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Sex to asex: a case study on transitions and coexsistence between sexual and asexual reproduction

Objective

Sex is the queen of evolutionary biology, which is tackled by SEXASEX in a multidisciplinary approach providing training and transfer of knowledge for a total of 360 man hours. 10 network researchers (with balanced gender, 6 early stage and 4 experienced) will receive training in 9 institutions and countries (2 partner countries, 2 less-favoured regions). Project management monitors progress of training and research objectives through a coordination committee, a training task force and a research task force .A wide array of tools will ensure optimal training and transfer of knowledge, because the human potential formed by SEXASEX is the most important deliverable. Career development plans, individual tutoring and secondments are supplemented by participation in courses and external workshops. Network-wide training will fully exploit the networkâ¿¿s potential in five courses and summer schools for all network researchers. Complementary skills such as management and communication (verbal, written) will be develo ped and gender awareness will be raised in two network-wide meetings. Theoretical and empirical research will apply 13 major methods, including novel genomic and karyotypological approaches, intraspecific biodiversity, behavioural studies, GIS analyses and theoretical modelling. With this multidisciplinarity, SEXASEX investigates why sex exists at all, given that it is evolutionary costly. What determines gender, what are genomic consequences of long-term asexuality, what is the cohesiveness of species with mixed reproduction, how do asexuals and sexual compete and what is their historical zoogeography? The pluralistic approach of SEXASEX is unique and timely, using highly novel methodologies and dealing with cutting edge science based on European excellence and tradition. SEXASEX will contribute significantly to the structuring and attractiveness of the European Research Area and will considerably increase the chances for employability of young researchers.

Fields of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-1
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Funding Scheme

RTN - Marie Curie actions-Research Training Networks

Coordinator

ROYAL BELGIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Address
29 rue vautierstraat
Brussels
Belgium

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EU contribution
€ 0,00

Participants (9)

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Last update: 11 June 2007

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/512492

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