Periodic Reporting for period 2 - COMBIVET (Setting up the ERA Chair of Comparative Medicine in the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences of the Estonian University of Life Sciences)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-12-01 do 2022-08-31
The aim of the COMBIVET project is to establish an ERA Chair of Comparative Medicine under the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (IVMAS) at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU). The strand of research that forms a bridge between human and animal health is called comparative medicine. Comparative medicine has great untapped research potential as many of the health challenges faced by humans and animals are the same. This includes, for example, age-related diseases, cancer and metabolic diseases. Thanks to these similarities, knowledge gained from studying and treating animal patients can be applied in humans while developing new diagnostic tools and therapies for both humans and animals. This, however, requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach and the development of research capabilities to support excellent comparative human and animal based research efforts.
The primary objectives of the COMBIVET project include the following:
• Bring excellence to EMU and increase its attractiveness by recruiting outstanding researchers,
• Promote comparative medicine research in EMU by developing research excellence in One Health concept,
• Boost the international visibility of EMU in the field of comparative medicine by establishing long-term strategic partnerships beyond the life time of this project,
• Reinforce cooperation with various departments and other R&D institutions by integrating comparative medicine research conducted in various departments of IVMAS and increasing interdisciplinary cooperation.
The primary objectives of the COMBIVET project include the following:
• Bring excellence to EMU and increase its attractiveness by recruiting outstanding researchers,
• Promote comparative medicine research in EMU by developing research excellence in One Health concept,
• Boost the international visibility of EMU in the field of comparative medicine by establishing long-term strategic partnerships beyond the life time of this project,
• Reinforce cooperation with various departments and other R&D institutions by integrating comparative medicine research conducted in various departments of IVMAS and increasing interdisciplinary cooperation.
• Structural changes were introduced to the IVMAS for integration of the COMBIVET ERA Chair in the IVMAS structure. COMBIVET Steering Committee members were officially appointed by the EMU rector. This allowed smooth progress of activities being undertaken in the project.
• A New ERA Chair holder/Professor have been appointed (Prof. Alireza Fazeli).
• Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and invasion of Russia to Ukraine the movement of international workforce to Estonia has been impeded. Five rounds of advertisement were made during this period to fulfill the Combivet available posts. Still some posts are open. Continuous advertisements and recruitment is taking place to attract talented work force to Combivet project. Highly skilled specialists are used to help with fulfillment of the Combivet project tasks.
• The The ERA Chair COMBIVET has mainly focused on the status of human and animal diseases and future requirements to face the challenges and has identified four thematic areas to work on research, training, infrastructure development and dissemination of new knowledge. The main focused areas of research in Combivet are;
I. Host-Pathogen Interactions and Disease Biomarkers Discovery
II. Infertility and Subfertility
III. Non - Communicable Diseases and Cancer
IV. Food, Feed & Health
• ERA Chair team has taken part in different training activities including Conferences, Workshops, Training schools, seminars, collaboration visits/meetings and guest lectures.
• Combivet project outcomes have been actively disseminated by attending conferences with presentations as well as submitting abstracts and articles. COMBIVET website is used to spread information about Combivet (www.combivet.ee). Combivet Twitter account has been active (twitter.com/combivet ) and has 19 tweets and 8 followers. Twitter as a communication tool is still in development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual meetings and seminars were regularly organized instead of being planned in person events. Acquired virtual hosting skills enabled international guest lectures and workshops.
• The Combivet team has organized a summer research schools in Tartu, Estonia on 23-25th of August 2021. This summer research school was held as a hybrid event with more than 70 participants logging in from Japan to Brazil. During the second review report 15 seminars by experts were organised by Combivet project.
• Combivet Research team organised two conferences during the 2nd review period. The symposium entitled “Extracellular vesicles in pathophysiology; new advances in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in health and disease”, was held in hybrid format with more than 300 attendees in virtual form. One Health Estonia was another international research symposium organized by the Combivet ERA chair on 28 to 29th April 2022 with the participation of scientists and other stakeholders involved in One-Health related endeavours (https://www.combivet.ee/one-health-estonia-2022.html). The symposium was organized as a hybrid event with more than 100 physical attendees and more than 200 attending online via zoom.
• Six PhD students were recruited to Combivet Research program. These research projects are diverse and consist of different aspects of Comparative Medicine and One Health. The research projects of the PhD students follow the main research projects in the Combivet program.
• Gender analysis showed, 45% of employed personnel were female and 55% were male.
• During the 2nd reporting period, ten peer reviewed scientific papers with gold access was published by Combivet ERA Chair members. In addition, 12 abstracts were presented in different conferences by Combivet members
• Collaboration with 3 companies (ConceptEasy, Chemi-Pharm and Dimedium) was established. These collaborations connect trained researchers from Combivet to national industry impacting development of both parties.
• During the 2nd period Combivet ethics strategy and internal ethics committee were formed. Ethics mentors were appointed.
• Unforeseen pandemic regulations made major setbacks on many aspects of the project. Although with innovations and thinking out of the box, ERA Chair team tried to solve many difficulties. These ranged from hosting events and communication via Zoom and regular meetings between ERA Chair Holder and team members online or at safe distance. With extra hard work and dedication Combivet ERA Chair team overcome these problems. Indeed, extra time will allow achievement goals that were setback due to pandemic.
• The inflation rate in Estonia currently is the highest in EU and is almost 25%. Partnership agreements are now for shorter time period making financial planning less resultful since prices change weekly. Laboratory consumables prices have increased dramatically. This is a major challenge for accomplishing the goals of the Combivet project.
• A New ERA Chair holder/Professor have been appointed (Prof. Alireza Fazeli).
• Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and invasion of Russia to Ukraine the movement of international workforce to Estonia has been impeded. Five rounds of advertisement were made during this period to fulfill the Combivet available posts. Still some posts are open. Continuous advertisements and recruitment is taking place to attract talented work force to Combivet project. Highly skilled specialists are used to help with fulfillment of the Combivet project tasks.
• The The ERA Chair COMBIVET has mainly focused on the status of human and animal diseases and future requirements to face the challenges and has identified four thematic areas to work on research, training, infrastructure development and dissemination of new knowledge. The main focused areas of research in Combivet are;
I. Host-Pathogen Interactions and Disease Biomarkers Discovery
II. Infertility and Subfertility
III. Non - Communicable Diseases and Cancer
IV. Food, Feed & Health
• ERA Chair team has taken part in different training activities including Conferences, Workshops, Training schools, seminars, collaboration visits/meetings and guest lectures.
• Combivet project outcomes have been actively disseminated by attending conferences with presentations as well as submitting abstracts and articles. COMBIVET website is used to spread information about Combivet (www.combivet.ee). Combivet Twitter account has been active (twitter.com/combivet ) and has 19 tweets and 8 followers. Twitter as a communication tool is still in development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual meetings and seminars were regularly organized instead of being planned in person events. Acquired virtual hosting skills enabled international guest lectures and workshops.
• The Combivet team has organized a summer research schools in Tartu, Estonia on 23-25th of August 2021. This summer research school was held as a hybrid event with more than 70 participants logging in from Japan to Brazil. During the second review report 15 seminars by experts were organised by Combivet project.
• Combivet Research team organised two conferences during the 2nd review period. The symposium entitled “Extracellular vesicles in pathophysiology; new advances in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in health and disease”, was held in hybrid format with more than 300 attendees in virtual form. One Health Estonia was another international research symposium organized by the Combivet ERA chair on 28 to 29th April 2022 with the participation of scientists and other stakeholders involved in One-Health related endeavours (https://www.combivet.ee/one-health-estonia-2022.html). The symposium was organized as a hybrid event with more than 100 physical attendees and more than 200 attending online via zoom.
• Six PhD students were recruited to Combivet Research program. These research projects are diverse and consist of different aspects of Comparative Medicine and One Health. The research projects of the PhD students follow the main research projects in the Combivet program.
• Gender analysis showed, 45% of employed personnel were female and 55% were male.
• During the 2nd reporting period, ten peer reviewed scientific papers with gold access was published by Combivet ERA Chair members. In addition, 12 abstracts were presented in different conferences by Combivet members
• Collaboration with 3 companies (ConceptEasy, Chemi-Pharm and Dimedium) was established. These collaborations connect trained researchers from Combivet to national industry impacting development of both parties.
• During the 2nd period Combivet ethics strategy and internal ethics committee were formed. Ethics mentors were appointed.
• Unforeseen pandemic regulations made major setbacks on many aspects of the project. Although with innovations and thinking out of the box, ERA Chair team tried to solve many difficulties. These ranged from hosting events and communication via Zoom and regular meetings between ERA Chair Holder and team members online or at safe distance. With extra hard work and dedication Combivet ERA Chair team overcome these problems. Indeed, extra time will allow achievement goals that were setback due to pandemic.
• The inflation rate in Estonia currently is the highest in EU and is almost 25%. Partnership agreements are now for shorter time period making financial planning less resultful since prices change weekly. Laboratory consumables prices have increased dramatically. This is a major challenge for accomplishing the goals of the Combivet project.
• A twining project (1.5 Million Euro) entitled “One Health Boost” (OH-BOOST) between EMU, Tartu University, Milan University and Helsinki University was secured. The success of OH-BOOST is completely in line with Combivet goals and help with the sustainability of comparative medicine research in EMU beyond and after Combivet project. OH-BOOST will start its program from January 2023.
• The “Baltic Society of Extracellular Vesicles” (https://www.facebook.com/BalticEVsociety) was established by Prof. Alireza Fazeli and representatives from Latvia and Lithuania. Prof. Fazeli was elected as the first president of this newly formed learned society. The active participation of Combivet ERA chair in the BSEV has the prospects of sustaining Combivet activities and impact beyond Estonian borders and in to Baltic countries even after the Combivet program cease to exist.
• The “Baltic Society of Extracellular Vesicles” (https://www.facebook.com/BalticEVsociety) was established by Prof. Alireza Fazeli and representatives from Latvia and Lithuania. Prof. Fazeli was elected as the first president of this newly formed learned society. The active participation of Combivet ERA chair in the BSEV has the prospects of sustaining Combivet activities and impact beyond Estonian borders and in to Baltic countries even after the Combivet program cease to exist.