The European Commission delegation visited the BMC SAS to see the projects of the Recovery Plan

On 5th December 2024, the Biomedical Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, v. v. i. (BMC SAS) hosted a visit of a high representation of the European Commission. The event, aimed at presenting the projects of the Recovery and Resilience Plan in the Slovak Republic, was organised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic selected BMC SAS as one of two scientific institutions in Slovakia to present the projects to the European Commission. The second institution was the Centre for Quantum Information of the Institute of Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

The European Commission delegation was led by Céline Gauer, Director General of Taskforce RECOVER, responsible for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. She was accompanied by Peter Kmec, Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy, together with a wider entourage from the European Commission Representation in Slovakia.

First insectarium in Central Europe

BMC SAV has so far been awarded more than thirty prestigious Recovery and Resilience Plan projects (R1-R4, capital booster for R&D support schemes, fellowships for excellent researchers threatened by the war in Ukraine and others), making it one of the most successful applicants in Slovakia. 

“We have submitted sixty projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and more than half of them, worth more than three million euros, have already been approved, which we consider a great success,” said Professor Silvia Pastoreková, Director of the BMC SAS, in her speech.

She then briefly introduced two of these projects, which were later shown to the delegation up close by BMC SAS researchers: The upcoming first insectarium in our region, which, thanks to funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, will be built in an existing BMC SAS laboratory dedicated to working with high risk pathogens (BSL3) under the project of Dr. Viktoria Cabanova, and the project of Dr. Jozef Ukropec and Professor Barbara Ukropcova, which is investigating how lifestyle changes can reduce disease symptoms and prolong a healthy life. 

“The insectarium project will enable research on mosquitoes with West Nile virus, which is unique in Central Europe,” said Professor Silvia Pastoreková in her speech.

She concluded her speech by stating that she hopes that the funding from the recovery plan will help us attract and retain talented researchers and researchers, as well as renew the research infrastructure. “We also have the ambition to win prestigious projects and promote technology transfer into practice,” she added.

Continuing the research that was stopped by bombs

The event was also attended by the principal investigators of the Recovery and Resilience Plan projects from the BMC SAS.

Dr. Volodymyr Vinnikov, who holds a fellowship for excellent researchers threatened by the war conflict in Ukraine, presented the project to introduce a cytogenetic biodosimetry facility at the Institute of Experimental Oncology of the BMC SAS, as well as future plans for the use of artificial intelligence to individualize cancer treatment.

“Two years ago, bombs started falling on our city and it became impossible to do research. I was very lucky that my family found temporary refuge in Slovakia and I found a job here. It was also very fortunate that this workplace, which is the only one where radiobiological research is done, has a very friendly atmosphere and excellent equipment,” said Dr. Volodymyr Vinnikov.

After the speeches, the delegation took guided tours of the BSL3 laboratory with Dr. Viktoria Cabanova, responsible for the insectarium project, and Dr. Boris Klempa, as well as of the Center for Physical Activity, where training studies and exercise programmes for seniors, patients with obesity or Parkinson’s disease are carried out, with prof. Barbara Ukropcova and Dr. Jozef Ukropec.

List of researchers of the projects of the Recovery and Resilience Plan in BMC SAS

Scholarships for excellent PhD students and R1 students: Alžbeta Jančovičová, Katarína Suroviaková, Katarína Ščasná

Scholarships for excellent researchers R2-R4: Dr. Nikoleta Alchus Laiferová, Dr. Lucia Borszéková Pulzová, Dr. Matúš Durdík, Dr. Sachin Gulati, Dr. Lukáš Jakl, Dr. Pavol Košík, Dr. Dominika Olešová, Dr. Eva Sedlačková, Dr. Lenka Tomášová, Dr. Zuzana Vince Kažmérová, Dr. Viktória Čabanová, Dr. Ľuboš Čipák, Dr. Nataša Hlaváčová, Dr. Eliška Švastová, Dr. Jozef Škultéty, Dr. Jozef Ukropec

Scholarships for excellent researchers threatened by the war conflict in Ukraine: Dr. Volodymyr Vinnikov 

Capital booster for research and development support schemes: Dr. Daniela Gašperíková, Dr. Tereza Goliaš, Dr. Miroslav Baláž, Dr. Viktória Čabanová, Dr. Jaroslav Pavel, Dr. Lucia Balážová

ERC Bridging Grants: Dr. Viktória Čabanová, Dr. Miroslav Baláž, Dr. Lucia Balážová

Matching grants to Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe: Dr. Božena Smolková

Text and photo: E. Rybárová, BMC SAS