The National Veterinary Institute fights for EU funding
The National Veterinary Institute participated in consortia presenting altogether 12 proposals to the 7th Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7) in 2007 and 2008. Three of the proposals have been selected for funding.
One is a Large Collaborative Project (maximum EU contribution 6 mill euro) focusing on improved food sampling strategies. The aim of the project is to improve and harmonise sampling techniques that can be incorporated in food safety assurance schemes. Methods and protocols for accurate and precise fit-for-purpose sampling strategies will be developed for specific situations, food products and risks (biological and chemical).
The second project funded is a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship enabling an outstanding New Zealand chemist to work on isolation and identification of algal toxins in shellfish. So far, this is the only Norwegian application for a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship in FP7 that has been funded.
The third project is about protection against prions in food, feed and the environment.
The National Veterinary Institute (NVI) was involved in two other proposals for research projects that came first in their topic. These were not selected for funding due to budgetary constraints.
The NVI coordinated two proposals which were ranked number two in their respective topics. One proposal was for a large collaborative project aimed at development and implementation of a risk-based syndromic surveillance system in mammals, wild marine and freshwater finfish in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, and in mammals and freshwater finfish in the Alps. The second proposal was for a small collaborative project (maximum EU contribution 3 mill euro) aimed at development of probiotic systems for use in aquaculture.
An ERA-net project, CampEC-NET, coordinated by the National Veterinary Institute achieved funding in 2007. This was a one yea project starting in May 2007. The project involved 25 institutions in 11 countries/regions and aimed at integration of veterinary, food and medical laboratory-based surveillance through a range of activities including comparison and harmonization of methods used in laboratories across Europe, workshops addressing various topics, introduction of state of the art analyses and mapping of current research activities and centres of activity.
The table below shows the topics and the evaluation results for the proposals the National Veterinary Institute was involved in 2007 and 2008.
| Topic | Funding scheme | Total number of proposals | Score NVI-proposal1) | Ranked within the topic- NVI-proposal |
| Food sampling strategies for risk analysis | Large collaborative project | 42) | 13,5 | 1 |
| Protecting animal and human health from prions in food, feed and the environment | Large collaborative project | 22) | 13,5 | 1 |
| Improved epidemiological tools for zoonoses: application of geographical information for live animals and animal products | Network of Excellence | 12) | 12 | 1 |
| 3)Using new technologies to identify (re-)emerging pathogens from wildlife reservoirs | Large collaborative project | 32) | 12 | 2 |
| Essential biological functions for the most relevant stages of aquaculture fish life-history | Large collaborative project | 32) | 13 | 2 |
| Detecting contaminants in the food and feed chain | Large collaborative project | 11 | 11,5 | 2 |
| Neglected zoonoses in developing countries: integrated approach for the improvement of their control in animals | Large collaborative project | 42) | 11,5 | 3 |
| 3) Microbial control for more sustainable aquaculture | Small collaborative project | 8 | 12 | 2 |
| Improving production animal health and food safety through investigating the gut function of farm animals, the gastro-intestinal microflora and their interactions | Small collaborative project | 11 | 13 | 2 |
| Reducing mycotoxin contamination in the food and feed chain | Large collaborative project |
| Below threshold in stage 1 | 0 |
| 3) Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship | Mobility | 562 | 87 | Granted |
| 3) Marie Currie Action: “Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development” | Mobility | 1672 | 79,1 | Not granted |
1) Maximum total score for collaborative project and network of excellence is 15. Threshold for funding is 10. Maximum total score for Marie Curie Actions is 100. Threshold for funding is 70.
2) Total number of proposals in stage 2. Only proposals above threshold in stage 1 were invited to present full proposals in stage 2.
3) The NVI was the coordinator of proposals to these topics.
Contact person at the National Veterinary Institute:
Arne Flåøyen, Head of Department
Phone: +47 23216270/+47 48224286
Email: arne.flaoyen@vetinst.no
