The coordinator of the BIONANOSENS project, the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics (IMBG) of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, is one of the most dynamic and prominent public research centers in life sciences and biomolecular electronics in Ukraine. For already more than 30 years, IMBG benefited from a strong network of international collaborations, which contributed to the enhancement of the competitiveness of the institute and served as a base for the excellence of the IMBG in research and innovation achievements. To this end, IMBG is accepted as a reliable partner within numerous European consortia. This is reflected in the active participation of the institute in EU Framework programs since 2005. IMBG has major achievements in analytical biotechnologies, utilizing cutting-edge technologies to advance biological macromolecules as highly sensitive receptors and signal transducers for various analytical applications. Among the primary goals of the institute is to develop market-driven molecular bioelectronic innovations. However, IMBG had no strategy on the development and management of innovations. In particular, the technology transfer actives of biosensors were hampered by the lack of infrastructure and missing experience in the practical implementation of the transferable research results.
The main objective of the EU-funded Twinning project BIONANOSENS was to further advance visibility and excellence of IMBG with the focus on strengthening the application oriented research and achieving sustainable innovations. Within the BIONANOSENS project, the Ukrainian institution IMBG had a pleasure to cooperate with high-profile research and innovation institutes from Europe, including Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and Lyon Ingénierie Projets (France), Zentrum für Soziale Innovation (Austria) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Germany). The consortium consolidated its efforts in turning the IMBG to become the Centre of Excellence in analytical biotechnology and “smart” biomolecular systems on the European research map. This overarching goal was targeted by completing a number of technical tasks, which include establishing the institutional innovation management infrastructure at IMBG; enabling its access to international networks; building up knowledge in fundraising, EU project proposal writing skills and project management; promoting and training young researchers; advancing the IMBG practices in disseminating and exploiting its research results.
The BIONANOSENS project was successfully completed in 2020-2024 despite numerous challenges posed by the pandemic and the subsequent full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine. The consortium efficiently responded to these challenges by appropriately adjusting the timing of the project implementation and shifting some of the project activities online instead of the initially planned in-person format. The consolidated activities of all project partners contributed to the final successful accomplishment of all project milestones and goals.
One of the important moves is the establishment of the BIONANOSENS General Assembly. This was the project's governing body, which will continue operating at IMBG as an international platform for expertise in scientific and management practices. In this respect, the sustainability of the changes initiated by the BIONANOSENS project at IMBG will be assured. The General Assembly will monitor the IMBG R&I “Strategy of Excellence” in biomolecular electronics, which is set for the next 7 years after the project completion. In particular, in accordance with the “Strategy of Excellence” for 2024-2030, IMBG is committed to adhere to and further develop standards for managing and conducting EU-funded research and innovation projects.
