Project description
Advancing protein research in Eastern Slovakia
The University of Pavol Jozef Safarik (UPJS), situated in Eastern Slovakia, one of the lowest GDP-producing regions of the country, is among the country’s top classical universities. The EU-funded CasProt project will create the critical base that will elevate the UPJS to the leading position in the protein science domain. The project will connect the Slovak university to the Technical University in Munich (TUM) and the University of Zurich (UZH) with the aim of reinforcing its scientific and technological capacity in advanced protein evolution techniques. Moreover, it will raise the research profile and improve the research management and organisational skills of the UPJS, in addition to recruiting promising young early-stage researchers, who will help bring the university's work one step ahead.
Objective
The project “Fostering high scientific quality in protein science in Eastern Slovakia (CasProt)“ supports the second-best classical university in Slovakia, University of Pavol Jozef Safarik in Kosice (UPJS), located in one of the lowest GDP-producing regions in the Widening country Slovakia. The vital connections to the high R&I performing countries - Germany and Switzerland and the scientific excellence of our partners, Technical University in Munich (TUM) and University of Zurich (UZH), will trigger the critical steps toward becoming the UPJS as a leader in the field of protein science in Slovakia. This project will also energize a high-tech development and unfold the innovation potential of our University with the expected impact on the Eastern Slovakia region and consequently whole Slovakia. By means of short-term staff exchange, expert visits training, joint summer schools, workshops, and conference attendance, we will reach the following main objectives of the project: (1) Reinforcement scientific capacity and raise the research profile of the coordinating institution-UPJS in the field of protein science, (2) Identification and integration of the experienced and young/early-stage researchers into UPJS, (3) Enhance and stimulate the technological capacity of the coordinating institution-UPJS, and (4) Strengthening the research management and organizational skills at UPJS. The specific scientific goals of the CasProt project are: (i) to establish highly advanced protein evolution techniques of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR), and (ii) to develop complex single-molecule force assays and instrumentations (e.g. optical tweezers with confocal fluorescence microscopy detection) for monitoring of the dynamics of wild-type and evolved GPCRs To successfully accomplish all the goals of the project, we chose two highly recognized scientific groups from top academic institutions, a group of prof. Andreas Plückthun (UZH) and group of prof. Matthias Rief (TUM).
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.4.b. - Twinning of research institutions Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
04180 Kosice
Slovakia