April 2011
A F F I L I A T E S
L E T T E R
The official newsletter for FEMS Affiliates
NEW issue of the FEMS Focus, now available!
Biggest reference book on Yeasts published The ultimate reference book on yeasts was presented to the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. “The Yeasts, a Taxonomic Study” was made possible through the hand of former FEMS Yeast Research Chief Editor Dr Teun Boekhout, American microbiologists Drs Cletus Kurtzman and Jack Fell and 76 other authors. Dr Boekhout calls it an international project. “22 countries, 76 authors from those countries, so this is like, you can say, maybe like a wiki project. A lot of volunteers worked on these chapters and in the end of course, made the book what it is,” he beams.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: FEMS Sec. Gen. Prof. Tone T øn j u m o n Translational Research FEMS at the NVvM Centenary Partial list of 2011 FEMSsponsored meetings Deadlines for FEMS Grants FEMS 2011 update
This is the 5th edition of the book that was first published in 1952. It contains 60 years of Yeast history and the most extensive reference for yeasts by far. In fact, it is so thorough that it could not fit in one book so they made three books out of it.
covered by the day, the group will not wait another 10 years to publish the next one. “If we wait another 10 years, it will be out of control. It will be The 5th Edition of “The so huge that it Yeasts, a Taxonomic Study” can’t be done. So is the most extensive by far. now we’re thinking about something like a wiki, continuing this wiki approach by asking people to work on the different parts of the yeast domain and then update regularly,” says Dr Boekhout.
The book is also available as an ebook which will be updated every now and then. Dr Boekhout expects that the updated printed version will be published in the next 5 to 6 “The first book years. “People is an introduction with about Toasting to the biggest reference on yeasts. Dr Teun Boekhout is can buy either 10 chapters on joined by co-editors Drs Jack Fell (left) and Cletus Kurtzman (right). the whole e-book or individual various aspects chapters. Also, the e-book allows us to update of yeasts like ecology and cell biology and more regularly because print is very expensive whatever. The second part is on the ascomybut PDF is not so expensive. And that is the cetes yeasts like that saccharomyces and the way we go,” he explains. candidas. And the third volume is one the basidiomycetes yeasts, let’s say Cryptococcus , and things like that”, Dr Boekhout explains. The group is also working on a website to allow The book is a reference to about 1500 yeasts, double the number in the last edition published in 1998. With the amount of new species dis-
for easy communication among microbiologists interested to join in the project and quick updating of the species. But as to when this will be available is yet to be known.
w w w . f e m s - m i c r o b i o l o g y . o r g
Page 2
AFFILIATES LETTER
R u b b i n g
e l b o w s
w i t h
r o y a l t y
a t
t h e
Just as we reported to you last month, FEMS attended and put up a booth at the 100th Year Celebration of the Netherlands Society for Microbiology. The event was held in Papendal, The Netherlands from 18 -20 April, 2011.
FEMS General Manager Mrs Barbara Dartee hands a couple of FEMS products to Crown Prince HRH Willem Alexander during the NVvM Centenary.
Crown Prince HRH Willem Alexander was the special guest. FEMS General Manager Mrs Barbara Dartee managed to meet him at the corridor wherein she handed out some FEMS products specially prepared for the prince and his three little girls.
Aside from the prince, the NVvM Centenary was also graced by four other big names in the scientific world, such as: Nobel Prize Awardees in Physiology or Medicine Drs Barry Marshall (2005), Harald zur Hausen (2008) and Sir Paul Nurse (2001). Dr Craig Venter also gave a speech on the reading and writing of the ge-
J u n e
1 ,
d e a d l i n e
N V v M
C e n t e n a r y
netic code. “Life is a DNA software”, he said. “You change the software, you change the species”, he added. FEMS Focus was able to interview two of the Nobel Prize Awardees present in the scene, namely: Drs Harald zur Hausen and Sir Paul Nurse. Their interviews will be the topic in the next FEMS Focus issues.
Members of the FEMS Executive Board were also present during the NVvM Centenary. From left to right: Sec. Gen. Tone Tønjum, Publications Manager Fergus Priest, Grants Secretary Vaso Taleski, Mrs Dartee and Vice President Jean Claude Piffaretti.
f o r
n e w
Starting this year, FEMS will provide start-up grants to support National or Regional Microbiological Congresses. The annual budget for these grants is 30.000 EUR.
F E M S
G r a n t s
Start-up Grants Fast Facts
Organizers of National or Regional Microbiological Congresses with 50-
The Start-Up Grants support successful organization of meetings and can be used by the organizers of said meetings in any respect.
500+ participants may apply
Organizers must have their forms
endorsed by the local FEMS Delegate The minimum amount of a Start-up grant is 1.000 EUR and the maximum is 3.000 EUR. This amount depends on the number of the society members and expected participants at the congress:
Join us at the 4th FEMS Congress in
Planned congresses must not overlap with a FEMS Congress
Organizers should provide general
and budgetary information with a full programme
50 to 200 participants; 1.000 Euros. 200 to 500 participants; 2.000 Euros. 500 participants or more; 3.000 Euros.
Geneva, Switzerland June 26-30, 2011
The deadlines for these grants are June 1 (for meetings occurring between July 1 and December 30) and December 15 (for meetings between January 1 and June 30).
Interested applicants are encouraged to read the Grants Regulations before contacting the FEMS Grants Administrator. Application documents are also made available online.
w w w . f e m s - m i c r o b i o l o g y . o r g
Page 3
April 2011
T r a n s l a t i o n a l
Professor and chief physician Tone Tønjum, MD PhD, is the Director of Centre for Molecular
R e s e a r c h :
n o t
l o s t
i n
t r a n s l a t i o n
FEMS Secretary-General Tone Tønjum talks about Translational Research in this issue of the FEMS Affiliates Letter.
parties and networks, perceived as a good scenario for clinical trials (e.g. testing drugs and diagnostics, etc.).
What is Translational Research (TR)?
Europe has special demands for comprehensive TR programs with its multicultural setting and increased migration and mobility of man and microbes relevant for human and animal medicine. To address these challenges, a collective effort is required.
Translational research (TR) is multidisciplinary research aiming at building bridges between basic science and clinical medicine. This shortens the distance between research and the benefit of the patient. Thereby, novel discoveries in medicine can quickly come into practical use.
TR in a FEMS perspective: What are the challenges, strengths and opportunities in Europe in a global perspective?
The European Commission (EC) has, among other measures, implemented the European Advance for Translational Research in Science (EATRIS) which was initiated to develop a panEuropean action plan for networking, science and education in TR.
Biology and Neuroscience (CMBN) with 200 scientists, employees and students, focusing on TR
Why is TR important, also in microbiology and infectious diseases?
Some examples worth mentioning can be designing / creating / constructing and testing novel diagnostics, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, as well as preventive measures such as vaccines and probiotics. New directions in medicine move toward more personalized medicine, requiring the delineation of both genetic and environmental factors for a basis for validation. Norway is one example where Translational Research is well integrated into everyday human and animal medical activities. Why can TR be implemented efficiently in Norway? What are the particular attributes facilitating TR in Norway? In addition to TR being an integrated goal of the healthcare strategic vision, addressing prime questions in current medicine, this country has well-structured nationwide registries of data, biobanks and knowledge transfer networks. These enable the efficient flow of relevant information in addition to qualified storage, handling and maintenance of biological materials in biobanks.
The Rigaku X-ray Diffractometer is located wall-to-wall with the intensive care unit. With its multidisciplinary nature, ample competence and resources, CMBN represents a unique opportunity in addressing important challenges in basic and translational research. In a time of rapidly evolving scientific developments, CMBN has fuelled discoveries on genome instability and brain diseases including meningitis and other CNS infections. Bacterial systems are exploited as causes of major diseases as well as being relevant models for higher eukaryotic systems, contributing to new developments in molecular medicine. Through their activities and multidisciplinary nature, CMBN scientists
Of course, these facilities can always become better and efforts are dedicated to improving these assets. However, the current situation is a good start for more TR and Norway is, for many
are bridging the gap between basic sciences and clinical medicine, as an example of translational research well integrated into hospital services.
w w w . f e m s - m i c r o b i o l o g y . o r g
Page 4
DEADLINES
F E M S - S P O N S O R E D M a y - J u l y
June 1, 2011 December 15, 2011 FEMS National & Regional
M E E T I N G S
2 0 1 1
DATE TITLE OF MEETING
VENUE
May 7
France
HFP2011: Molecular Mechanisms of Host-Pathogen Interactions and Viru-
Congresses Grants
lence in Human Fungal Pathogens
June 15, 2011
May 11
7th European Workshop on Bacterial
December 1, 2011
Respiratory Chains: Biochemistry, Ge-
FEMS Research Fellowships
netics, Assembly and their Regulation
FEMS Visiting Scientist Grants
May 14
13th International Cytomegalovirus/
Sweden
Germany
BetaHerpesvirus Workshop
October 1, 2011 May 26
FEMS Advanced Fellowships
Fighting Infections: Challenges and
Norway
Recent Progress. A British-
September 1, 2011
Scandinavian Meeting in Microbiology
April 1, 2012
June 12
FEMS Meeting Attendance Grants
Multi-Drug Efflux Systems: From Mo-
Switzerland
lecular Mechanisms to Pharmacological Modulation
March 1, 2012 FEMS Meeting Grants
June 15
7th ISAM: International Symposium of Slovakia Anaerobic Microbiology
4th FEMS Congress Update
July 17
Enzymes in the Environments: Activity, Germany Ecology and Applications
Have you signed up for the 4th Congress of Microbiologists? To be held in Geneva, Switzerland, this will include many interesting events. You will find the list of topics to be tackled at the congress here. For a list of speakers, please click this link. Here is the list of interesting symposia and workshops. If you are looking for someone to share a room with, you may follow FEMS 2011 on Facebook and join in the discussion.
The combined Online Subscription to ALL FEMS Journals costs only â‚Ź185. Subscribe now.
For more information on the Scientific Program and Preliminary Timetable, please click the links. The FEMS Affiliates Letter is a production of the FEMS Central Office
Keverling Buismanweg 4, 2628 CL Delft, The Netherlands T: +31-15-269-3920 / F: +31-15-269-3921 / E-mail: fems@fems-microbiology.org
The voice of microbiology in Europe. We advance and unify microbiology knowledge. w w w . f e m s - m i c r o b i o l o g y . o r g