ESCMID Online News 5 January 2007

Dear ESCMID member
Dear member of an affiliated society


We are pleased to send you the most recent edition of ESCMID Online News with the best wishes for a prosperous and happy New Year. A major event at the very beginning of this year is the launch of the EU's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). ESCMID will inform you about the first calls for proposals in this newsletter. Furthermore, an article from the European Commission provides background information about infection topics in the Health themes. For previous online newsletters please consult the ESCMID website www.escmid.org/onlinenews.

From the ESCMID Executive Committee

  1. Seeking a New CMI Editor ESCMID is seeking applicants for the position of Editor of the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection (CMI) which is the official publication of ESCMID.
    Application Deadline: 15 January 2007
     
  2. Development of Medical Practice Guidelines ESCMID has established a new system for supporting the development of medical practice guidelines. Please find the new algorithm for development here.
     

Education

  1. 40th ESCMID Postgraduate Education Course
    Practical and Theoretical Course on Bacterial Molecular Typing
    29 April - 4 May 2007, Oeiras, Portugal
     
  2. 42nd ESCMID Postgraduate Education Course
    Role of Anaerobic Bacteria in Infections: Diagnostics, Antibiotic Resistance and New Therapeutic Options
    2 - 4 June 2007, Szeged, Hungary
     
  3. GRACE Educational Activities GRACE is a Network of Excellence dedicated to lower respiratory tract infections. In 2007 the following GRACE events will take place:
    2nd GRACE Postgraduate Course: Conventional and rapid diagnostic approaches to respiratory tract infections in support of more targeted therapy,
    30 - 31 March 2007, Munich, Germany
    3rd GRACE Postgraduate Course: From cough to asthma - the role of infection,
    15 September 2007, Stockholm, Sweden
    1st GRACE Workshop: LRTI - current concepts in pathogenesis, microbiology, epidemiology and economic impact,
    22-24 October 2007, Prague, Czech Republic.
     

Science

  1. 17th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases / 25th International Congress of Chemotherapy (17th ECCMID/25th ICC) Find out about the latest programme for this major meeting on infection and microbiology.
    31 March - 3 April 2007, Munich, Germany
     
  2. European Funding Opportunities and Reports There are currently eight pending or open calls for European funding opportunities of potential interest to infection specialists. For details please click here.
     


Best regards,
ESCMID Executive Committee
 


European Funding Opportunities and Reports

 

Recent developments of European Funding Programmes This article provides an overview of the new structure of the Framework Programme 7 (FP7), the new Programme of Community Action in the Field of Health and further planned initiatives such as European Institute of Technology and The Innovative Medicine Initiative.

Framework Programme 7 (FP7): Guest Comment by DG Research, European Commission Anna Lönnroth and Bernhard Mulligan from DG Research give a summary of the Health themes in FP7 with a focus on the field of infection.

European Parliament: STOA (Scientific Technology Options Assessment)-Panel-published Final Report on Antibiotic Resistance This final report is the outcome of the work of an interdisciplinary expert working group.

President's Comment on the STOA Report The STOA Report to the EU Parliament brings up many important aspects on the fight against antibiotic resistance. However, it is remarkable that it does not actively support EU funding of research projects on the development of new antimicrobial drugs. The argument that it will take a long time before we see the results of such projects is not a valid one but rather emphasises the need for large research funding for projects aiming at defining new targets, searching for drugs active against those targets and facilitating clinical evaluation of new drugs. Other types of projects that should be promoted are those evaluating the burden of antimicrobial resistance - such studies are crucial for further dialogue with government and non-government organisations that provide research funding.

S. Ragnar Norrby
 

FP7 Health: First Call for Proposals This call includes proposals on topics such as influenza, malaria, TB, HIV, antimicrobial drug resistance, vaccine development, neglected infectious diseases, etc.
Deadline: 19 April 2007

FP7 Marie Curie: First Call for Proposals Marie Curie actions aim at strengthening training, career prospects and mobility of European researchers.
Deadline: 7 May 2007 (Marie Curie Initial Training Networks)

FP7 European Research Council Starting Independent Research Grant: First Call for Proposals This Council will fund frontier research in all scientific and technological areas carried out by individual teams.
Deadline: 25 April 2007

FP7: Call for Experts The European Commission has published calls for proposals for the creation of a list of experts for the Seventh Framework Programme.
Deadline: ongoing

Call for Letters of Interest - Affiliation of new European Participants to BioMalPar Network The Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite consortium invites letters of interest from European scientific teams interested in conducting collaborative research with the BioMalPar consortium.
Deadline: 12 January 2007

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) - Open Call for Proposals COST is an intergovernmental network which finances networking of nationally funded activities.
Deadline: 30 March 2007

Joint Call Between Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) This joint call for proposals is to support capacity building for HIV vaccine trials in sub-Saharan African countries.
Deadline: 31 March 2007

Ongoing: ECDC Call for Scientific Experts
Deadline: 8 August 2008