2011)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M32 (October 2011)
Activities done:
Date: 21st April 2011
Procurement of the equipment for transfection of eukaryotic cells
Nucleofector, an instrument specialized for the transfection of eukaryotic cells (manufacturer: Lonza), has been procured from the CAPRI2010 project funds. This device combines electroporation with the chemical transfection and is very efficient in the DNA intake directly to the nucleus. It will enable the Center for Proteomics to improve its production line of proteins in eukaryotic cells, which is a better option when compared to E.coli production. E. coli, although enabling a large quantity of the target protein, cannot perform their glycosylation and the resulted protein is less similar to the native one. Thus, there is always a risk that the antibodies generated against the protein produced in E.coli would not recognize the real, native protein, from mouse, human etc. The newly acquired device will be used for generation of many transient and stable transfectant cell lines, while the most straightforward way to improve the protein production capacity might be the ability of Nucleofector to introduce DNA in the nucleus of SF9 cells. This insect cell line (SF9) is most popular for the generation of eukaryotic proteins since it ensures enough quantity of the protein with significantly improved status of glycosylation in comparison to E.coli. In conclusion, the avoidance of baculovirus as a tool to introduce DNA into the SF9 cells will bring significant savings in both money and time to the Center.
- Instalment of the Nucleofector at the Center for Proteomics.
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- Date: 6th June 2009
Procurement of the high-speed centrifuge
A high speed-centrifuge Rotina 380R has been procured (manufacturer: Hettich), which will significantly improve the production and characterization of mAbs. The realisation of this deliverable is related to the aim of upgrading the Center’s capacities in mAb and protein production and purification in high yield, including the final characterization, quality assurance and function analysis.
High-speed centrifuge after instalment at the Center for Proteomics
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Work Package 2
Recruitment of research personnel who will optimize the Center’s work-flow and disseminate its potential
Legend:
Deliverable: D3 - Staff recruitment
Planned delivery date: M2 (April 2009), M6 (August 2009)
Actual delivery date: M1 (March 2009), M5 (July 2009), M13 (March 2010), M22 (December 2010), M27 (May 2011)
Activities done:
Date: 5th May 2011
Recruitment of two experienced researchers to CAPRI2010
Anto Vrdoljak, PhD, previously affiliated to University College Cork, Ireland, and Alexej Schmidt, previously affiliated to Helicure AB, Sweden, have been selected in an international open competition process to work on the project as experienced research investigators, who will coordinate the exchange of know-how and dissemination activities in frame of CAPRI2010 as well as help coordinate the work of research teams of the Center for Proteomics.
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New laboratory engineer on CAPRI2010
An experienced laboratory engineer, Danica Rebic, has been recruited in April 2011 to work on CAPRI2010 as a replacement for an engineer on a temporary leave of absence. She will support the project team working on the upgrade of the protein expression systems and protein production and purification in high yield.
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Open position for an experienced researcher on CAPRI2010
View the job announcement here or visit http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/.
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New senior laboratory engineers on CAPRI2010
Two senior laboratory engineers have been recruited in November and December 2010 to work on CAPRI2010 as replacements for engineers on a temporary leave of absence: Ante Mise, who will be responsible for the support of the project team working on in vivo experiments, hybridoma development, screening and storage optimisation, and Doris Malnar, who will support the project team working on the upgrade of the protein expression systems and protein production and purification in high yield.
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The recruitment of an experienced researcher to CAPRI2010
Daniel Giner Sanchez, PhD, from the University General Hospital Alicante, Alicante, Spain, has been selected in an international open competition process to work on the project as an experienced research investigator, who will coordinate the exchange of know-how and dissemination activities in frame of CAPRI2010 as well as help coordinate the work of research teams of the Center for Proteomics.
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Open position for an experienced researcher on CAPRI2010
View the job announcement here or visit http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/ or http://portal.connect.znanost.org/content/view/3321/.
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The recruitment of a molecular biologist to CAPRI2010
Maja Gulin, a higher research fellow, with the educational background in molecular biology and international work experience, has been recruited to the CAPRI2010 project team responsible for protein production optimization.
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The appointment of an experienced research investigator to the CAPRI2010 team
Tihana Lenac Rovis has been affiliated to the CAPRI2010 project, with PhD in biochemistry and professional experience in immunology, as a leader of the research team in charge of the project support activity of hybridoma production optimization and establishment of new protein expression systems.
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The enhancement of the CAPRI2010 project team
Karmela Miklic, a senior lab engineer, has been recruited to CAPRI2010 and will be responsible for the support of the project team working on hybridoma development, screening and storage optimisation.
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The formation of the CAPRI2010 project team
The following experienced researchers and experienced research support personnel have been recruited to the CAPRI2010 project, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Stipan Jonjic (http://www.medri.uniri.hr/~jstipan/):
- Antonija Zurunic, a higher research fellow with both the academic and the biotechnology industry work experience, to work as a leader of the Center for Proteomics’ research team oriented at the implementation and optimization of mAb purification, characterization as well as quality control systems
- Suzana Malic, an experienced laboratory engineer, responsible for the support of the project team working on protein production and purification in high yield as well as introduction of the new and upgrade of the existing protein expression systems
- Marko Lapat, an experienced laboratory engineer, responsible for the support of the project team working on hybridoma development, screening and storage optimisation
Deliverable: D22 - Three additional collaborative projects with innovative applications (e.g. in proteome analysis) of mAbs
Planned delivery date: M36 (February 2012)
Actual delivery date: M18 (August 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M36 (February 2012)
Activities done:
Six applications to FP7 and other calls for proposals
During the first 18 project months the Center for Proteomics has applied as a consortium partner to three collaborative FP7 calls for projects proposals and as a partner or single beneficiary to three other calls for proposals with innovative applications of mAbs:
- FP7-HEALTH-2009-single-stage (Cooperation programme): “Innovative Systems for Highly Efficient Detection of Proteins in Body Fluids” (coordinator: Scuola Internazionale di Studi Avanzati - SISSA, Italy)
- FP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage (Cooperation programme): “Human Cytomegalovirus Infection in the Pathogenesis of Progressive Systemic Sclerosis” (coordinator: Universita degli Studi di Verona, Italy)
- FP7-HEALTH-2011-2.4.2-2 (Cooperation programme): “Clinical and functional predictive evaluation of the vitamin E binding protein Afamin for cardiovascular disease” (coordinator: Innsbruck Medical University, Austria)
- NIH International Research in Infectious Diseases including AIDS (IRIDA) Program (R01) - PAR-08-130: “Viral evasion of NK cells” (coordinator: the Center for Proteomics)
- NIH R01: “MCMV Infection of the Developing CNS: Neuroinvasion and immune Control” (coordinator: University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA)
- Business Innovation Center of Croatia – Proof of Innovative Concept Program: “Croatian Monoclonal Antibodies” (coordinator: the Center for Proteomics)
Two of these projects have been selected for financing, two have been evaluated above the threshold but were not on a list for financing and two are in the evaluation stage.
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Work Package 3
Unlocking research potential by organizing workshops and seminars or conferences
Legend:
Deliverable: D13 - Laboratory workshops
Actual delivery date: M27 (May 2011)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M32 (October 2011), M35 (January 2012)
Activities in progress:
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Antibody engineering: from murine hybridoma to therapeutics
3rd CAPRI2010 Advanced Laboratory Workshop
  
Venue: Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Date: February 13–15, 2012
View the Workshop Announcement here.
View the programme here.
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Activities done:
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Advanced production techniques for complex protein biologics
2nd CAPRI2010 Advanced Laboratory Workshop
 
Venue: Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Date: October 24–27, 2011
View the Workshop Announcement here.
Download the Programme from here.
View the Workshop photo gallery here .
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Fc protein expression of type I and type II proteins
1st CAPRI2010 Advanced Laboratory Workshop
Venue: Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Date: May 2 –8, 2011
View the Workshop Announcement here.
Download the Programme from here.
View the Workshop photo gallery here.
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Deliverable: D14 - Annual seminars-conferences
Planned delivery date: M11 (January 2010), M23 (January 2011), M35 (January 2012)
Actual delivery date: M14 (April 2010), M31 (September 2011)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M35 (January 2012)
Activities done:
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- Date: 20th September 2011
- 2nd CAPRI2010 Annual Seminar-Conference: Cellular immune mechanisms to tumours and viruses
- The Center for Proteomics and the Department for Histology and Embryology have been the venues of the 2nd CAPRI2010 annual seminar-conference. The main goal of the conference has been the establishment of collaboration between two research groups: Antonella Viola group from the Humanitas Institute, Italy, and Stipan Jonjic group from the University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine. The members of the two research groups and conference participants from other departments of the University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine have had an opportunity to exchange knowledge and obtain insights into the most recent research efforts on the topic of cellular immune mechanisms to tumours and viruses. View the Seminar-Conference Programme here.
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- Date: 23rd April 2010
1st CAPRI2010 Annual Seminar-Conference – topic: Natural Killer cells
On 22nd April 2010 the Center for Proteomics and the Department for Histology and Embryology hosted two researchers of the highest rank in the field of immunology, Prof. Wayne Yokoyama, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO and Prof. Mariapia Degli-Esposti, Lions Eye Institute, Western Australia, Australia, in frame of the first CAPRI2010 annual seminar-conference. View the Seminar-Conference announcement (in Croatian language) here.
Prof. Dr. Wayne Yokoyama with Prof. Dr. Stipan Jonjic and his colleagues from the Department of Histology and Embryology and the Center for Proteomics, during his visit in Croatia
Deliverable: D19 - Report of the workshops
Planned delivery date: M36 (February 2012)
Deliverable: D20 - Report of the seminars-conferences
Planned delivery date: M18 (August 2010), M36 (February 2012)
Actual delivery date: Merged with D14
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Work Package 4
Developing human resources by exchange of specific know-how in mAb development as well as protein expression and analysis
Legend:
Deliverable: D6 - Trainings for qualified research staff
Planned delivery date: M3 (May 2009), M25 (March 2011)
Actual delivery date: M15 (May 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M25 (March 2011)
Activities done:
The 1st CAPRI2010 training session with Dr. Mirko Trilling
A training in frame of CAPRI2010 was organised at the Center for Proteomics from 11-14 May 2010, with Dr. Mirko Trilling from Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany as a trainer. The training was conducted in three group sessions, covering the following topics:
- usage of ELISA robot for the measurement of luminescent samples
- defining the blocking capacity of mAb, as its important functional property
- using siRNAs as a technique enabling mAb specificity determination through the specific protein expression shut-down
Dr. Trilling also gave a talk to the Center’s research staff, on molecular mechanisms and biological consequences of cytomegaloviral IFN-Jak-STAT immune evasion. View the Talk Announcement (in Croatian language) here.
Dr. Mirko Trilling during his talk at the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
Deliverable: D8 - Two-way short-term visits between the Center and partner organisations in the EU and the Region
Planned delivery date:
Incoming: M4 (June 2009), M12 (February 2010), M18 (August 2010); M20 (October 2010)
Outgoing: M6 (August 2009), M24 (February 2011), M26 (April 2011), M32 (October 2011)
Actual delivery date:
Incoming: M11 (January 2010); M12 (February 2010); M15 (May 2010); M22 (December 2010)
Outgoing: M8 (October 2009); M24 (February 2011)
Forecast delivery date (part II):
Outgoing: M26 (April 2011), M32 (October 2011)
Activities done:
Training at the Hannover Medical School, Germany
Adriana Damjanovic, a PhD student at the Center for Proteomics, was trained in the period of one month at the Hannover Medical School, Germany in traceless mutagenesis approach for construction of mutant cytomegaloviruses under the supervision of Prof. Martin Messerle, a long-standing collaborator of S. Jonjic’s group.
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- Date: 17th December 2010
Visit of Annette Fink to the Center for Proteomics
Annette Fink from the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Matthias J Reddehase, Institute for Virology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany, visited the Center for Proteomics and the Department of Histology and Embryology, from 13th – 17th December 2010 in frame of the research collaboration of the two groups. On that occasion she gave a talk entitled „The importance of m152 glycosylation for immune evasion“.
View the Talk Announcement (in Croatian language) here.
Annette Fink during her visit to the Center for Proteomics
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Visit of Dr. Torsten Sacher to the Center for Proteomics
The aim of Dr. Torsten Sacher’s (Max von-Pettenkofer Institut, LMU, Munchen, Germany) visit (from 26th April-12th May 2010) was the set up of experimental protocols and tools to study virus spread. Dr. Sacher also gave a talk, with the title „A genetic approach to study the role of cell types in virus dissemination in vivo“.
View the Talk Announcement (in Croatian language) here.
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Visit of Dr. Stefan Jordan to the Center for Proteomics
Dr. Stefan Jordan (Max von-Pettenkofer Institut, LMU, Munich, Germany), paid a short-term visit to the Center for Proteomics and the Department of Histology and Embryology, from 15th - 26th February 2010. One of the projects on which the two institutions currently collaborate refers to the characterisation of new dendritic cell subsets. During his visit Stefan Jordan gave a talk entitled „A regulatory cell network that controls inflammatory dendritic cell progenitors“.
View the Talk Announcement (in Croatian language) here.
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Visit of Dr. Marko Poglitsch to the Center for Proteomics
Dr. Marko Poglitsch from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria visited the Center for Proteomics from 25-26 January 2010 in frame of the joint collaboration of the two institutions on the immunomodulatory potential of the Rapamycin, the inhibitor of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). Dr. Poglitsch also gave a talk on Immunoregulatory mechanisms of mTOR inhibitors. View the Talk Announcement (in Croatian language) here.
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Date: 1st October 2009
Training at the Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel
Maja Smurinic, a PhD student at the Center for Proteomics, was trained at the Hebrew University Jerusalem, Hadassah Medical School, Israel under the supervision of Prof. Ofer Mandelboim, a long-standing collaborator of S. Jonjic’s group. The focus of the training was the isolation of genetic material encoding the variable region of several Center's mAbs directed against the proteins of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) for the purpose of using the obtained anti-cytomegaloviral mAbs for the generation of fusion proteins that might serve in the therapy of MCMV infection.
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Work Package 5
Dissemination activities
Legend:
‼ The detailed and up-to-date information on all the dissemination activities within CAPRI2010 can be found at http://www.capri.com.hr/dissemination.html.
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Deliverable: D2 - Website upgrade and dissemination policy
Planned delivery date: M2 (April 2009)
Actual delivery date: M3 (May 2009)
Deliverable: D7 - Review on CAPRI2010 published in an international research magazine
Planned delivery date: M3 (May 2009), M18 (August 2010), M27 (May 2011)
Forecast delivery date: M22 (December 2010); M27 (May 2011); M32 (October 2011)
Deliverable: D9 - Participation at the Festival of Science
Planned delivery date: M4 (June 2009), M16 (June 2010), M28 (June 2011)
Actual delivery date: M26 (April 2011)
Deliverable: D15 - Press conferences
Planned delivery date: M12 (February 2010), M24 (February 2011), M35 (January 2010)
Actual delivery date: M17 (July 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M24 (February 2011), M35 (January 2010)
Deliverable: D16 - Article in prestigious scientific journal
Planned delivery date: M12 (February 2010), M24 (February 2011), M36 (February 2012)
Actual delivery date: M8 (October 2009), M13 (March 2010), M16 (June 2010), M17 (July 2010), M21 (November 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M24 (February 2011), M36 (February 2012)
Deliverable: D18 - Report of the University of Rijeka IP Office on the intellectual property management in CAPRI2010
Planned delivery date: M18 (August 2010), M36 (February 2012)
Forecast delivery date: M24 (February 2011), M36 (February 2012)
Deliverable: D21 - Expert evaluation meeting on dissemination
Planned delivery date: M24 (February 2011)
Forecast delivery date: M24 (February 2011)
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Work Package 6
Project management
Legend:
Deliverable: D1 - Administrative and financial support
Planned delivery date: M1 (March 2009)
Actual delivery date: M1 (March 2009)
Activities done:
Recruitment of the project Science Manager
Ani Gerbin, MA, has been recruited to CAPRI2010 and is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the overall financial, administrative, legal and ethical aspects of the project including contracting with the EU authorities, organisation of workshops and conferences, procurement of equipment, dissemination activities to ensure visibility of the Center, communication with the partner institutions of the project as well as planning and implementation of the Center’s future strategic positioning, under the supervision of the project coordinating person, Prof. Dr. Stipan Jonjic (http://www.medri.uniri.hr/~jstipan/).
Deliverable: D12 - University of Rijeka Ethics Committee Report on CAPRI2010
Planned delivery date: M9 (November 2009), M27 (May 2011)
Actual delivery date: M9 (November 2009)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M27 (May 2011)
Deliverable: D17 - Progress, mid-term and final reports
Planned delivery date: M18 (August 2010), M36 (February 2012)
Actual delivery date: M20 (October 2010)
Forecast delivery date (part II): M38 (April 2012)
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