micman final symposium 2006 microbes and man research programme 2003-2005

MICMAN Final Symposium 2006

MICROBES AND MANMICROBES AND MANResearch Programme 2003-2005


• Implemented jointly by the Academy of Finland (AF) and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF)

• Budget: 5,4 million €

• 15 projects (26 research groups)

MICMANMICMAN

2

Finland: 4.1 M€

Sweden: 1.3 M€

Finland: 21

groups

Sweden: 5

groups


OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

• to increase our knowledge of the interaction between host and microbes• to apply this knowledge to the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of diseases

• to generate multidisciplinary networks • to promote researcher training and exchange• to promote international contacts • to strengthen cooperation between universities and research institutes


BEFORE

Pre-MICMAN planning 2001-2002

MICMAN


• Exploratory workshop Microbes and Man - Health, Nutrition and Environment August 2001 in Gustavelund (near Helsinki)

– 140 researchers,

– Chair: Res.prof. Pentti Huovinen, KTL

– Topics for the programme

INITIATIVE FOR MICMANINITIATIVE FOR MICMAN


Milestones of preparation

Aug 2001 Exploratory workshop

Nov 2001 Decision on the programme by the Academy

Dec 2001 Negotiations between funding organisations

Feb-Mar 2002 Programme memorandum

April 2002 Launch of the programme

May 2002 Deadline: Plans of intent

June 2002 Decisions: Plans of intent

Sep 2002 Deadline: Applications proper

Nov 2002 Evaluation

Dec 2002 Decisions on accepted projects

Jan 2003 The projects start


MICMAN proposalsMICMAN proposals

PLAN OF INTENT

FULL APPLICATION

S

FUNDED PROJECTS

96

28

15

21 Finnish groups

5 Swedish groups


The steering programme The steering programme committee committee

2002-2003Academy of Finland:Prof Marja Makarow, (UH) (chair) Prof Timo Vesikari, (UTa) Prof Annele Hatakka, (UH) Prof Juha Sihvola, (UJy)

Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research:Dr. Henryk Wos Prof Olle Stendahl, Lindköping University Prof Hans Wolf-Watz, Umeå University Dr. Olle Edqvist

An additional expert: Academician, prof Pirjo Mäkelä, KTL

Also participating from the Academy of Finland: Dr. Soile Juuti Dr. Sirpa Nuotio Dr. Tuula Aarnio

2004-2006

Prof Marja-Liisa Hänninen, (UH) Res.Prof Tiina Mattila-Sandholm (Valio)


DURING THE PROGRAMME

MICMAN projects 2003-2005

MICMAN


MICMAN THEMESMICMAN THEMES

Resident microbiota

- influence of internal and external factors (host itself, pathogenic and

probiotic bacteria)

Host-microbe interactionsin the development and course of diseases

4

Other - bioinformatics; environmental microbes

2

15 PROJECTS:

5 Finnish-Swedish consortia2 Finnish consortia8 Finnish individual projects

9


15 MICMAN PROJECTS15 MICMAN PROJECTSConsortium: Bacterial-epithelial cross-talk and the establishment of the mucosal immune system

Consortium: Microbial factors and host responses discriminating commensals from pathogens

Pathogenesis of reactive arthritis: Research of abnormal host-microbe interaction

Consortium: A paradox of a microbe and man - what makes Staphylococcus aureus a pathogen?

Consortium: Host-microbe interaction in acute and persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection

Microbes and allergy: From population observations to animal models and prevention products

Consortium: Microbial ecology ofman in health and disease: Emer-gence, spread and persistence ofAntibiotic resistance in the normalMicroflora (ESPAR)

Microbial pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease

Host-microbe crosstalk in infancy: creating a balance between the internal and external environments

Consortium: Genetic susceptibility to streptococcal infections

DNA microarrays for studying interactions of probiotic, pathogenic and normal gut microbiota bacteria with human intestinal epithelial cells

Cyanobacteria and adjacent microbes: causes of acute human intoxications and indicators of water quality

Consortium: Reactivation and immune evasion of Borrelia infection

Microbial resistance to innate immunity

Infectious origins of the human genome. Human endogenous retroviruses in health and disease


MICMAN CoordinationMICMAN Coordination

To advance the objectives of the programme

• Communication– www-pages, MICMAN News, seminars/symposia/meetings, publicity

relations

• Administrative tasks – Planning, lauching, proposal evaluations, annual reports,

final evaluation

• Researcher training– Graduate school proposals (InfBio) (under evaluation)

• International contacts to other programmes– ERA-NET PathoGenoMics (2004-2009)

• Programme manager: Soile Juuti, National Public Health Institute

Contact person at the SSF: Scientific secretary Henryk Wos


Talks Particip. (n)

30.1.2003 MICMAN Opening Symposium 13 58

11-12.2.2004 MICMAN Annual Symposium 2004

16 92

16-17.2.2005 MICMAN Annual Symposium 2005

15 83

14-15.3.2006 MICMAN Final Symposium 2006

14 97

MICMAN EVENTSMICMAN EVENTS

Prof. Volkmar Braun and prof. Pirjo Mäkelä


2005

Prof. Seppo Meri


Talks Particip. (n)

18.9.2003 1st Finnish Microbial Pathogenesis Day

20 125

7.10.2004 2nd Finnish Microbial Pathogenesis Day

10 74

5.10.2005 3rd Finnish Microbial Pathogenesis Day

8 84

Sept. 2006 4th Finnish Microbial Pathogenesis Day

MICMAN EVENTSMICMAN EVENTS

With prof. Mikael Skurnik, Univ. Helsinki

“The aim of these seminars is to invite researchers on microbial pathogenesis together and advance scientific discussion between the research groups.”


MICMAN Consortia MICMAN Consortia eventsevents

Open seminars: Talks Particip. (n)

3.6.2004 Chlamydia pneumoniae research in Finland: Update and future plans

17 47

20.10.2005 Infection, Inflammation and Atherosclerosis

13 70

With prof. Pekka Saikku, Univ. Oulures.prof. Maija Leinonen, KTLdoc. Mirja Puolakkainen, KTL


Closed seminars: Talks Particip. (n)

19-21.4.2004 Reactivation and immune evasion of Borrelia infection

15 18

20-22.5.2005 12 27


With prof. Sven Bergström, Univ.Umeå prof. Matti Viljanen, Univ.Turku+ prof. Seppo Meri, Univ. Helsinki


2005


CLOSED SEMINARS: Talks

Particip. (n)

22-23.8.2003 Bacterial-epithelial cross-talk and the establishment of the mucosal immune system

10 10

31.8.-1.9.2005 13 13


With prof. William Agace, Univ.Lundprof. Mikael Skurnik, Univ.Helsinkiprof. Sirpa Jalkanen, Univ. Turku



- Regular meetings of the consortium

Microbial ecology of man in health and disease: Emergence, spread and persistence of antibiotic resistance in the normal microflora (ESPAR)

Prof. Charlotta EdlundKarolinska Inst. andRes.prof. Pentti HuovinenKTL

- Meetings of otherconsortia


MICMAN travel supportMICMAN travel support

Support to doctoral students for short-term visits, 6800 €

MICMAN

Finland Sweden


OtherOther

• Graduate School in Infection Biology (2007-2011)– Proposal submitted Dec. 2005

– 32 groups from the Universities of Helsinki, Turku and Oulu and the National Public Health Institute

– Decision ~May 2006

• ERA-NET PathoGenoMics – EU 6thFP project between funding agencies

– MICMAN/Academy of Finland as a partner

– European research programme on Pathogenomics 2007-2009: Deadline of proposals to the call by 31.3.2006

– Funding allocated by the Academy ~1,5 Million €


www.aka.fi/micman


AFTER

MICMAN evaluation 2006

MICMAN


REPORTINGREPORTING

• Final report AF: The final report of the AF using electronic services

SSF: The final report form used by the SSF at www.aka.fi/micman <results

• Self-Evaluation report

An abstract, facts and thoughts of the programme

Deadline 31.3.2006


EVALUATION EVALUATION

• International evaluation panel:Prof. Guy Cornelis, University of Basel, Swizerland (chair)Prof. Robert Sim, MRC Immunochemistry Unit, Oxford, UKProf. Ann-Mari Svennerholm, University of Gothenburg, SwedenProf. Gunna Christiansen, Aarhus University, Denmark

• Based on– E.g. Self-evaluations, final reports, interviews,

additional summary material

• Panel meeting 17-18.10.2006 in Helsinki

• Evaluation report written by the panel

• Concerns all project groups and coordination


EXPERIENCESEXPERIENCES

• Commitment of the researchers to the programme

• Active participation of the graduate students!• Strengthning the Finnish-Swedish collaboration

in research • Collaboration between the FIN-SWE funding

agencies was successful

Heritage of MICMAN:• Graduate school in Infection Biology ???• ERA-NET PathoGenoMics (?)

micman final symposium 2006 microbes and man research programme 2003-2005

Documents

micman slide

micman final symposium

programme micman projects

micman projects consortium

research groups micman

premicman planning

man research programme

accepted projects