Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MOSaIC (Molecular Signaling in Health and Disease - Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence)
Reporting period: 2020-02-01 to 2021-10-31
The International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) is included among the best Polish research institutes in the life sciences and has the highest score in national evaluations to date. With modern organizational patterns, excellent staff, state-of-the-art equipment, and an international work environment, IIMCB is positioned to achieve a level of excellence tantamount to the best European entities.
To realize this goal, we created the Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence in Molecular Signalling in Health and Disease (MOSaIC). The ERA Chairs scheme gives us a unique opportunity to improve our performance by attracting an outstanding principal investigator in molecular signalling. This investigator will complement and strengthen the current research lines at IIMCB and will influence structural changes for responsible research and effective science management.
The MOSaIC has 5 objectives. The first is recruitment of an ERA Chair holder and affiliates in an open process that involves a set of incentives for the successful candidate to establish an excellent research group. The second is to augment scientific research and innovation in IIMCB and surrounding region through the work of the ERA Chair holder in molecular signalling, a field with great promise for medical advancement. The third and fourth involve structural improvements in science management and consolidated HR activities to develop a research environment that meets the highest international standards, including those set in the EU Charter and Code. Dissemination and communication activities will enable us to achieve the fifth objective: widespread recognition of the MOSaIC and IIMCB among national and European stakeholders.
Thanks to the MOSaIC, IIMCB scientists will lead innovative and internationally competitive research in an environment of excellent organizational standards and support. They will engage in European partnerships, and their projects will lead to practical inventions.
To realize this goal, we created the Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence in Molecular Signalling in Health and Disease (MOSaIC). The ERA Chairs scheme gives us a unique opportunity to improve our performance by attracting an outstanding principal investigator in molecular signalling. This investigator will complement and strengthen the current research lines at IIMCB and will influence structural changes for responsible research and effective science management.
The MOSaIC has 5 objectives. The first is recruitment of an ERA Chair holder and affiliates in an open process that involves a set of incentives for the successful candidate to establish an excellent research group. The second is to augment scientific research and innovation in IIMCB and surrounding region through the work of the ERA Chair holder in molecular signalling, a field with great promise for medical advancement. The third and fourth involve structural improvements in science management and consolidated HR activities to develop a research environment that meets the highest international standards, including those set in the EU Charter and Code. Dissemination and communication activities will enable us to achieve the fifth objective: widespread recognition of the MOSaIC and IIMCB among national and European stakeholders.
Thanks to the MOSaIC, IIMCB scientists will lead innovative and internationally competitive research in an environment of excellent organizational standards and support. They will engage in European partnerships, and their projects will lead to practical inventions.
Report 1 and 2: 01.11.2018-31.10.2021 incl. Milestones (M) and Deliverables (D)
WP1. Recruitment of the ERA Chair Group Leader and new group members
- Employment of Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski, ERA Chairs Group Leader at the IIMCB (M1 achieved, D1.1. completed)
- Establishment of the ERA Chairs Group (during 1st and 2nd RP 35 members, D1.2 completed).
WP2. Strengthening scientific and innovation potential of IIMCB and the surrounding region
- Establishment at the IIMCB of the fully operational ERA Chairs Laboratory of RNA Biology.
- Transfer of three running grants from IBB PAS to the IIMCB:
1. MAESTRO grant, National Science Centre (NCN),
2. TEAM grant; 2014-2020 Smart Growth Operational Programme (SGOP), Foundation for Polish Science (FNP),
3. TEAM TECH CORE FACILITY grant; 2014-2020 SGOP, FNP.
- 5 successful grant applications with IIMCB affiliation by Prof. Dziembowski and his team members (M2 in progress):
1. Horizon for Excellence in messenger RNA applications in immunoOncology” - acronym: HERO, 2022-2027, financed within the Virtual Research Institute program from the Polish Science Fund; Leader: IIMCB (Prof. Dziembowski), 4 partner institutions and 7 research groups.
2. GRIEG Polish-Norwegian research cooperation grant, 2020-2023, EEA and Norway Grants, NCN; PI: Prof. Dziembowski (Coordinator), 2 partner institutions.
3. OPUS grant, NCN, 2020-2023, PI: Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski.
4. SONATA grant , NCN, 2020-2023, PI: Dr. Monika Kusio-Kobiałka
5. SONATINA grant, NCN, 2019-2022, PI: Dr. Tomasz Kuliński.
WP3. Structural changes for effective science management at IIMCB
- the IIMCB of the Open Access Policy, inc. Open Access to Publications and Open Access to Data.
- Ms. Agnieszka Ziemka appointed Data Steward.
- IIMCB became a part of the Warsaw-4-PhD doctoral school (M4 achieved) with the right to award doctoral degrees.
- IIMCB obtained a right to recognize PhD degrees awarded by foreign academic institutions.
- The commercial potential of the IIMCB inventions was verified by healthcare professional with global experience in drug research.
WP4. Structural changes for more effective implementation of C&C principles
- Employment of Ms. Katarzyna Fiedorowicz, Head of HR Unit.
- Organization of the HR Unit: personnel and tasks.
- Intruduction and implementaiton of the official Human Resources Strategy for the IIMCB (M3 achieved).
- Introduction of the comprehensive administrative and formal support to recruitment processes.
- Organization of workshops for nearly 250 IIMCB staff members on career development, soft skills and management (D4.1 in progress).
- Implementation of a comprehensive system of support to foreign employees, incl. designation of the HR specialist to these matters.
- Implementation of Integr@IIMCB grant from NAWA to implement multicultural integration activities.
- adopting Disputes and Conflicts Resolution Policy (D4.2 completed).
- establishment of a Working Group on Gender Equality Opportunities toward the establishment of the Gender Equality Plan
WP5. Strengthening MOSaIC’s recognition among national and European stakeholders
- 4 publications with acknowledgments to MOSaIC H2020 project
- 5 open scientific seminars and 2 posters disseminating the ERA Chairs Group research focus.
- 7 open presentations disseminating results of structural improvements supported by MOSaIC.
- 4 events communicating MOSaIC: kick-off meeting and Opening of the ERA Chairs Laboratory, YSC'21 and WISS conferences.
- 1 internal promotional campaign "MOSaIC bandana photo challenge"
Elaboration of:
- MOSaIC visual identity, incl. the logo.
- Fully operational websites: MOSaIC, the ERA Chairs Laboratory and active presence in Social Media channels (D5.4 completed).
- IIMCB 2018, 2019 and 2020 Annual Reports promoting the Project (D5.5 in progress).
- Promotional materials: 2020 and 2021 Calendars promoting MOSaIC and EU H2020 funding, MOSaIC bandanas – buffs with MOSaIC and EU H2020 logo
- D5.7 submitted on the request of the EC.
WP6. Management
- Daily cooperation with MOSaIC team, incl. on-line shared Project’s resources.
- Quarterly Project Committee meetings (11 so far).
- 3 MOSaIC's monitoring meetinga with the IAB members.
- Preparation of:
• report from the selection process of the ERA Chairs Group Leader, (D1.1 completed)
• report from the kick-off meeting (D6.1 completed)
• 1st and 2nd Periodic Reports, 01.11.2018-31.10.2021.
- Management of the MOSaIC in the EU F & T Portal
- Overseeing the Project finances, incl. timesheets’ management.
- Preparation of the content for press-releases, news, PP presentations, etc.
- Contact with Dr. Crsitina Marcone and Dr. Raluca Iagher, EU Project Officer.
- Contribution to the attainment of M1, M2 (in progress), M3, M4, D1.1. D3.1 D3.2 D3.4 D4.2 D5.4 D5.7 D6.1.
WP1. Recruitment of the ERA Chair Group Leader and new group members
- Employment of Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski, ERA Chairs Group Leader at the IIMCB (M1 achieved, D1.1. completed)
- Establishment of the ERA Chairs Group (during 1st and 2nd RP 35 members, D1.2 completed).
WP2. Strengthening scientific and innovation potential of IIMCB and the surrounding region
- Establishment at the IIMCB of the fully operational ERA Chairs Laboratory of RNA Biology.
- Transfer of three running grants from IBB PAS to the IIMCB:
1. MAESTRO grant, National Science Centre (NCN),
2. TEAM grant; 2014-2020 Smart Growth Operational Programme (SGOP), Foundation for Polish Science (FNP),
3. TEAM TECH CORE FACILITY grant; 2014-2020 SGOP, FNP.
- 5 successful grant applications with IIMCB affiliation by Prof. Dziembowski and his team members (M2 in progress):
1. Horizon for Excellence in messenger RNA applications in immunoOncology” - acronym: HERO, 2022-2027, financed within the Virtual Research Institute program from the Polish Science Fund; Leader: IIMCB (Prof. Dziembowski), 4 partner institutions and 7 research groups.
2. GRIEG Polish-Norwegian research cooperation grant, 2020-2023, EEA and Norway Grants, NCN; PI: Prof. Dziembowski (Coordinator), 2 partner institutions.
3. OPUS grant, NCN, 2020-2023, PI: Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski.
4. SONATA grant , NCN, 2020-2023, PI: Dr. Monika Kusio-Kobiałka
5. SONATINA grant, NCN, 2019-2022, PI: Dr. Tomasz Kuliński.
WP3. Structural changes for effective science management at IIMCB
- the IIMCB of the Open Access Policy, inc. Open Access to Publications and Open Access to Data.
- Ms. Agnieszka Ziemka appointed Data Steward.
- IIMCB became a part of the Warsaw-4-PhD doctoral school (M4 achieved) with the right to award doctoral degrees.
- IIMCB obtained a right to recognize PhD degrees awarded by foreign academic institutions.
- The commercial potential of the IIMCB inventions was verified by healthcare professional with global experience in drug research.
WP4. Structural changes for more effective implementation of C&C principles
- Employment of Ms. Katarzyna Fiedorowicz, Head of HR Unit.
- Organization of the HR Unit: personnel and tasks.
- Intruduction and implementaiton of the official Human Resources Strategy for the IIMCB (M3 achieved).
- Introduction of the comprehensive administrative and formal support to recruitment processes.
- Organization of workshops for nearly 250 IIMCB staff members on career development, soft skills and management (D4.1 in progress).
- Implementation of a comprehensive system of support to foreign employees, incl. designation of the HR specialist to these matters.
- Implementation of Integr@IIMCB grant from NAWA to implement multicultural integration activities.
- adopting Disputes and Conflicts Resolution Policy (D4.2 completed).
- establishment of a Working Group on Gender Equality Opportunities toward the establishment of the Gender Equality Plan
WP5. Strengthening MOSaIC’s recognition among national and European stakeholders
- 4 publications with acknowledgments to MOSaIC H2020 project
- 5 open scientific seminars and 2 posters disseminating the ERA Chairs Group research focus.
- 7 open presentations disseminating results of structural improvements supported by MOSaIC.
- 4 events communicating MOSaIC: kick-off meeting and Opening of the ERA Chairs Laboratory, YSC'21 and WISS conferences.
- 1 internal promotional campaign "MOSaIC bandana photo challenge"
Elaboration of:
- MOSaIC visual identity, incl. the logo.
- Fully operational websites: MOSaIC, the ERA Chairs Laboratory and active presence in Social Media channels (D5.4 completed).
- IIMCB 2018, 2019 and 2020 Annual Reports promoting the Project (D5.5 in progress).
- Promotional materials: 2020 and 2021 Calendars promoting MOSaIC and EU H2020 funding, MOSaIC bandanas – buffs with MOSaIC and EU H2020 logo
- D5.7 submitted on the request of the EC.
WP6. Management
- Daily cooperation with MOSaIC team, incl. on-line shared Project’s resources.
- Quarterly Project Committee meetings (11 so far).
- 3 MOSaIC's monitoring meetinga with the IAB members.
- Preparation of:
• report from the selection process of the ERA Chairs Group Leader, (D1.1 completed)
• report from the kick-off meeting (D6.1 completed)
• 1st and 2nd Periodic Reports, 01.11.2018-31.10.2021.
- Management of the MOSaIC in the EU F & T Portal
- Overseeing the Project finances, incl. timesheets’ management.
- Preparation of the content for press-releases, news, PP presentations, etc.
- Contact with Dr. Crsitina Marcone and Dr. Raluca Iagher, EU Project Officer.
- Contribution to the attainment of M1, M2 (in progress), M3, M4, D1.1. D3.1 D3.2 D3.4 D4.2 D5.4 D5.7 D6.1.