LifeWatch ERIC at the African Union – European Union Summit

African Union - European Union Summit

Over the course of last week, LifeWatch ERIC participated in several interesting side events of the African Union – European Union Summit, organised by the AERAP Africa-Europe Science Collaboration Platform. The purpose of the Summit was to promote awareness of the contribution of collaborative research and development as a critical aspect of EU-Africa relations and collaborations, in particular in addressing global challenges together.

LifeWatch ERIC Chief Technology Officer, Juan Miguel González-Aranda, presented in two sessions on 15 February: “Making the Green Deal a Reality in the Tropical World” – convened by The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF); along with “Green Medicines in Africa: Plant Molecular Pharming to fight the COVID-19 pandemic” – convened by Cape Biologix Technologies.

The first session was about finding what tools and insights are available to investors and policymakers who seek to make societies and business more sustainable and resilient, and how research can help bridge the gap between the accepting the challenge and implementing solutions. Dr González-Aranda spoke about understanding cutting-edge high tech and how it can enhance some of the oldest human technologies and agriculture, stepping up to the plate to manage the challenges of the Anthropocene, and how LifeWatch ERIC can support tropical ecosystems under the umbrella of the EU Green Deal.

The second session covered a drug to be developed by M4F to block SARS-CoV-2 infections. M4F’s first partnership to be signed is with Cape Bio Pharms, located in South Africa, and foresees mutual technology exchange for GMP production capacity building. This agreement was signed in the context of the EU-Africa Summit in February 2022. It should serve as a shining example to further develop the relations and exchange between Europe and Africa, in order to join forces fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In his presentation, Dr González-Aranda brought attention to the ways LifeWatch ERIC supports knowledge enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem services to provide green medicines.

Bulgaria

The Bulgarian National Distributed Centre is represented by the  Agricultural University-Plovdiv.

To know more about how Bulgaria contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Spain

The Spanish National Distributed Centre is supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Regional Government of Andalusia and the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority (Ministry for Ecological Transition-MITECO). Moreover, Spain is the hosting Member State of LifeWatch ERIC, the location of its Statutory Seat & ICT e-Infrastructure Technical Office (LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities). 

To know more about how Spain contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Slovenia

The Slovenian National Distributed Centre is led by the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU). It focuses on the development of technological solutions in the field of biodiversity and socio-ecosystem research.

To know more about how Slovenia contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Portugal

The Portuguese National Distributed Centre is managed by PORBIOTA, the Portuguese e-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity. Led by BIOPOLIS/CIBIO-InBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, PORBIOTA connects the principal Portuguese research institutions working in biodiversity.

To know more about how Portugal contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Netherlands

The Dutch National Distributed Centre is hosted by the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam. Moreover, The Netherlands hosts one of the LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities, the Virtual Laboratory and Innovation Centre.

To know more about how The Netherlands contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Italy

The Italian National Distributed Centre is led and managed by the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and is coordinated by a Joint Research Unit, currently comprising 35 members. Moreover, Italy hosts one of the LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities, the Service Centre.

To know more about how Italy contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Greece

The Greek National Distributed Centre is funded by the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology and is coordinated by the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, in conjunction with 47 associated partner institutions.

To know more about how Greece contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Belgium

The Belgian National Distributed Centre makes varied and complementary in-kind contributions to LifeWatch ERIC. These are implemented in the form of long-lasting projects by various research centres and universities distributed throughout the country and supported by each respective political authority.

To know more about how Belgium contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.