Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

CETOCOEN Excellence

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CETOCOEN Excellence (CETOCOEN Excellence)

Reporting period: 2017-09-01 to 2018-08-31

Our society is facing numerous challenges related to global changes such as growing populations, availability of food and freshwater sources, chemical pollution, change of the land use, soil degradation and sustainable agriculture, ozone deletion, climate change or loss of biosphere integrity. Emissions of toxic chemicals are among the key human-driven changes to the environment. They are involved in many processes and changes in the physical environment but they have also potentially irreversible effects on living organisms including humans.
The long-term mission of upgraded Centre is to contribute to closing the existing gap between the fields of environmental and health sciences in the ERA, eliminate fragmentation of environmental and health data in Europe and enable more efficient application and exploitation of available knowledge for improved risk assessment, chemical management, evidence-based regulation and sound policy-making in a wide variety of sectors for better protection of the health. It will support the development of innovative health policies and better healthcare provision and at the same time, enhance the industrial competitiveness by developing new exposure, effect, and susceptibility biomarkers, improved analytical techniques, modelling approaches and software tools with the overarching goal of minimising the burden of disease related to exposure to environmental toxicants, lowering future health costs related to chronic conditions and improving the health and well-being of European citizens.
Specific GOALS of the project in the Stage1 were:
(i) Establishment of the project management board and processes;
(ii) Further development of the existing strategic vision of the Centre;
(iii) Refining the research and innovation strategy;
(iv) Development of a detailed plan of development of the research infrastructure;
(v) Development of the business plan;
(vi) Drafting a plan for communication and dissemination activities
The activities of the project have been realized within the five Work packages, which have been the cornerstones of the project and the implementation of which contributed to fulfilment of the project objectives as mentioned above. Below we present the contribution of the project to given goals.
GOAL 1 Establishment of the project management board and processes;
At the beginning of the project, and within the kick off meeting organized in Brno, we have Set-up the governing bodies and day-to-day management processes of the project. The project managers and administrators have been appointed, the data management system (disc) has been established and is used by the project partners. The processes are based on the experiences gained during the realization of other consortial projects, both national and European.
GOAL 2 Further development of the strategic vision of the Centre
The strategic vision of the project is the basic part of the Business plan submitted according to the schedule. To elaborate the strategic vision and research agenda of the project, we have developed the „research capacity analysis“, which has been delivered as the separate deliverable as D2.1 – Research capacity analysis. The research analysis consists of the thorough analysis of the research capacity of RECETOX, of every RECETOX’s research group and partner’s teams. Based numerous inputs, the scientific vision of the center has been created (D2.2) discussed and approved by the internal Scientific Committee. The Scientific vision follows the outlined vision detailed in the project proposal and is based on the collaboration of project partners and their particular strengths.
GOAL 3 Refining the research and innovation strategy
The infrastructure needs of the project were analyzed with respect to the research capacity analysis and were developed based on the scientific vision of the center. The infrastructure development of the center is developed hand in hand with the overall strategy, therefore, we have analyzed a number of scenarios and possibilities, how to upgrade, sustain, develop and internationally link the research infrastructure of the center. With this respect, the RI development plan has been completed (D3.1). The deliverable describing the HR strategy has been developed and submitted (D4.2).
The innovation capacity and the potential cooperation with the business partners are outlined and described in the Business Plan.
GOAL 4 – Development of a detailed plan of development of the research infrastructure
As mentioned below, the robust Research infrastructure development plan has been submitted as a separate Work package. This document provides an overview of the future development of the Research Infrastructure of RECETOX according to the TEAMING project, the RECETOX’s needs and the development of the research infrastructures in the European Union.
GOAL 5 – Development of the business plan.
The business plan has been developed within the H2020 TEAMING project and has been submitted as the separate and main deliverable of the project (D4.3). The presented business plan is based on the joint work of the partners of the CETOCOEN Excellence project. The Business plan is the main deliverable of the project. All the deliverables of this TEAMING project have been used as an input for the robust business plan.
GOAL 6 – Drafting a plan for communication and dissemination activities.
The underlying goal of the Communication is to contribute to the outstanding reputation, which the RECETOX Centre will enjoy not only at specific research forum but also at the other fora represented by relevant target groups. The plan details the communication topics, messages, target groups and channel in its proper mix.
Given the research focus of RECETOX and the intended Strategic Research Agenda, the applications of research results are of a big potential for both the public and private sector.
- In the public domain, the Centre is expected to contribute with data and knowledge to the decision taking and policy making, i.e. the development of new methodologies, approaches, policy instruments and documents reflecting the current priorities defined e.g. in the Ostrava Declaration of 6th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Global Chemicals Outlook and its update (developed by the United Nations Environment Programme) or WHO Chemicals Road Map (developed by the World Health Organization) in endeavors to enhance implementation of the Agenda 2030.
- Newly generated data and knowledge can be, however, also directly applied and exploited in the public institutions like research organisations, schools, hospitals, and public services (firefighters) in forms of provided services such as on-demand analyses, assessment of the environmental (e.g. hospital waste water) and health (firefighters exposure) impacts of their activities, or collaboration towards improved working conditions.
- Many of these activities are also relevant for the private sector which is interested not only in assessment of the environmental and health impacts but especially in application of newly developed methods, biomarkers, technologies, databases, or IT tools. The collaboration can have a form of contractual research, collaborative projects, or licensing of IP developed at the university.
The TEAMING Phase I project has already contributed to the improved collaboration among the project partners and the development of the Strategic research agenda of RECETOX.
Kick-off meeting