BRITISH-ITALIAN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME
2003-2004
The British Council in Italy invites proposals for support under this programme to
promote the development of British-Italian scientific cooperation between universities
and public sector research institutes in Italy and the UK. It provides a contribution
towards travel and living expenses, but does not cover research costs.
The key objective of this programme is to focus on new or recently initiated
collaborative links offering international experience to young researchers, with
preference being given to projects which provide research-training opportunities, e.g.
post-doctoral training in the partner country. Project coordinators and members of
the research groups must be under the age of forty.
Proposals must fall within one of the following subject areas:
OUR SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Sustainable development, or sustainability, is defined as economic activity that meets
the needs of the present generation without comprising the ability of future
generations to meet their needs. Sustainability is based upon three components:
economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection. Environmental
aspects include impacts on the air, water, land, natural resources and human health.
Successful projects should demonstrate the eventual potentiality of the research
involved in sustaining, rather than degrading, the natural environment especially
regarding reducing; re-using; recycling waste.
HYDROGEN FUEL: a new source of energy
Hydrogen fuel is on the brink of becoming a common and affordable source of
energy for powering homes, vehicles and industry. The technology is now becoming
available to begin converting from a petroleum-based economy to a hydrogen based
economy.
Research projects will focus on ways to improve methods of generating a clean,
cost-effective production of hydrogen.
DNA METHYLATION AND REPROGRAMMING
Whilst
conventional genetic mechanisms transmit and translate information encoded by
DNA, other epigenetic mechanisms exist which transmit key information from cell to
cell and generation to generation. Efforts to determine and manipulate epigenetic
processes are underway with one particular study being DNA methylation.
Successful projects will focus on research in DNA methylation and reprogramming
addressing, for example, the following areas: oocyte reprogramming, nuclear transfer
and the creation of cell hybrids.
FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY
The impact of animal feed on human healthPublic anxiety about the quality and
integrity of food production in Europe has increased in recent years because of a
number of problems such as BSE, salmonella and dioxin entering the food chain.
The consequences can be devastating. An important step in ensuring safer food is
to improve ways in which chemical contaminants and micro-organisms are sampled
and measured.
Proposals may address, for example, the following research areas:
•
Developing and improving ways of analysing and detecting food-borne pathogens
and chemical contaminants;
•
Improving prevention and control strategies;
•
Devising detection tests and producing geographical mapping of prions and
further examination of prion longevity and how they transfer from one organism to
another
GRID COMPUTING is about global collaboration in key areas of science and the
next generation of infrastructure that will enable it (Dr. John Taylor, Director
General of UK Research Councils)
Proposals will focus on research into developing grid technology, grid standards and
best practice in the use of grids.
Closing date for proposals: 18 July 2003
For further information see:
http://www.britishcouncil.it/eng/science/guidance.htm
http://www.britishcouncil.it/download/science/application.pdf
or contact Claudia Criscuolo at:
claudia.criscuolo@britishcouncil.it