Monday May 6th

Day of arrivel and lunch at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Workshop program

Monday May 6th

Tuesday May 7th

Wednesday May 8th

NENUN PhD course will start after lunch.

The NENUN network would like thank all the presenters and the participants for a very interesting day.

Travel grant

Up till now there have been no applications for travel grant from Nenun. Therefore it was decided that it should be more clear how to apply and an application document on the Nenun homepage. This should been done before 1^st of October.

There will still be 4 deadlines for applications:

-          March 1^st

-          June 1^st

-          September 1^st

-          December 1^st

All applications should be send to travelgrant@nenun.org, and cc to the host and own supervisor or group leader. It is expected that each person receiving funding will prepare a one page description of the stay or give a presentation on the forthcoming NENUN workshop.

The Nenun network will aim at paying for 5 exchanges a year of maximum 20.000 Norwegian kroner, and bench fee is not included. The funding will cover travel expenses and accommodation.

Ph.D. Courses

It was decided that Nenun network members will apply for two Ph.D. courses when it is possible from Nordforsk.

1^st course – Ecological theory linked to microbial ecology:

It was not decided who should take the lead for this course. It was decided that either Anne Winding, Alexander Eiler or Sarah Hallin should take the responsibility for the course. This should be decided before 1^st of October.

The course will take place in the connection with the next Nenun workshop in Upssala.

2^nd course – Environmental Transcript Analysis and Transcriptomics:

It was decided that Carsten Suhr Jacobsen will take responsibility for the course. The following persons will be a part of the course:

-          Mette Haubjerg Nicolaisen

-          Jacob Bælum

-          Stefan Bertilsson

-          Binbin Liu

-          Åsa Frostegård

Homepage

It was decided that there should be a disclaimer on the protocol page.

All agreed to submit the protocols to the Nenun secretary before 1^st of October.

Isme Roundtable

It was decided that Nenun will apply for a roundtable at ISME next year. The application round will take place next year around March/April. The roundtable should be open and about DNA/RNA extraction. Carsten Suhr Jacobsen agreed to conduct a description of a roundtable and send it to the steering group. The steering group will then decided on the formulation of the roundtable application.

ISME Mixer

Mette Haubjerg Nicolaisen agreed to plan a Nenun mixer at ISME 2012. Mette will investigate whether it is Monday or Tuesday that will be best suitable. This will be held at the garden café at LIFE faculty at Copenhagen University.

Uppsala Workshop 2012

The next Nenun workshop will take place in Uppsala in October 2012. It was decided that the main focus on the workshop should be on methods.
Alexander Eiler, together with Morten, will plan the next workshop.

Convention on Biological Diversity

Preben Nielsen presented the Rio convention regarding the sampling permission in different countries.

All the information can be fund at – http://www.cbd.int/

For sampling permission for Greenland:
http://uk.nanoq.gl/Emner/About/Resources_and_industry/Biological_resources.aspx

Steering group meeting 16^th Marts 2011 from 12.30 – 18

Attending at the meeting: Kim Yrjälä (Finland), Åsa Frostegård (Norway), Sara Hallin (Sweden), Andreas Schramm (Denmark), Solveig K. Pétursdóttir (Iceland), Morten Schostag Nielsen (Secretary), Carsten Suhr Jacobsen (Network leader)

Agenda

1) The role of the steering group

2) Update on planning of PhD courses in NENUN

3) Update on new application and activities within the network

4) Agenda for next workshop in Reykjavik in September

5) Student-exchange

6) NENUN-methods

7) Homepage www.nenun.org

8 ) Any other business

1) The role of the steering groups

It is the steering group’s role to support the activities in NENUN. The steering group will secure that the decisions from the NENUN workshops is implemented. The steering group will decide on support from NENUN to activities in the network including student exchange and research visit applications.

The steering group decided to meet just before the start of next NENUN workshop in Reykjavik Wednesday 7^th September 2011 in the afternoon. After Reykjavik workshop it will be decided whether there should be another steering group meeting in February 2012.

2) Update on planning of PhD courses in NENUN

Andreas Schramm presented the plans for the course on Single cell methods. This course will be held 15^th-21^st of August in Sweden. Stefan Bertilsson will send out information on this later. The course will be posted on the homepage as soon as the description is ready.

The course “Ecological theory linked to microbial ecology” was originally planed to be applied for as a full NordForsk Research Training Course PhD course but is has now been decided that it can be supported as a NENUN course. It is expected to run in May 2012. Alexander Eiler and Sara Hallin are the responsible persons.

The other planned application for a full NordForsk Research Training Course “Environmental Transcript Analysis and Transcriptomics” has not been applied for in 2011 but will be applied for in 2012 and Carsten Suhr Jacobsen is the responsible person.

The application “ NGS data Ph.D. course “ by Marja Tiirola has been submitted to NordForsk for a full NordForsk Research Training Course with the inclusion of particular interested NENUN partners.

3) Update on new application and activities within the network

It was decided that the steering group will initiate the lobby work for a Nordic Centre of Excellence (NCoE) should start as soon as possible. Carsten will make a draft paper on the need for a Center of excellence in Microbial Ecology with specific implications for the Nordic aspect and Åsa Frostegård and Andreas Schramm will comment on this prior to involvement of the rest of the NENUN NCoE group. Sara volunteered to make contact to NordForsk to “dig out” their possible plans for the next NCoE .

4) Agenda for next workshop in Reykjavik in September

There was an agreement on four sessions at the workshop in Reykjavik. The four sessions will be as follows:

Session 1: Analysis of single cells and specific populations

This session covers single cell and population analyses in the environment, on all levels from the detection of genes or transcripts inside single microbial cells to the analysis of activity (substrate uptake) at the single cell level (e.g. MAR-FISH, nanoSIMS), to capturing single cells for gene or genome sequencing, and also includes the quantitative analysis of specific populations (e.g. by qPCR or FISH).

Session 2: Active microbes in the environment

This session covers the analysis of microbial communities in the environment that are performing specific activities. This could be quantitative analysis of functional genes (examples nitrogen related or pesticide related) or it could be measurement of microbial mediated biochemical processes. The use of sequencing analysis of transcripts – transcriptomics – to reveal new microbial pathways directly in environmental samples is also included.

Session 3: Functional diversity of microorganisms in different ecosystems

This session covers functional genes important for key functions of pristine ecosystems, but also functional gene diversity in response to environmental stress like pollutants or draught and other stressors. Functional gene diversity for discovering functions or changes in function of different ecosystems.

Session 4: Making ecological sense out of sequence data

This session deals with various ways to analyze sequence data to get insights into microbial ecology

There will be a three hour excursion Friday after noon. Destination has not be decided, Solveig will investigate were to go.

There is a maximum of 50 participants for Reykjavik. NENUN will pay for the stay for 2 persons per group.

Titles should be submitted to NENUN secretary before 1^st of August.

5) Student-Exchange

It was decided that the network will aim at paying for 5 exchanges a year of maximum 20.000 Norwegian kroner. Funding will cover travel expenses and accommodation. Bench fee is not included. There will still be 4 deadlines for applications (March 1^st, June 1^st, September 1^st, and December 1^st). It was decided that not only PhD students but also post Doc’s and senior scientist can apply for this. Individuals can only receive funding once, but institutes may have several individuals who may receive funding.

All applications should be send to travelgrant@nenun.org, and cc to the host and own supervisor or group leader. It is expected that each person receiving funding will prepare a one page description of the stay or give a presentation on the forthcoming NENUN workshop

The steering group will make an application form to be filled out. Applications should contain a template to be filled out, a full budget of the stay and a one page presentation of the project and reason for the stay.  The steering group will make a guideline for an exchange visits Carsten will make a draft and send to the steering group. After receiving the applications at the travel grant email address the NENUN secretary will send all applications to the members of the steering group. Each member ranks the applications from their own judgment and returns a prioritised list to the NENUN secretary within 14 days.

The steering group discussed the evaluation criteria of the judgement and it was decided that longer stays are preferable to secure real collaborative effect, but in certain cases also a short visit can be relevant.

The support is paid from GEUS to the host institution for the person travelling. The support will be paid after the trip, upon receiving 1) a one page description of the activities and 2) a bill from the host institution send to GEUS.

6) NENUN-methods

Carsten will make some example of what is expected of a protocol. This will be uploaded on the homepage.

7) Homepage www.nenun.org

There was an agreement, that there should be a Job page on the home page for the network to post job positions. Contact Morten

8 ) Any Other business

Nothing

It has been decided that the next NENUN workshop will be held in Iceland. The meeting will take place in September 2011, date to be announced later.

The travel expenses for future workshop cannot be finance by NENUN. Accommodation and food etc. will be finance by NENUN for to persons per group.  NENUN workshop 2012 will take place in Uppsala.

2. Theme for next NENUN Workshop

For next NENUN workshop there will be a focus on specific subject sessions with reference to the possible work packages defined by the Centre of Excellence. The precise schedule for the next workshop will be defined by the board.

3. NENUN Methods

The list made on the flip board will be transformed to a separate page on the homepage. From this page each mark will open a new page by clicking and a 2-5 line descriptive text will appear (some groups might have more then one protocol).

- NENUN will not make quality control on these protocols so people themselves are responsible for the contents.

- Comment at the start of the protocol. Information about how good they are at these methods.

4. Short PhD students mission

- Exchange of PhD student can be applied by NENUN participants and the board will read the application and make judgedment on the amount of funding. 4 deadlines a year:  March 1th, June 1th; September 1th, December 1th

The applicants are asked to also consider national funds and FEMS stipends.

5. New Members

It was decided that the network cannot finance new members. However new members are welcome to apply for membership, but have to pay the cost of their own stay.

6. Sub groups.

It was decided to form a subgroup working on creating possibilities to apply for Center of Excellence (CoE) from NordForsk.

-          Sara Hallin

-          Søren J. Sørensen

-          Stefan Bertilsson

-          Andreas Schramm

-          Åsa Frostegård

-          Anne Winding

-          Kirsten Jørgensen

-          Lasse Riemann

7. NENUN PhD courses

NENUN will give seed money for up to three Ph.d. courses The seed money is maximum 30.000 norske kroner and implices a size of 10-15 student (NENUN student in favour)

- Stefan and Andreas takes lead on a course on Single cell methods

- Søren takes lead on a 454 sequencing (Søren) Stefan contribute with some people.

8. Norfa Ph.D. courses

It was agreed that the network will try to apply for one or two Ph.D. courses next time there is a possibility from NordForsk

-          Ecological theory linked to microbial ecology– Anne Winding, Mette Marianne Svenning, Kim Yrjälä, Sara Hallin, Alexander Eiler

-          Environmental Transcript Analysis and Transcriptomics – Carsten Suhr Jacobsen et al.

9. Steering group

- Finland: Kim Yrjälä

- Island: Solveig Petursdottir

- Sweden: Sara Hallin

- Norway: Åsa Frostegård

- Denmark: Andreas Schramm and Carsten Suhr Jacobsen

10. ISME Satellite

- Roundtale NENUN – The board applies

- Social mixer held with food and drink either Monday or Tuesday evening in a NENUN lab in Copenhagen

Tuesday November 23

Wednesday November 24

12.00-13.00	Lunch
13.00-15.00	Workshop on priority of activities in NENUN  The funding and possibilities – 5 ideas as preparation for group discussions (by Carsten Suhr Jacobsen) 20 minutes – Group discussions in 50 minutes 6 groups of 7-8 – plenum presentations of 5 minutes followed by discussion.
15.00-18.00	Continued discussion during excursion to Kronborg (we have rented Kronborg Castle after dark and will get an exclusive tour in this impressive monument from the time when the Danes ruled )
19.00-21.00	Dinner

Thursday November 25