Objective
Photoprotection against excess absorbed light energy is an essential and universal attribute of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. This requirement has been a strong force in the evolution of plants and micro-organisms, and a diverse range of solutions have arisen. It has determined survival, productivity and habitat preference, and it determines the ceiling on the efficiency of energy conversion in photosynthesis in natural environment. Its investigation also provides insights into unique nanoscale switching processes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of biological light adaptation will therefore have implication for many aspects of life, such as agriculture and food security, biodiversity and global climate change, biosolar energy and biofuels. This network brings together major high-quality EU centres with expertise in a wide range of disciplines – from plant physiology to molecular biology, structural biology and photophysics – and with great interest in interdisciplinary collaborative research. The network will thus provide a unique training opportunity for young researchers in key aspects of molecular biosciences and biophysical sciences in the context of practical applications in instrument development, agronomy, ecology and biotechnology. Researchers from within and outside this network will receive key research skills from several disciplines combined in a high-level and intrinsically collaborative research project, key transferable skills on information technology, written and oral communication and critical assessment, and key business and commercial skills on commercial exploitation and product development.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biologystructural biology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbotany
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsenergy conversion
Keywords
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-ITN-2008
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
MC-ITN - Networks for Initial Training (ITN)Coordinator
1081 HV Amsterdam
Netherlands