PtmBRCN meetings

Meeting #1 - 18.10.2016, 10 am

Meeting at Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Lisbon, with Prof. Paulo Ferrão (President FCT)

Attendees: Eugénio Diogo (INIAV), Célia Pais (UM), Vitor Ramos(LEGE), Nelson Lima (MUM), José Paulo Sampaio (PYCC) and stakeholders Paulo Marques (SUMOL+COMPAL)

The topic of the meeting was the establishment of a national network of culture collections and its relevance for bio-economy and the national roadmap of research infrastructures. A plan to develop a Portuguese Network of Culture Collections was presented and FCT gave support to the initiative. Such an initiative will be developed within the European consortium MIRRI (Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure). Ways of obtaining financial support to the Portuguese network were discussed and it was emphasized that this initiative will have a significant impact not only on the Portuguese culture collections but ultimately on the scientific community as a whole. All participants discussed ways of implementing, funding and making the network relevant to the scientific community.

Meeting #2 - 06.01.2017, 2 pm

Meeting at CIMAR (Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental), Matosinhos

Attendees: Vitor Vasconcelos (LEGE), Nelson Lima (MUM) Célia Pais (UM) Eugénio Diogo (INIAV) and José Paulo Sampaio (PYCC).

The implementation of the Portuguese Network of culture collections was discussed and the first steps towards this goal were agreed. Nelson Lima undertook the task of preparing a draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting the foundations of a National Network of Microbial Culture Collections and a more formal presentation of the network was adjourned for the joint congress of the Portuguese Societies of Microbiology and Biotechnology (MICROBIOTEC), to be held in Porto in December 2017.

Meeting #3 - 07.12.2017, 3 pm

Meeting at Microbiotec 17 held at Universidade Católica, Porto

A Special Symposium entitled “Biological Resource Centers and the Portuguese Network on Culture Collections” organized by Nelson Lima was held at Microbiotec 17 (Universidade Católica, Porto). It included presentations from Nelson Lima “The Biological Resources Centres (BRCs): Current initiatives and Challenges”, José Paulo Sampaio “Why a National Network of Culture Collections in Portugal” and Vitor Ramos “Pan-European RIs and BRCs: the LEGE/CIIMAR's Experience”. This session was attended by more than 50 participants and included the launch the Portuguese microBiological Resource Centre Network (Pt-mBRCN) and its website and logo. A general discussion on the aims and rational of this initiative followed.

Meeting #4 - 18.03.2018, 2 pm

Meeting at INIAV (Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária), Oeiras

Attendees: Ana Botelho, Ana Lança, Cristina Aleixo, Eugénio Diogo, Filomena Duarte, Helena Machado, Isabel Videira e Castro, Leonor Cruz, Manuela Cabrita, and Paula Fareleira (INIAV), Nelson Lima (MUM), Vitor Vasconcelos (LEGE), José Paulo Sampaio (PYCC), Margarida Roseira (IVDP), Ana Tavares (IHMT/UNL) and Paula Morais (FCT/UC).

Several aspects concerning the implementation of the national network were discussed. The legal framework of the Portuguese microBiological Resource Centre Network (Pt-mBRCN) was discussed together with the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Nelson Lima assumed the responsibility to outline a draft of the MoU. Some of the discussed issues were the creation of a national roadmap for culture collections, a standardized catalogue and material transfer agreement (MTA), and strategies to straightening the relationship between the Pt-mBRCN and the scientific community/industry. A draft of the statutes was analyzed and discussed.

Meeting #5 - 07.05.2021, 10 am

Zoom meeting

Attendees: Ana Lança (INIAV), Eugénio Diogo (INIAV), Filomena Duarte (INIAV), Nelson Lima (MUM), Vitor Vasconcelos (LEGE), José Paulo Sampaio (PYCC), Ana Tavares (BIOTROP-IHMT), Paula Morais (UCCCB), Vitor Ramos (CIMOCC-IPB), João Morais (LEGE), Lilia Santos (ACOI-UC), Valentina Santos (LRV - AÇORES), Mariana Assunção (ACOI-UC), Ana Paula Arez (BIOTROP-IHMT), Margarida Baleiras-Couto (AVFMCC), Ana Chung (UCCCB), Diogo N Proença (UCCCB), Paula Rodrigues (CIMOCC-IPB), Célia Soares (MUM), Manuela Cabrita (INIAV)

Nelson Lima presented the agenda of the meeting. After a brief overview on the state of the art of the MIRRI implementation at Minho University, attention was given to the FCT requirement of PT-mBRCN association to the MIRRI-PT. It was confirmed the eligibility of all attendees’ memberships as non-corporate entities of the R&I System. Vitor Vasconcelos assumed the responsibility of adapting the legal framework model used by the MIRRI-PT North Pole/North2020 to the Pt-mBRCN/MIRRI-PT. A working group of six members was created with the aim of improving the network webpage. Among other discussed issues were the strategic need to involve the Commission for Regional Development and Coordination (CCDR) and applying to the Horizon Europe calls (Pilar 1 to 3).