REVISED STRATEGIC PLAN OF
ESTACIÓN EXPERIMENTAL DEL
ZAIDÍN – CSIC
JANUARY 2006
1.1. INTRODUCTION
Brief historical background
The Estación Experimental del Zaidín (EEZ) belongs to the Spanish Council for
Scientific Research (CSIC). It was founded in 1955 with the aim of carrying out
research in the various fields of Agricultural and Earth Sciences. At the foundations
of the EEZ there were a series of sections created in the 1940s, always dependent of the
CSIC, based on the different chairs of the Faculty of Sciences and Faculty of Pharmacy
of the University of Granada. The first two sections were Chemistry-Physics and
Agricultural Chemistry; both founded in 1946 and later in 1949 and 1951 Microbiology
and Plant Physiology and Analytical Chemistry, respectively.
In 1950 the CSIC purchased a building located at Virgen de Montserrat Street to house
the above referred sections. This building became operational in 1953 and was known
as “Estación Experimental del Zaidín”. Its official opening ceremony was held on May
4th 1955 and hosted by its first Director, Prof. Enrique Gutiérrez-Ríos (1954-1957). A
new building, a historical house dating back to the early XX century, was bought in
1956. A new section called Mineralogy of Clays was founded in 1957 and the one of
Chemistry-Physics disappeared. In 1958 another new section came to being: Animal
Physiology. Prof. Ángel Hoyos-de-Castro was Director of the Centre during the period
ranging from 1957 to 1961, and when he became Head of the Patronato Alonso de
Herrera in Madrid, Prof. Luis Recalde-Martínez became the Director of the Centre
(1961-1979).
In 1961 and 1962 two new sections were created: Soil Mineralogy and
Agrometeorology, respectively. In 1963 Prof. Manuel Lachica-Garrido began the
publication of the EEZ’s memoirs. The first of the series collected the scientific research
carried out at the Centre from 1949 to 1962. From then on these memoirs were
published biannually, and more recently, every year.
Apart from the research activities carried out at the EEZ, the Centre has a clear teaching
vocation, often participating in the teaching of courses of very different nature. It is
specially worth noting the one called “International Course on Soil Science and Plant
Biology”, which began back in 1964 and was specifically conceived for post-graduate
Latin-American students.
2
The early sections that were created along the history of the EEZ have changed with
time both in their designation and scientific orientation. Moreover, new sections came
to being, like the ones on Plant Biochemistry and the Laboratory of Botany in 1970.
The construction of a new building known as “Casa Roja” began in the early 1970s. The
building became operational in 1976 and remains until today the main working place of
the various current research groups.
Prof. Manuel Lachica-Garrido was Director of the EEZ between 1979 and 1983 and was
the person who started the restructuring of the Centre according to the new rules of the
CSIC. The main visible result of this restructuring was the creation of the Structural
Units of Research (UEIs, from the Spanish Unidades Estructurales de Investigación):
Physical-Chemistry and Mineral Geochemistry, Soil Science and Botany, Plant
Physiology,
Agricultural
Chemistry,
Plant
Pathology,
Microbiology,
Plant
Biochemistry, Animal Physiology, Applied Analytical Chemistry and Agronomy. This
organization also involved the regrouping of personnel and, in some cases, the
redefinition of objectives.
In 1980 the EEZ commemorated its XXV anniversary and a noteworthy period began
with the incorporation of young researchers, who had received scientific formation at
the EEZ, and who after spending some time at the most reputed foreign Scientific
Institutions joined the Centre as staff. It is also the period when agreements were signed
with Caja de Ahorros and Patronato de la Alhambra.
Prof. Julio Boza-López was Director of the EEZ from 1983 to 1989. This period was
one of the most fruitful known by the EEZ as far as the incorporation to the Insitute of
new scientists is concerned. Moreover, collaborations links were established between
the EEZ and the town council, as well as Diputación de Granada (Granada County
council). Collaboration bonds were also further strengthened between the EEZ and Caja
de Ahorros de Granada and Patronato de la Alhambra during this period. The first
greenhouses were installed at the EEZ in this period. This was achieved through the
funding by Caja General de Ahorros de Granada of an awarded research project to the
researchers of the Department of Microbiology. Junta de Andalucía financed the
Centre’s first electron transmission microscope.
From 1983 onwards the CSIC began to redefine its lines of research and its objectives.
This was a turning point for the EEZ since it began to develop the biological aspects
(animal, plant and microbe), while relegating the more edaphological ones.
3
Prof. José-Miguel Barea-Navarro was Director of the Institute from 1989 to 1998. It
was a period in which the incorporation of new staff scientists to the Centre was halted
because of the government’s restrictions on Public Employment Offers.
The expansion of the Structural Unit of Animal Physiology and the fact that its research
activity involved the use of animals, made the EEZ move this Unit to a more favourable
location: some terrains belonging to the CSIC located in Armilla, some 5 Km away
from Granada. This was made possible thanks to the support from FEDER funds.
In 1992 the CSIC published new organization rules and the EEZ took on an extremely
important structural change, as a result of which the EEZ was organized in five
Departments: Agroecology and Plant Protection; Biochemistry and Molecular and
Cellular Biology of Plants; Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Animal Nutrition
and Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry.
This period in which Prof. Barea-Navarro was Director of the EEZ, coincided with the
development of the IV and V Framework Programmes of the EC. Several research
groups of the EEZ managed to obtain an important number of projects within those
Programmes, which enabled to strengthen the scientific structure of the EEZ (personnel,
equipment and publications), as well as the Institute’s own infrastructure.
Prof. Juan-Luis Ramos-Martín became Director of the Centre in 1998 and is currently in
that position. Prof. Ramos’s management of the Centre is being vital for the
reorganization of the EEZ to face up to the future challenges imposed by the new
research frontiers of the XXI century. The Centre is immersed in a continuously
growing spiral and the back-up bench of young scientists is constantly increasing due to
the Centre’s training vocation and that of the personnel within it. The former Ministry
of Science and Technology began its “star” programme of “Ramón y Cajal” contracts
for scientific researchers. In the first call, the EEZ managed to achieve eight of these
contracts and success continued in later calls.
The new seat of the EEZ in Armilla was inaugurated in 1999 with the founding of the
Unit of Animal Nutrition.
In 2002 two of the EEZ’s most emblematic buildings were restored: “Casa de los
Guardas” and “Casa de Vacas”, and the construction of the new building known as
“Nueva Casa Blanca” also began at the site in which the former “Casa Blanca” had once
stood. This new research building was inaugurated in May 2005, together with a new
modern auditorium with 160 seats equipped with the most modern projection
technologies. In the autumn of 2005 ten green-houses were installed at the premises
4
where the old ones were located. These new green-houses are equipped with facilities
for the hydroponic culture of plants and the control of light-dark periods. Other
buildings have also been adapted for new uses as library, additional laboratories, plantgrowth chambers, dinning-room, ateliers, etc.
One of the most relevant achievements of the period ranging between 2002 and 2005
has been the renovation of equipment, i.e., the transmission electron microscope, the
spectrometer for stable isotopes, X-Ray diffractometer and the acquisition of new
equipment such DNA sequencer, quantitative PCR, modern up-to-date HPLCs,
epifluorescence, confocal laser microscope, etc. This is allowing the EEZ to assume
new research lines.
Researchers at EEZ are currently distributed in five departments, four of which are
located at the Centre's main seat at Prof. Albareda, nº 1 in Granada, namely:
Agroecology and Plant Protection; Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology of
Plants; Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems and Earth Sciences and
Environmental Chemistry. The fifth Department, the Unit of Animal Nutrition, can be
found in Armilla at Camino del Jueves s/n (Granada).
The main lines of research within the EEZ are those considered as priority by National
Scientific Research and Technology Programmes of the CICyT, EC programmes, Basic
Science Research Programmes of the DGICyT, Regional Government Research Plans
and Strategic Research Plans of the CSIC.
5
1.2. STRUCTURAL DATA AND RESOURCES
1.2.1. Organizational structure
Type of Centre: The Centre belongs to the CSIC. Personnel, buildings and equipment
belong to the CSIC.
Executive Board:
Director:
Juan-Luis Ramos Martín
Deputy Director:
Concepción Azcón González de Aguilar
Deputy Director:
Eduarda Molina Alcaide
6
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ESTACIÓN EXPERIMENTAL DEL
ZAIDÍN (CSIC)
CENTRE’S ASSEMBLY BOARD
SCIENTIFIC SENATE
DEPARTMENTS
AGROECOLOGY AND PLANT
PROTECTION
EXECUTIVE
BOARD
RESEARCHSUPPORTING UNITS
INFORMATICS
MANAGEMENT
GENERAL SECRETARIAT
LIBRARY
BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR
AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY OF
PLANTS
EARTH SCIENCES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
SOIL MICROBIOLOGY AND
SYMBIOTIC SYSTEMS
FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION UNIT
RADIOCHEMICAL
LABORATORY
MAINTENANCE & GENERAL
SERVICES
STABLE ISOTOPE
LABORATORY
ANIMAL NUTRITION
PSEUDOMONAS REFERENCE
CULTURE COLLECTION
7
CENTRE’S ASSEMBLY BOARD
PRESIDENCY:
Dr. Juan Luis Ramos
Director
Dr. Concepción Azcón González de Aguilar
Deputy Director
Dr. Eduarda Molina Alcaide
Deputy Director
SECRETARY:
Mrs. Mª Antonia Henares Rubio
Manager
HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS:
Dr. Mercedes Campos Aranda
Dept. of Agroecology and Plant Protection
Dr. Mª Isabel Rodríguez García
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular
Biology of Plants
Dr. Emilio Reyes Camacho
Dept. of Earth Sciences and Environmental
Chemistry
Dr. Juan Sanjuan Pinilla
Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems
Dr. Luis Rubio San Millán
Animal Nutrition Unit
ELECTED PERSONNEL
REPRESENTATIVES:
Dr. Manuel Fernández López
Contracted Scientific Researcher
Dr. Adela Olmedilla Arnal
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Aránzazu Peña Heras
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Juan Sánchez Raya
Scientific Staff Researcher
8
SCIENTIFIC SENATE
President:
Dr. Juan Luis Ramos Martín
Full Research Professor
Secretary:
Dr. Francisco Javier Huertas Puerta
Tenured Scientist
Members:
Dr. José F. Aguilera Sánchez
Full Research Professor
Dr. Luis García Rosell Martínez
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Concepción Azcón G. de Aguilar
Full Research Professor
Dr. Manuel Gómez Ortega
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Rosario Azcón G. de Aguilar
Full Research Professor
Dr. José Luis Guardiola Sáenz
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. José Miguel Barea Navarro
Full Research Professor
Dr. Alfonso Hernández Laguna
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Eulogio J. Bedmar Gómez
Full Research Professor
Dr. Juan José Lázaro Paniagua
Scientific Researcher
Dra. Ana Chueca Sancho
Full Research Professor
Dra. Eduarda Molina Alcaide
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Juan P. Donaire Navarro
Full Research Professor
Dr. Pilar Navarro
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Juan Antonio Ocampo Bote
Full Research Professor
Dr. Rogelio Nogales Vargas-Machuca
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Luis A. del Río Legazpi
Full Research Professor
Dr. José Manuel Palma Martínez
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Mª Isabel Rodríguez García
Full Research Professor
Dr. Mª Aranzazu Peña Heras
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dra. Remedios Sanz Sampelayo
Full Research Professor
Dr. Emilio Reyes Camacho
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dra. Mercedes Campos
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Nuria Ferrol González
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Francisco Gallardo Lara
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Mª Trinidad Gallegos Fernández
Tenured Scientist
9
Dr. Matilde Rodríguez Osorio
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Ignacio Fernández-Fígares
Tenured Scientist
Dr. A. Juan Sánchez Raya
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. José Manuel García Garrido
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Juan Sanjuán Pinilla
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. Inmaculada García Romera
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Nicolás Toro García
Scientific Staff Researcher
Dr. José Luis González Rebollar
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Juan de Dios Alché Ramírez
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Concepción Jiménez de Cisneros
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Albert Bago Pastor
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Manuel Lachica López
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Matilde Barón Ayala
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Silvia Marqués Martín
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Andrés José Belver Cano
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Francisco Martínez-Abarca Pastor
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Emilia Caballero Mesa
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Rosa María Nieto Liñán
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Francisco J. Corpas Aguirre
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Adela Y. Olmedilla Arnal
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Antonio Luis Delgado Huertas
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Enrique Peralta de la Cámara
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Esperanza Romero Taboada
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Pilar Rodríguez Rosales
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Luis Ángel Rubio San Millán
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Luisa Mª Sandalio González
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Juan Manuel Ruiz Lozano
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Ana Segura Carnicero
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Mariam Sahrawy Barragán
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Kees M. Venema
Tenured Scientist
Dr. María Jesús Delgado Igeño
Tenured Scientist
Dr. Mª Dolores Mingorance Alvarez
Tenured scientist from the Ministry of
Science and Education
10
MANAGEMENT OFFICE/ADMINISTRATION
SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR
Mrs. Mª Antonia Henares Rubio
MANAGEMENT SECRETARY
Mrs. Mª Dolores Enciso Castro
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION UNIT
MAINTENANCE
AND
GENERAL
Mrs. Mª del Castillo Hervás Hervás
SERVICES
Mrs. Rosa Mª Clares Peso
Mr. José Luis Díaz Molina
Mr. Joaquín Jiménez Gutiérrez
Mr. Rafael C. Esteso Melero
Mrs. Mª del Carmen Linares González
Mr. Germán Fernández Fernández
Mrs. Ana María Llamas Velasco
Mr. Fernando Flores García
Mrs. Mª Dolores Maroto Freire
Mrs. Salomé García Jiménez
Mrs. Rosario Molina Quesada
Mr. Luis Miguel García Rodríguez
Mr. Samuel Martínez Marruecos
Mr. Antonio Melgar Porcel
Mrs. Mª Teresa Muñoz Pareja
Mrs. Ángeles Ramírez Fernández
Mr. Jaime Cecilio Ramírez Melguizo
Mr. Antonio Tirado Guerrero
Mr. Antonio Trescastro Mediavilla
Mr. Juan Pablo Vera Padial
INFORMATICS
LIBRARY
Mr. César Azorín Márquez
Mrs. Ana María de la Fuente Navarro
Mr. Alejandro Morales
Mr. Manuel Martínez Martínez
Mrs. Felicitas Ramírez Malo
Mrs. Mª Luisa Ruíz Maroto
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List of Departments
Agroecology and Plant Protection
Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants
Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems
Animal Nutrition Unit
Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry
Services
The EEZ’s general services are basically research-supporting units and can be of two
different types: one made up of general services for the Centre itself, including
informatics, library and radioisotope laboratory; and the second directed not only to
support the Centre’s own research, but also that of external Institutions. The latter
includes Stable Isotope Analysis Laboratories, as well as the Pseudomonas Reference
Culture Collection.
12
1.2.1. Space distribution in Estación Experimental del Zaidín
1.2.1. 1. Space distribution (m2) at the EEZ’s seat at C/ Profesor Albareda in Granada
Library
Casa de los Guardas
Casa Amarilla
Workshop (ateliers)
Auditorium
Casa Vacas
Isotope laboratory
Nueva Casa Blanca
Green-houses
Transformer
Casa Roja
Pavilion
Grounds
310
75
370
446
240
45
108
720
435
64
1100
70
Constructed
310
107
880
446
340
80
108
2450
435
64
4200
70
Laboratories
75
108
1105
130
2496
60
Offices
200
204
712
10
Common
310
130
340
88
171
-
Others
32
550
446
80
1053
305
64
821
-
Total surface of the premises: 17.700 m2
13
1.2.1.2. Space distribution at the EEZ seat at C/ Camino del Jueves s/n in Armilla
(Granada)
ARMILLA
Main building
Laboratories
Warehouse
Stables
TOTAL
Grounds
550
824
408
457
2239
Constructed
1059
824
408
457
2748
Laboratories
500
727
457
1684
Offices
350
350
Common
122
122
Others
87
97
408
592
Total surface of the premises: 23.683 m2
14
1.2.2. General Infrastructure
The main scientific infrastructure is mentioned in Table 2.2 and the key equipment
associated to the services is presented in point 1.5 and along points 4 and 5 of this
Strategic Research Plan. Below we refer to the informatics infrastructure.
Informatics infrastructure
Main EEZ seat at C/ Prof. Albareda (Granada):
-
257 users
LAN Ethernet 10/100/1000 MBps
6 buildings interconnected by fibre optics (optical wire)
6 servers (web, mail, DNS, FTP, NTP, databases, etc.)
282 working posts (working stations, PCs, MACs, portable PCs)
External GigaEthernet connection
2 radio-connection systems
Animal Nutrition Unit at C/ Camino del Jueves (Armilla, Granada):
-
32 users
LAN Ethernet 10 MBps
3 buildings interconnected by fibre optics (optical wire)
35 working posts
External radio-connection
15
1.3. DEPARTMENTS
Each of the Departments and the research groups’ objectives are briefly described
below. The groups are described within its corresponding Department. Every research
group is acknowledged by the Andalusian Research Plan.
DEPARTMENT OF AGROECOLOGY AND PLANT PROTECTION
The overall goal of this Department is to contribute to soil and crop protection through
the sustainable development of agricultural systems. Research approaches involve: (i)
the development and optimization of the processes that favour the recovery of urban and
agroindustrial wastes, as well as the development of technology for the prevention and
protection of soil against pollutants, and (ii) the development of an integrated
management of pests in agroecosystems. The department is well integrated in the socioeconomic layers of the province of Granada and Andalusia, and has several links with
productive sectors. The overall objectives of the two research groups that constitute this
Department are given below and the main research line of each group are given in
section 1.4 of this Strategic Plan.
RESEARCH GROUP: PLANT PROTECTION, Scientist in charge: Dr. Mercedes
Campos
General objectives: Development of the integrated management of pests and diseases
in agroecosystems. Characterization of compatible agrosystems. Behaviour and analysis
of pesticides in environmental samples.
RESEARCH GROUP:
SOIL PROTECTION, Scientist in charge: Dr. Rogelio
Nogales
General objectives: Recovery and recycling of urban and agro-industrial wastes using
low-cost ecotechnologies such as composting and vermicomposting for bioamendments.
Use of bioamendments for the biological and chemical control of pesticides and
phytopathogenic fungi in agricultural soils, and the recovery of contaminated soils.
Characterization and management of conventional, integrated and ecological
agrosystems, as well as protected crops.
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DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR
BIOLOGY OF PLANTS
The overall goals of this Department is to study complex plant metabolism processes,
i.e. photosynthesis of carbon assimilation, plant mechanisms of response and tolerance
to biotic and abiotic stresses, cell signalling mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen
species, and the mechanisms of plant reproduction. More recently efforts are also being
directed to determine the biological function of pollen allergens and their interactions
with the immune system. Finally, the Department is also interested in plant and
microorganisms responses to toxic xenobiotic compounds.
The overall objectives of the five research groups that constitute this Department are
given below and the main research line of each group are given in section 1.4 of this
Strategic Plan.
RESEARCH
GROUP:
BIOCHEMICAL
AND
MOLECULAR
BASIS
OF
ABIOTIC STRESS IN PLANTS: SALINITY, Scientist in charge: Dr. Juan Pedro
Donaire
General objectives: Study of the biochemical, molecular and biotecnological
mechanisms underlying tolerance to saline stress in plants making special emphasis on
the functional characterization of ion transporters involved in ionic homeostasis in
tomato and model organisms such as Arabidopsis and yeasts. The approach involves
gene overexpression and silencing.
RESEARCH GROUP: REDOX REGULATION AND RESPONSES TO BIOTIC
AND ABIOTIC STRESS FROM HIGHER PLANTS PHOTOSYNTHETIC
APPARATUS, Scientists in charge: Dr. Ana Chueca and Dr. Juan J. Lázaro (two
groups have merged).
General objectives: Redox regulation and photomodulation (photoactivation and
induced photoexpression) mediated by thioredoxins as stress defence mechanisms in
plants. Impact of photomodulation in the photosynthetic cycle of carbon assimilation by
higher plants using the chloroplast fructose-1,6-biphosphatase and its physiological
regulator thioredoxin as models. Prospection of C4 and CAM species in arid and semiarid zones of the South East of Andalusia using conventional physiological and
biochemical techniques.
17
Analysis of the effect of viral infection on the photosynthetic apparatus. Research on
plants with potential value in phytoremediation. Study of key antioxidative enzymes in
chloroplasts and mitochondria and of their involvement in oxidative stress.
RESEARCH GROUP: DEGRADATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, Scientist
in charge: Dr. Juan-Luis Ramos
General objectives: To contribute to the fight against environmental pollution using
biological tools. The target compounds are aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene,
ethylbenzene and xylenes) and pesticides such as lindane. The experimental approach,
using molecular techniques, includes the analysis of catabolic pathways making special
emphasis on DNA/regulator interactions, experiments in reactors and the so-called soil
rhizoremediation. The group is also focusing its research on the study of plantmicroorganism interactions in the rhizosphere of plants to exploit bacterial genetic
expression systems for the development of biocontrol systems, biodegradation and
biological containment of recombinant microorganisms.
RESEARCH GROUP: ANTIOXIDANTS AND CELL SIGNALLING BY ROS
AND RNS IN PLANTS, Scientist in charge: Dr. Luis Alfonso del Río.
General objectives: To study the function of different kinds of reactive oxygen and
nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) in the transduction of cell signals and in the regulation
of expression of antioxidative systems in response to stress. These studies are carried
out in plants subjected to different abiotic stresses, mainly those caused by heavy metals
and xenobiotics. The ROS and RNS that are currently under study include the
superoxide free radicals (O2-), hydrogen peroxyde (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO),
nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-). These studies are approached
from physiological, biochemical, molecular and cellular points of view and are directed
to the elucidation of basic intracellular mechanisms for obtaining plants with an
enhanced antioxidant capacity and with an increased tolerance to different abiotic
stresses and enhanced antioxidative capacity.
RESEARCH GROUP: BIOLOGY OF PLANT REPRODUCTION, Scientist in
charge: Dr. Mª Isabel Rodríguez
General objectives: To advance the knowledge on the sexual reproduction of the olive
tree and other plants of agronomical interest from a multidisciplinary point of view; and
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to apply molecular techniques to determine pollen gene products that interact with the
pistil for cell recognition and which are responsible for the fertilization of the female
gamete. These studies are directed towards the successful manipulation of the plant
reproductive cycle to improve crops and enhance productivity.
DEPARTMENT OF SOIL MICROBIOLOGY AND SYMBIOTIC SYSTEMS
The overall goal of this Department is to obtain basic knowledge on the ecology,
physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology of soil microbes
(bacteria and fungi) of interest in forestry and agricultural systems. Particular emphasis
is put on Rhizobeaceae and the Rhizobium-leguminosae symbiotic interactions, as well
as on arbuscular mycorrhizas in relation to the mechanisms of tolerance against biotic
and abiotic stresses and the revegetation of eroded Mediterranean soils. Studies on
interactions of saprophytic microorganisms in the rhizosphere and their role in plant
nutrition, as well as studies on the recycling of wastes by microorganisms are also being
considered. The Department is also involved in studies on biological and functional
diversity in rhizosphere microorganisms, and developing molecular tools of interest for
rhizosphere biotechnology. The assessment of the biosecurity of inoculants in
sustainable agronomic practices is also considered.
The overall objectives of the five research groups that constitute this Department are
given below and the main research lines of each group are given in section 1.4 of this
Strategic Plan
RESEARCH GROUP: MYCORRHIZAS, Scientist in charge: Dr. José Miguel
Barea
General objectives: To study different aspects of ecology, physiology, biochemistry,
molecular and biotechnology of arbuscular mycorrhizas in relation to plant nutrition and
protection to abiotic and biotic stresses and its contribution, in interaction with other
rhizosphere microorganisms, to sustained productivity with a minimum environmental
risk.
RESEARCH GROUP: NITROGEN METABOLISM, Scientist in charge: Dr.
Eulogio Bedmar
General objectives: To gain basic knowledge on the reductive and oxidative reactions
in denitrification by Rhizobium. These studies take into account the biochemistry,
19
bioenergetics, molecular genetics and physiology of the process and its environmental
impacts. The group is also involved in plant-microorganism interactions mediated by
quorum-sensing inducers.
RESEARCH
GROUP:
PLANT
GROWTH-PROMOTING
RHIZOSPHERE
MICROORGANISMS, Scientists in charge: Dr. Juan A. Ocampo
General objectives: To study the mechanisms of the synergic action of rhizosphere
fungi on arbuscular symbiosis, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved in the
regulation of arbuscular symbiosis and in the induced processes of resistance to
pathogens in mycorrhized plants. The group is also investigating the use of
microorganisms for the transformation of solid olive waste, known as “alpeorujo”, into
organic fertilizers.
RESEARCH GROUP: PLANT-BACTERIA INTERACTIONS, Scientist in charge:
Dr. Juan Sanjuan
General objectives: The general objective of the group is to gain fundamental
knowledge on the mechanisms underlying plant-bacteria and bacteria-bacteria
interactions: to characterize the molecular components and plant responses that are
important for the establishment of beneficial and pathogenic plant-microbe interactions;
to determine the adaptive mechanisms of plant-associated bacteria to abiotic stress
(osmotic, saline) and their contribution to plant stress tolerance; and to recognise the
role of horizontal gene transfer in bacterial biodiversity and its potential impact on the
biosafety and efficiency of agrobiotechnology.
RESEARCH GROUP: GENETIC ECOLOGY OF THE RHIZOSPHERE, Scientist
in charge: Dr. Nicolás Toro
General objectives: The group’s main objective is to gain basic and applied knowledge
on the beneficial interactions between plants and microorganisms of interest in
agriculture and forestry. To achieve this general objective, the group is focusing on the
ecology of rhizosphere microorganisms and their use in the recovery of degraded soils,
as well as on the genomic analysis of soil microbial communities; on the development
of the functional genomics of microorganisms and plants using Group II introns as
highly-efficient mutagenic tools, and finally, on the applications of genomic technology
20
to study rhizosphere colonization and the characterization of new RNA regulators in
symbiotic microorganisms.
ANIMAL NUTRITION UNIT
The overall objective of the Department of Animal Nutrition is to contribute to the
achievement of sustainable and effective animal production systems to yield highquality products and to minimize environmental pollution. The Department is also
studying the effect of thermal treatments on foodstuffs and its relation with health and
nutritive values. Research is also directed towards obtaining high-quality and healthy
food products for animal and human consumption.
The overall objectives of the three research groups that constitute this Department are
given below and the main research lines of each group are given in section 1.4 of this
Strategic Plan.
RESEARCH GROUP: ANIMAL NUTRITION, Scientist in charge: Dr. José
Aguilera
General objectives: To determine the nutritional value of food sources likely to be used
in the feeding of the Iberian pig and more specifically the utilization of energy and the
bioavailability of amino acids. Our purpose is also to determine the energy and protein
requirements of the Iberian pig at different growth stages paying special attention to its
extensive breeding in the Mediterranean prairie to enhance the metabolic use of
nutrients, as a means to reduce the impact of pig production to the environment. We are
also studying the mechanisms of action and the biological effects – both nutritional and
non nutritional of chemical fractions either present in foods (proteins, carbohydrates and
active substances) or added externally.
RESEARCH GROUP: PRODUCTION OF SMALL RUMINANTS, Scientist in
charge: Dr. Remedios Sanz
General objectives: To contribute to the sustainable development – in arid and semiarid ecosystems – of effective, non-polluting production systems for small ruminants to
favour natural and healthy products for human nutrition. To study nutritionimmunology interactions to improve animal health. These objectives are always carried
out with ruminants through the study of aspects such as the nutritional value of
conventional and non-conventional foodstuffs, the quality of the products (meat and
21
milk) and ruminal metabolism. The study of ruminal ecology using molecular
techniques is also within the objective of this group.
RESEARCH GROUP: BIOAVALABILITY OF MINERALS, Scientist in charge:
Dr. Pilar Navarro
General objectives: The group’s activity is focused on nutrition and mineral and protein
metabolism in experimental and human nutrition. This line of interaction between diet
and health contemplates the digestion and metabolism of nutrients, as well as their
repercussions on the nutritional status - always dependent on the individual’s own traits
and the individual’s own diet. Research is directed towards the elucidation of the
influence of thermal treatment on foodstuffs on the bioavailability of nutrients. The
group is also analyzing the consequences of the consumption of such foods on health:
the effect on the response to oxidative stress and its contribution in the development of
degenerative illnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
This multidisciplinary department has among its general goals studies directed to the
assessment of natural and anthropogenic processes and components of biosphere and
geosphere using a number of methodologies and experimental approaches. We also use
experimental and computational strategies to unravel the structure, mechanisms and
reactivity of minerals. Stable isotopes are used in biogeochemical studies and in the
construction of geothermometers, as well as in paleoclimatology, ecology, food tracing,
etc. Soil chemistry research is directed to unveil the reactions of solutes in unsaturated
water zones for agricultural management and assessment of contamination risks. The
department also approaches the study of silvo-pastoral ecosystems. The overall
objectives of the three research groups that constitute the Department are given below,
and the main research lines of each group are given in section 1.4 of this Strategic Plan.
RESEARCH
GROUP:
EXPERIMENTAL
AND
COMPUTATIONAL
GEOCHEMISTRY, Scientists in charge: Dr. Javier Huertas Puerta .
General objectives: To study the structure, properties, and geochemical processes
involving soil minerals and sediments to find out the mechanisms underlying the
different reactions in order to account for geochemical processes at the microscopic
level; to develop prediction models to assess the structural changes observed during
22
mineral transformation, and to evaluate mineral reactivity at the mineral/solution
interface. To this end, experimental geochemistry methods and computational
mineralogy will be used. The knowledge derived from the study of mineral behaviour
will have important technological implications on the environment (especially in
organic and inorganic pollution), health sciences and paleoclimatic reconstructions.
RESEARCH GROUP: BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF STABLE ISOTOPES, Scientist
in charge: Dr. Emilio Reyes
General objectives: Study of the different biogeochemical processes through isotope
tracing (18O/16O, D/H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N, 34S/32S). The group is specially focusing on the
processes of isotope fractioning that affect interactions between the geosphere, the
biosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. This will enable the group to carry out
paleoclimatic and paleohydrological studies, as well as research on geographic
traceability (animal migration and/or origin of agricultural products), and establish the
source of contaminants.
RESEARCH
GROUP:
SOIL
HYDROLOGY
IN
RELATION
TO
DEGRADATIVE PROCESSES, Scientist in charge: Dr. Mª Dolores Mingorance
General objectives: Fundamental research on the physicochemical processes that deal
with water flows and the subsequent impact on soil properties and exchange and
transport of solutes (nutrients and pollutants).
RESEARCH GROUP: ECOLOGY OF ARID ZONES, Scientist in charge: Dr. José
Luis González Rebollar
General objectives: To contribute to the knowledge of the structure and functioning of
semi-arid and arid ecosystems with the aim of revitalizing their importance and
potential interest, to promote their conservation and elucidate the scientific foundations
underlying the integrated management of their resources, and to develop undamaging
and non-degradative techniques. The group’s attention is mainly focused on the study of
Mediterranean silvopastoral systems.
23
LINES OF RESEARCH
DEPARTMENT OF AGROECOLOGY AND PLANT PROTECTION
1. Organic wastes: Biotransformation and agricultural and environmental uses.
2. Soil protection: Dynamics of pesticides, organic and inorganic contaminants and
decontamination.
3. Sustainability of agrosystems.
4. Integrated management of pests in agroecosystems.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR
BIOLOGY OF PLANTS
1. Photomodulation of enzymes of the carbon assimilation cycle.
2. Responses of the photosynthetic apparatus to biotic (plant pathogens) and
abiotic (heavy metals and oxidative stress) stress.
3. Function of peroxisomes in oxidative stress induced by abiotic conditions, and
transduction of cell signals. Antioxidants and cell signalling by reactive oxygen
and nitrogen species ROS and RNS in plants.
4. Biochemistry, proteomics and functional genomics of ionic transporters
involved in tolerance to the salinity of crops of agricultural interest.
5. Multidisciplinary analysis of temporal and spatial expression of the
gametophytic/sporophytic genes involved in pollen formation, germination,
pollen-pistil interactions, fertilization, embryogenesis and the development of
the fruit.
6. Discrimination of allergen polymorphism in olive pollen from different cultivars
and its implications in pollen physiology and the development of human allergy.
7. Biodegradation and phytoremediation of xenobiotics.
24
DEPARTMENT OF SOIL MICROBIOLOGY AND SYMBIOTIC SYSTEMS
1. Ecology (analysis of genetic and functional diversity), physiology, biochemistry,
molecular biology and biotechnology of soil microorganisms of interest in
agricultural and forestal systems, with special reference to Rhizobium and
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
2. Molecular mechanisms of the interactions between mutualistic microbes and
plants: recognition, defence mechanisms, induction of resistance and functional
integration (mainly in reference to Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi).
3. Functional genomics of microorganisms and plants: rhizosphere colonization
and RNA regulators. Use of Group II introns as a highly-efficient mutagenic
system. Genomic analysis of soil microbe communities (metagenomics).
4. Use of microorganisms as biofertilizers or bioprotectants (against pathogens,
contaminants or osmotic stress) in fruit and vegetable cultivars and their use in
the revegetation and recovery of degraded areas.
5. Risk assessment of the environmental release of inoculants especially when they
are based on the use of genetically-modified microorganisms.
6. Use of microorganisms for recycling of agro-industrial residues.
ANIMAL NUTRITION UNIT
1. Metabolism of nutrients and energy in the animal’s organism, its organs and
tissues: effects on the animal’s development and on the quality of its products.
Nutritive evaluation. Energy and nutritional requirements.
2. Metabolism and ecology of animal-microbe interactions.
3. Study of the mechanisms of action and biological effects of chemical fractions
of foodstuffs, bioactive compounds and metabolic modifiers.
4. Mineral availability and metabolism.
DEPARTMENT
OF
EARTH
SCIENCES
AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
CHEMISTRY
1. Experimental and computational studies on reaction mechanisms and molecular
modelling of minerals. Predictive chemical and physical behaviour, structure
and biological activities of minerals.
25
2. Study of the physico-chemical behaviour of organic and inorganic pollutants in
soils; mechanisms of adsorption of these chemicals on clay minerals;
development of analytical methods.
3. Isotope geochemistry applied to global changes and paleoclimate, and
development of new isotopic geothermometers.
4. Soil physicochemical processes that deal with water and solutes in
biogeochemical systems.
5. Development of isotopic markers in the characterization of plants under different
environmental conditions, adulteration of food products, and trace back of
pollutants to their origin.
6. Evaluation and management of Mediterranean silvo-pastoral systems.
26
1.5. SERVICES
(A) General Services
RADIOCHEMICAL LABORATORY
This laboratory holds the equipment necessary to work with radiochemicals in all
research areas within the fields of plant biology, microbiology and animal physiology.
The laboratory has electrophoresis equipment, water baths, bench centrifuges and a
Packard Radiocounter. Mr. Narciso Algaba is the general supervisor of this laboratory.
INFORMATICS
The EEZ has the necessary equipment for computer support of the personnel. The
equipment consists of an Ethernet network that has approximately 300 connection
points, and different servers (DNS, E-mail, web, FTP, etc.). The person in charge of this
service is the Electronic Engineer: Mr. Alejandro Morales. The informatics section has
also a specialized technician, Mr. César Azorín Márquez. The informatics service also
assists the individual users in the maintenance of the EEZ’s hardware and software
units.
LIBRARY
The EEZ’s library stocks gather a wide range of interdisciplinary subjects that include
specialized fields in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Geochemistry, Animal Nutrition and
Environmental Sciences, in general. Its aim is to cover all the information requirements
of the EEZ’s scientific staff personnel. Because of the kind of material the library has in
stock, it is considered a public research library and it is open to college students,
teachers, PhD students and researchers in general.
The library stock is currently over 4200 book titles that actually correspond to more
than 5200 monographic issues. The library has also gathered a collection of around 70
maps. The list of scientific journals adds up to 341 different journals of which 64 are
currently received at the library. In the last few years the external (on-line) access to the
full text of some of these journals has been facilitated (Elsevier, Academic Press,
Springer, Kluwer, Blackwell). This possibility, together with the use of electronic
systems such as ARIEL has enabled scientists at the EEZ to receive the requested
bibliographic material at their own e-mail accounts in an easy efficient manner.
27
(B) Research Services
STABLE ISOTOPE LABORATORY
The EEZ’s stable isotope laboratory is equipped with a quadruple mass spectrometer
Finnigan Trace DSQ and a mass spectrometer Finnigan Delta Plus XP connected to a
GC/GC-C/TC for the isotopic analysis of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen. The
equipment allows the analysis of multiple chemicals after separation in the GC. The
person in charge is Dr. Rafael Nuñez and the supervisor is Dr. Emilio Reyes Camacho.
PSEUDOMONAS REFERENCE CULTURE COLLECTION SERVICE
The EEZ possesses one of the most important and valuable collections in the area of
general biodegradation, and in particular of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas. The
EEZ
has
created
a
web
site
for
the
Pseudomonas
culture
collection
(www.eez.csic.es/prec/) through which the international scientific community can
request any strain from the collection. The person in charge of this service is Dr.
Estrella Duque.
28
1.6. EXTERNAL TWINNING UNITS
ASSOCIATED UNITS
1. Soil Science. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry at the
University of Granada (Dr. José Aguilar) and Department of Earth Sciences and
Environmental Chemistry (Dr. José Luis Guardiola) at Estación Experimental del
Zaidín.
2. Molecular Signalling and Antioxidant Systems in Plants. Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Jaén (Dr. Juan B. Barroso)
and Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (Dr. Luis
Alfonso del Río) at Estación Experimental del Zaidín.
3. Group of Applied Entomology. Department of Zoology at the University of Granada
(Dr. Felipe Pascual) and Department of Agroecology and Plant Protection (Dr.
Mercedes Campos) at Estación Experimental del Zaidín.
4. Molecular Mechanisms of Stress Adaptation in Plant-Microbe Interactions.
Department of Plant Physiology at the University of Granada (Dr. Carmen Lluch) and
Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems (Dr. Juan Sanjuan) at
Estación Experimental del Zaidín.
29
4. CENTRE’S STRATEGIC PLAN
The Estación Experimental del Zaidín (EEZ) belongs to the Spanish Council for
Scientific Research (CSIC) and is ascribed to the areas of Agricultural Sciences and
Natural Resources. The EEZ’s activities within the area of Agricultural Sciences are
directed to dissect different aspects of plant biology and associated microorganisms.
Main research is focused on photosynthetic processes, plant responses to biotic and
abiotic stresses, reproductive biology, plant-microbe interactions and microbial ecology.
The Centre is also interested in crop and soil protection, making special emphasis on the
control and removal of pollutants, biodiversity and bioamendments. In the area of
Animal Nutrition the main research activities include protein and energy metabolism,
nutritional requirements, quality of the products and ruminal metabolism.
Most of the activities done within the area of Natural Resources are related to
experimental geochemistry, computational mineralogy, paleoclimatology and ecology
of arid lands.
4.1.1. Strengths
Multidisciplinarity. One of the main strengths of the EEZ is its multidisciplinary
character, which enables it to tackle specific projects in every field of research within
the Centre, as well as more important interdisciplinary projects of strategic character.
Since the EEZ has experts in different scientific areas, environmental and agricultural
projects can be undertaken with all the necessary scientific guarantees. This has allowed
the Centre to coordinate important National and European projects, as well as to secure
funds.
Equipment. In the last four years the EEZ has acquired modern equipment that has
either come to replace obsolete one or bring new technological support to the Centre’s
activities. The current equipment for the analysis of stable isotopes, functional genomics
and microscopy make it possible for the EEZ to have a considerable initial advantage in
the execution of project involving biogeochemistry, food traceability, metabolomics,
functional genetics of plants and microbes and issues related with metabolism in
animals. The Centre has recently purchased a confocal laser microscope that has come
to complete the Centre’s already existing facilities for studies on the cellular biology of
30
plants and plant-microbe interactions. A new electron transmission microscope will
allow us to carry out studies at the subcellular level and in situ localization of
macromolecules. It is also worth mentioning the X-ray equipment and the work-stations
that are available in the area of experimental geochemistry and computational
mineralogy. The latter, is unique in the area of Natural Resources and allow the Centre
to carry out experimental and theoretical studies on mineralogy. Hence, the equipment
that is currently available at the Centre places the EEZ in a leading position and
constitutes, as such, one of its strong points.
In the last four years the Centre has made significant efforts to improve its facilities for
the growth of plants. At present the Centre possesses 7 growth chambers, 11 greenhouses and 2 small experimental plots, one of which has irrigation. Consequently, the
EEZ has also a favourable position as far as the growth of plants in controlled
environments or small field trials are concerned. However, the lack of its own research
fields limits opportunities for a better applied research at a larger scale.
The Unit of Animal Nutrition at its new site has improved its facilities, particularly by
incorporating a laboratory for radioisotopes for animal trials and a 1.5-ha field for
purposes.
National and international relationships. The international course on Soil Science and
Plant Biology (funded by the AECI and sponsored by the UNESCO) that is imparted
every year at the EEZ, the involvement of the Centre in Spanish, European and LatinAmerican networks, as well as in bi- and multilateral NATO, AECI, COSTs and
Strategic Actions within the EC-US Task Force on Environmental Biotechnology and
Integrated Actions of the CSIC, have set the basis for the establishment of a wide
network of collaborative actions with different research groups in four continents. This
is also one of the Centre’s strong points.
Training of new researchers. The Centre has a clear formative vocation as reflected
by the number of PhD theses done and the collaboration programme with different high
schools for the training of technicians. The number of PhD theses defended annually at
the Centre is around 10. Hence, one of our strong points is also our ability to form
students and technicians, which will allow the Centre to face up to future challenges
with confidence and to guarantee generational replacements.
Existence of a high number of specialized post-doctoral scientists. Another of the
Centre’s strong points is the high number of post-docs that work at the EEZ, which
31
warrants a promising future. There are currently 12 scientists with “Ramón y Cajal”
contracts (five of these scientists have already passed their open-contests to become
Tenured Scientists but have still not been fully incorporated as such). Seven of these
contracted scientists (58%) did their PhD theses outside the EEZ and have joined the
Centre already as post-docs. There are other post-docs that have contracts from
“Programa Juan de la Cierva” from the Ministry of Science and Education, “Programa
Averroes” from Junta de Andalucía and I3P from the CSIC. The future incorporation of
these scientists to the EEZ as staff will undoubtedly favour the Centre in terms of the
development of new innovative research lines, which will be fully developed with the
aid of the most modern techniques.
Infrastructure. The EEZ has all the necessary facilities to carry out research in the
specific research lines of the Centre. Recently some of the Centre’s old buildings have
been restored and renewed, and a new one has even been constructed. Taking into
account the available facilities as well as the personnel working at the Centre, the EEZ
could be considered as one of the largest research Institutions within the Andalusian
Community.
Links with Universities. Another strong asset of the EEZ that should be highlighted is
the excellent relationship it maintains most specially with the University of Granada,
but also with other Universities in Andalusia and the International University of
Andalusia. Researchers at the EEZ often participate as teachers in PhD or post-graduate
courses, some of which have been qualified as “outstanding”. There are also several
Associated Units of researchers at the EEZ with scientists from the Universities of
Granada and Jaén, as well as many other joint research activities. These interactions and
collaborative links favour the arrival of new post-graduate students to the EEZ.
Biotechnological applications in Agrobiology. The EEZ is favourably positioned to
undertake studies in the fields of plant biology, plant-microbe interactions,
biotechnology, plant and soil protection, phytoremediation and animal nutrition among
others. This is particularly true because of the EEZ’s wide experience accumulated
through years of research, because of the critical mass of researchers in the fields
mentioned above and the existence of the most adequate equipment. This places the
EEZ in a leading position regarding the development of biotechnological applications of
interest in different aspects of Agricultural Sciences.
32
4.1.2. Weaknesses.
Multidisciplinarity. Although the multidisciplinary character of the EEZ is one of its
strong points, it could also be seen as a weak aspect since it diversifies the efforts and
the use of resources. Because of the existence of so many different research lines,
resources are often difficult to share by the different departments. This also involves
extra efforts for the Centre’s Executive Board to obtain funds and distribute them
among the different research groups or departments carrying out research in very
different fields. In other words, the need to distribute funds within the various research
lines prevents the groups from going deeper into any specific area, and also draws the
attention of the Centre’s Executive Board away from specific aspects related to the
Centre’s dynamics and internal organization. This multidisciplinarity could affect the
Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry, which could risk the
dilution of its activities within the overall Centres research lines, which could lead to its
disappearance.
Lack of technical support personnel. It is one of the most evident weaknesses
common to all research groups at the EEZ. It has become a persistent problem that has
worsened with time. Since the EEZ is a Centre with an important formative capacity, it
has always had a large number of candidates for positions as Tenured Scientists, most of
which have gradually been incorporated as staff. However, since there are no equivalent
position offers for technicians, the rate between this kind of personnel and research
scientists has turned from 0.51 in 1994 to 0.22 in 2004. Although we are well aware
that this is a widespread problem affecting the entire CSIC, we know that it is all the
more considerable at the EEZ, especially if we bear in mind the overall age of
technicians at the Centre, as well as the existence of important equipment that requires
technical personnel for its correct and efficient use.
Lack of administrative support personnel. One more weakness of the Centre is the
lack of staff or contracted personnel to manage the financial and administrative services
of the Centre.
The average age of the staff personnel. In general terms the mean age of the staff
personnel of the Centre is very high. As an example, towards the end of 2004 eighteen
scientific researchers in active duty (approximately 30% of the total) were over 60, and
seven of them were over 65. This implies that in the near future (within the period to be
considered in this Strategic Plan) some of the current research groups will disappear and
others will inevitably have to change their structure as a consequence of the retirements.
33
This problem that affects the scientific personnel also affects technicians and
administrative staff.
Infrastructure. As it was mentioned above in the strong points, the EEZ has the
necessary facilities to develop its research activities although the main research building
(4200 m2) needs to be remodelled. No significant remodelling work has been done to
this building in the 30 years it has been running. The Animal Nutrition Unit also needs
to expand its animal experimentation buildings urgently, and also its laboratories in the
short term.
Lack of General Services. The EEZ has established several General Services such as
the radiochemical and stable isotope laboratories to maximize the financing funds.
However, there are other research demands that should be covered by General Services,
which has made the Centre think about the development of certain general services
within the Centre or find alternative ways of covering the demand in other CSIC
Centres or Universities (through established agreements) outside the EEZ. In this sense,
the difficulty to have access to equipment belonging to the Universities’ own Technical
Services should be stressed since it holds up some of the activities and makes the EEZ
less competitive with respect to the University of Granada (its most immediate
entourage).
Among the services that should be reinforced within the Centre are the green-houses
and plant-growth chambers, functional genomics, animal experimentation and
computational resources. The deficiency in the number of suitable animal facilities with
the appropriate equipment and personnel is a definite draw back for specific studies
with companies which affects both the Animal Nutrition group and the one of
Production of Small Ruminants.
Difficulties to recruit PhD students with competitive academic CVs. Although the
EEZ manages relative well to overcome this difficulty that is common to the entire
CSIC, it is occasionally difficult to recruit PhD students with sufficiently-competitive
academic curricula to obtain fellowship grants. Furthermore, the Department of Earth
Sciences and Environmental Chemistry has only one post-doctoral scientist: PhD
students foresee few opportunities to obtain permanent positions at CSIC due to the
progressive reduction of the presence of Earth Sciences in national and EC research
programmes.
Difficulties to obtain funds from the EC. The inability of some groups to obtain funds
from the European Union either because their research fields have not been included in
34
the Framework Programmes of the EC or because they simple could not achieve them,
has brought about a certain unbalance between the different research groups in terms of
funds. Indirectly, this has led to thematic unbalances and to different expansion within
the Departments. The Departments of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems and
Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants have a privileged position
in this sense in comparison with the rest of the Departments. In any case, except for
very few groups, most of the Centre has experienced important difficulties to obtain
funds from the EC within the VI Framework Programme. The consequences have been
felt in the EEZ as a whole and directly in the funds available to acquire infrastructure
and to hire technicians. It is not easy to foresee what may happen in the different
research groups in the course of the VII Framework Programme, but it is obvious that
the inability to obtain funds from the EC would have very negative effects on the EEZ.
As far as the Animal Nutrition Unit is concerned, it should be mentioned as an
important weakness the lack of available Research and Development Programmes on
animal production because of the high restrictions on the production of several animal
products within the European Union. The progressive reduction of topics involving
Earth Sciences, or even their suppression from the National and EC programs has
forced some groups in the Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry
to continuously reformulate the aims of their research lines, making it difficult to
envisage long-term objectives.
Weak network of companies in the area: Another of the Centre’s weaknesses is its
location within a province that has very little industry and our limited cooperation with
the few local companies working on agriculture and environmental issues.
Lack of involvement of Trusts in National and Natural Parks: The limited capacity
to become integrated in the Network of Spanish National and Natural Parks is another
of the Centre’s weak points. The presence of prestigious scientists from the EEZ in the
corresponding Board of Trustees could be of great interest to deal with local
environmental problems.
4.1.3. Opportunities
Social awareness in relation to the quality of vegetables and environmental
conservation. Given the growing level of awareness with respect to the negative impact
of fertilizers and phytosanitary products in agrosystems, there is an increasing demand
for new alternative technologies to reduce the use of such compounds. This could be a
35
great opportunity for all research lines within the EEZ that work on the development of
plants with high tolerance levels to different biotic and abiotic stresses, plants less
dependent on chemical fertilizers (using growth-promoting microorganisms and
bioamendments), and more resistant to salinity, heavy metals, xenobiotic compounds
and pathogens (using biological control techniques or activation of defence mechanisms
in plants). At the same time, other lines are acting on the soil to modify the impact of
organic and inorganic pollutants.
An efficient use of nutrients by animals reduces the environmental impact of animal
production. Consequently, deep knowledge of the nutrient requirements of the animals,
and of the capacity of food resources to meet those requirements is of vital importance
to design both effective and sustainable production systems. This will be a great
opportunity for the lines of research developed at the Animal Nutrition Unit to
contribute to this goal.
Social awareness in relation to the quality and safety on food of animal origin. The
tight relationship between quality and nourishment is also an opportunity for the lines of
research at the EEZ that focus on nutrition. The prohibition of the use of antibiotics in
animal nutrition also becomes as an opportunity to develop new research lines to look
for alternatives to antibiotics. Furthermore, the ever increasing importance of
nutraceutic and functional foods and its benefits on human health is yet another
opportunity for groups working in nutrition.
Social awareness in relation to environmental quality, especially as far as soil and
water are concerned, is also a new opportunity for the groups working on the
degradation of organic contaminants, recycling of industrial and urban wastes, treatment
of waters to remove nitrogenated compounds, reduction of gases with green-house
effects produced by animals, pollution of soil and water by organic and inorganic
compounds and soil recovery through farming, grazing and ecology, effects of airborne
minerals in human health.
The stimulus of revegetation programmes is also an opportunity for groups working
on the factors that favour the revegetation of degraded ecosystems and, the use of
beneficial microorganisms and bioamendments in the reestablishment of plants. It is
also a chance for those working on the different strategies for animals to exploit grazing
lands.
4.1.4. Threats.
36
Lack of a well-defined scientific policy. The most significant lack is that of a longterm scientific policy agreed upon by the different political parties represented at the
Spanish Congress or the Andalusian Regional Government.
The growing bureaucratization of research activities is taking up a lot of the
researchers time, especially for those directly involved in the coordination of scientific
projects or Heads of groups. This tendency is gradually hampering scientific research.
The excessive focusing on priority themes of the EC’s Framework Programmes
which can make it difficult for the EEZ to obtain funds. In turn, this will negatively
affect the EEZ’s contractual policy for hiring technicians through EC research projects.
Difficulties to incorporate support personnel with the most adequate professional
background. The lack of positions for technicians and the absence of a public
programme for the formation and consolidation of hired technicians in the long-term,
represents another serious threat for the EEZ. Furthermore, the test trials that are
currently being done to incorporate technicians and other research-support personnel do
not always ensure that the most appropriate candidates are incorporated.
Another threat that could directly affect the groups working on Experimental
Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry is ENRESA’s decision not to carry out research
on the underground storage of radioactive wastes.
The new legislation on animal transportation and experimentation in relation with
animal health problems and the inability to sustain a flock on its own, constitutes
another threat for the Animal Nutrition Unit.
Personnel. One of the most serious menaces for the Centre’s future is the one
concerning personnel. Some groups require the immediate incorporation of scientific
personnel and all groups are needy of technical support personnel and General Services
for the correct development of their research.
Unbalance in the evolution of the different Departments. The uneven and
unbalanced development of each of the Departments could be a real threat for a
multidisplinary Centre as the EEZ.
4.1.5. Integrated Analysis
Global research lines in which several research groups converge with different
approaches:
1. Plant/microorganism interactions. This line of research is focused on the symbiotic
relations between plant and fungi, bacteria of the genus Rhizobium with leguminosae
37
and saprophytic interactions between Pseudomonas and plants of agricultural interest.
There are several well-consolidated research groups within this research line that are
renowned nationally and internationally and are able to obtain funds from national and
European agencies, as well as companies. The five groups at the Department of
Microbiology and one of the groups at the Department of Biochemistry work in this
research line. In all, almost 15 staff scientists (with a good average age) work in this
line of research, which guarantees its continuity for the next five years. This line of
research has also 6 contracted post-docs through the Ramón y Cajal, Averroes and I3P
Programmes.
The quality of the work is acknowledged internationally. Researchers working on
mycorrhizas constitute the largest group working in this area in Spain, and are almost
the only ones in the CSIC. Studies on the saprophytic interactions between
Pseudomonas and plants are also new on the National scene, and the groups working in
Rhizobium were pioneers almost 30 years ago when they started this type of research.
Currently, they are making relevant international contributions to the advancement of
studies on these microorganisms at the molecular level. The groups working in
Rhizobium are well integrated in the national network that studies these
microorganisms. All groups working in plant-microbe interactions are also integrated in
national and international networks, and are leaders in COST actions, European and
Latin-American networks. There is a worldwide increasing competitive tendency for
these groups because of the new adopted genomic approaches and the convergence of
some of these research lines and the area of Natural Resources, and also because of the
potential future interest shown by the VII Framework Programme. We propose to
enhance this line of research at the Centre. The new scientific personnel to be
incorporated should start new research lines and come to consolidate the smaller
research groups. To bring additional support to this research line the Centre’s Executive
Board considers the development of the new green-house and plant-growth chambers
service.
2. Bioremediation. This research line includes the molecular and ecological aspects of
the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants and the reutilization of urban and agroindustrial wastes. It includes diverse aspects such as studies on the response of
microorganisms to the presence of contaminants, catabolic pathways for the removal of
pollutants, control and tracing of pollutants in agricultural soils, as well as the
transformation of wastes into added-value bioamendments and fertilizers. Groups
38
working in this area belong to the Department of Biochemistry, to the Department of
Plant Protection and Agroecology, to the Department of Microbiology, and to the
Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry. This research line has 7
staff scientists and at least 7 post-docs with contracts from the Ramón y Cajal
Programme, Averroes Programme from Junta de Andalucía or I3P from the CSIC. The
groups within this research line are expected to obtain considerable funds without
trouble. These groups are internationally renowned.
The research line is in growing expansion within the Centre and has a privileged
position on the international scene, particularly in the area of the removal of organic
solvents. It is also renowned internationally for the development of analytical methods
for environmental chemical analyses. Based on the young age of the scientists that work
in this research line, and the number of ongoing projects, it can be considered as an
expanding research line. This expansion is supported by the future perspectives of the
VII Framework Programme. We intend to enhance this research line through the
consolidation of scientific personnel. Furthermore, this research line should be the pillar
for the Pseudomonas Reference Culture Collection Service and the future service of
Scientific Instrumentation.
3. Plant biochemistry. This research line focuses on the study of plant tolerance
mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as on aspects on the nutrition, growth,
development and reproduction of plants. These studies combine physiological,
biochemical, molecular and cellular biology approaches. This research line considers
plants of agricultural interest such as tomato, pepper, olive-tree, leguminosae and
strawberries, as well as other model plants such as tobacco and Arabidopsis. The use of
molecular techniques and transgenic plants is allowing us to decipher the molecular
mechanisms of regulation of complex regulatory processes in plants (nutrient uptake
and transport, photoregulation of carbon metabolism, proteomics of cell differentiation,
mechanisms of membrane responses, redox systems and function of peroxisomes as
source of antioxidants and cell signals). There are four well-consolidated, nationally and
internationally acknowledged groups within this research line, who receive funds
through national and international cooperation programmes, as well as from a number
of companies working in the sector.
This research line includes the four groups working in Plant Biochemistry and the
research activities on plant physiology done within the Department of Agroecology and
Plant Protection. As a whole, there are 16 scientists working in this research line. The
39
groups are carrying out excellent research on their own specific areas. The group
working on antioxidants and free-radicals has been pioneer in Spain in the field of
plants and it is the largest group working on this subject in Spain and it is also
internationally renowned. The groups that are currently working on plant tolerance
mechanisms to stress are also carrying out outstanding research, particularly in relation
to recent molecular biology advances. These groups are integrated in several national
and international research networks. It is worth noting that in aspects related to the line
of research on plant reproduction, the Department of Biochemistry is carrying out
multidisplinary research that is producing technological developments in the area of
human health. One of the problems that is affecting this line of research is the relative
lack of personnel with Ramón y Cajal contracts and the existence of very few post-docs
with the appropriate formation. Most of the research activities are sustainable and are
boosting the quality of the research.
4. Plant protection. This line deals with the different biological, ecological and
epidemiological aspects of pests and diseases in different ecosystems to set the basis for
their sustainable management. There is one small group within this research line, whose
growing perspectives are favourable and whose capacity to obtain funds from national
programmes and companies is quite considerable. The group is also open to cooperation
with other nearby Institutions working in agriculture, which undoubtedly benefits the
technological and scientific progress of the surroundings.
The research line is among the most traditional ones within the Centre. Today, it is
facing problems as far as its scientific personnel is concerned. The Centre should try to
reinforce the group working in pests and attempt its consolidation as far as it is possible.
The quality of the research is good and the future tendency of this line is its
continuation.
5. Animal nutrition. This line deals with studies in monogastric and ruminant animals.
With monogastric animals studies on protein and energy metabolism are being carried
out, specifically with the Iberian pig, for which nutrient requirements are being assessed
along with its production cycle. We are also assessing the metabolic mechanisms of
active substances present in foods or added to them, and their consequent biological
effects. It is a well-consolidated and renowned group.
The group of Production of Small Ruminants is dealing with nutritive evaluations, the
quality of the products, ruminal metabolism and the interaction between nutrition and
gut microbes. This group’s critical mass has decreased considerably over the last few
40
years, although it has increased its funds and has largely contributed to the formation of
qualified personnel. The group has a leading position in the national and international
scene.
There is a small group (1 staff scientist) working in the area of Human Nutrition dealing
with issues related to food quality. This group maintains a good record of publications.
There are 9 staff scientists currently working in this research line. In contrast to the
well-consolidated group working in monogastrics (6 staff scientists), the group working
in ruminants (3 staff scientists) requires the incorporation of personnel since two of the
scientists will retire during the 2005-2009 period. All groups maintain a good rate of
publications in their relevant fields, which has made the groups renown both in Spain
and outside. This is a research line with an additional added-value because of the social
growing interest on the quality of animal products and nutrition. The groups at the EEZ,
together with the EAE at León are the main groups at the CSIC working in Animal
Nutrition, which stresses the importance of this research line for the CSIC. The support
of the Centre to this research line is of such magnitude that this Strategic Plan proposes
the Animal Nutrition Unit to become a Centre on Animal Nutrition within the EEZ’s
premises. An animal experimentation service should be associated to this research line.
6. Biogeochemistry of stable isotopes. This is a solid research line within the EEZ that
uses stable isotopes to focus on the climatic evolution of the Iberian Peninsula during
the Quaternary Era, on global changes, and food traceability. This research line is well
renowned. Associated to this line of research there is state-of-the-art equipment, such as
several isotope spectrometers, which confer a high strategic value to this line of research
and which allows the CSIC to tackle, in exclusive, several fields in biogeochemistry.
There are 3 staff scientists within this research line. This line is summoned to lead
National and European projects in this field and should, therefore, be considered as an
expanding research line. However, this research line faces a serious problem derived
from the lack of post-docs with the appropriate training.
7. Experimental and computational geochemistry. This research line deals with
experimental and computational studies on the mineral structure properties and reaction
mechanisms of geochemical processes involved in the mineral reactivity. These studies
are directed to unravel the mechanisms and elementary steps underlying the different
reactions. The development of predictive models allows us to assess the structural
changes observed during mineral transformation and to evaluate mineral reactivity at
the mineral/solution interface. The knowledge derived from the study of mineral
41
behaviour will have important scientific and technological implications on the
environment (especially in organic and inorganic pollution), paleoclimate research and
on health sciences (chemical clearance of inhalated airborne minerals). Furthermore,
computational geochemistry enables research on the mineral behaviour under conditions
that are far from those existing on the Earth’s surface or that are difficult to reproduce in
the laboratory.
There are 5 staff scientists working in this line of research and one post-doctoral
scientist (Juan de la Cierva Research Contract) available to increase the critical mass of
the group in the short term. The research results are published in prestigious journals in
the field and reveal a positive projection of this research line in the future. Three of the
five staff scientists are in their forties and represent the basis for the consolidation of
this line of research at the EEZ. The group is an active asset for the CSIC since it is one
of the few within the CSIC working in the area of experimental and computational
geochemistry and mineralogy. Another added-value of this group for the CSIC is that
the concept that is being developed in the area of mineral reactivity can be transferred to
other fields, as environmental or health sciences.
4.2. MISSION AND VISION OF THE CENTRE
The EEZ is a multidisciplinary Centre that carries out research studies on Agricultural
Sciences and Natural Resources. In turn, there are two different research lines within
Agricultural Sciences: Agrobiology and Animal Sciences (Plant Biology, Microbiology
and Agroecology). Therefore, both the mission and vision of the Centre must bear in
mind each of the main fields in which the research groups are involved since they
represent the Centre’s main driving force.
4.2.1. Mission.
The EEZ was founded with the aim of studying problems relating to Agricultural
Sciences in its broader sense. This implies the study of (i) soils and its underlying
problems to protect and improve its fertility; (ii) microorganisms and microbial
processes involved in soil fertility; (iii) plant mineral nutrition and tolerance
mechanisms to different stresses, together with crop protection against pests and
diseases; (iv) animal nutrition. Therefore, the EEZ is the only CSIC Centre that carries
out research in the three fields of agricultural sciences (soil, plant and animal).
42
As far as all issues related to Agrobiology are concerned, the EEZ’s mission is to
generate the necessary knowledge to exploit the basic processes in microorganisms,
plants and the interactions between plants and microorganisms to develop (i) sustainable
agricultural and forestry systems; (ii) biotechnological tools for applications in the plant
rhizosphere for the decontamination and/or reuse of soils and waters; and (iii) creation
of biotechnological industries.
The EEZ has also the mission of generating basic and applied science of potential
interest for the industry in relation to the photosynthetic assimilation of carbon, the
reproductive cycle of plants, plant and microbe biotechnology, and technological
processes in plant-microbe interactions.
As far as nutrition is concerned, one of the missions of the EEZ is to study both food
and animal products to improve their quality and safety in both cases. This entails, on
the one hand, the study of food stuffs from a biochemical point of view, and on the
other, the study of the metabolism of nutrients and energy in the animal’s organism. The
study of rumen microbial diversity and its implications in health issues is also of interest
for the EEZ. The final objective is to analyse its effects on animal development
(productivity), the quality and safety of animal products and to reduce environmental
impacts related to farming.
In the area of Natural Resources the main mission of the EEZ is to contribute to the
understanding
of
the
processes
of
mineral
formation
and
transformation,
mineral/solution interaction, solute retention and transport, as well as applications of
computational and isotopic methods to environmental geochemistry. In particular, the
Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry contributes to improve the
knowledge of the structure, properties, mechanisms and reactivity of minerals both in
natural environments and in processes of scientific, technological and environmental
interest in which minerals are involved. Another mission of the EEZ is to establish the
isotopic markers that will enable to assess the climatic evolution for the next few years,
bearing in mid the increase in the release of gases that contribute to the green-house
effect, the efficient use of water by plants, the diets and environmental conditions in
ecological systems and, thus, contribute to the development of techniques for their
application in traceability studies. In relation to environmental chemistry, the
Department’s mission is to assess the environmental pollution of solutes and/or
pollutants and control it by different means.
43
4.2.2. Vision. The EEZ is a Centre of reference in Europe, especially in the fields of
biodegradation, symbiotic interactions between plants and microorganisms and in
antioxidants, free radicals and oxidative stress in plants. In this sense, the Centre is
expected to lead important European projects on the use of symbiotic microorganisms
to improve the sustainability of agro- and ecosystems, as well as projects on the removal
of biological contaminants and on oxidative stress in plants. One of the key areas at the
EEZ is the development of genomic techniques, which will allow the Centre to face up
to new challenges with the aid of global approaches on the microbes’ response
mechanisms against different environmental conditions.
The Centre is also a reference in the field of Animal Nutrition in the Mediterranean
area, Latin America and Europe.
The social and economic impact of the olive tree in Andalusia is well known. It is
essential to carry out studies in this field from different perspectives: from the most
basic aspects as genomics and proteomics, reproductive cycle, physiology and nutrition
to the most applied aspects such as fight against pests and diseases, as well as the
recycling of residues from olive oil production. There are several groups that are
carrying out successful research studies in this field. The experience, contributions and
international recognition of the Centre’s groups ensures an important privileged position
of the EEZ in any project dealing with the improvement and efficient use of the olivetree at the regional, national or international level.
The adverse climate conditions for the growth of important crops in the South of Spain
limit their efficiency. It is therefore vital to carry out studies on plant defence
mechanism to biotic and abiotic stresses, so that the production of these cultivars may
be optimized in adverse conditions such as the lack of water, high salinity and attacks
from pathogens. The EEZ has internationally renowned scientists that are currently
working on these aspects. Their research will undoubtedly contribute to the
development of strategies for enhanced production under stress conditions.
Among the methods used for the prevention of contamination is the decrease in the use
of pesticides in agriculture and the development of new strategies to fight against
pathogens. Among these new perspectives is the development of efficient systems of
inoculation of the organisms involved in the biological control of pathogens and the use
of bioamendments for their control, together with the identification of genes with
44
antifungal and nematocide capacities. Studies are being done in this background on the
impact of pesticides to enhance their action and to reduce their presence in soils and
waters.
The availability of high-resolution equipment on stable isotopes will allow the Centre
get involved in studies in the area of biogeochemistry and metabolic studies in plants,
animals and microorganisms, as well as in the identification of CO2 sources and sinks,
which will be of great interest to comply with the treaty of Kyoto. The development of
this technology will make the Centre a national and international Institution of reference
in the corresponding area. Because of its equipment the new service of Stable Isotopes
will be a leader in Europe in the area of analytical geochemistry. The EEZ will be an
international reference on experimental and computational geochemistry and
mineralogy through the study of more and more complex and multidisciplinary
geochemical processes that could go well beyond the strictly geological environments,
such as the effects of airborne minerals on human health.
The Centre can play an important role in issues related to the study of pollutants in soils
and saturated waters zones through the understanding of physicochemical approaches.
The development of inoculants and new biotechnological capacities of agricultural
interest are aspects supported by a molecular basis that allows a better understanding of
the reasons why soil bacteria are tolerant to stress conditions and the properties that
allow these bacteria to colonize and proliferate in different niches, including soils of
agricultural interest.
From an integrated point of view, the CSIC could largely contribute to the creation of a
Centre of reference in Animal Nutrition by taking advantage of the existing experience,
infrastructure, and potential gained every since 1957 and concentrated in which today is
known as the Animal Nutrition Unit of the EEZ. The impact of animal nutrition, both
for animal and human health, is beyond any doubt today. It would be of great
importance for the CSIC to exploit the potential of the Animal Nutrition Unit to address
this increasing social demand.
45
4.3. RESEARCH STRATEGY.
The general objectives of the research to be carried out in the next five years are the
following: (1) to preserve and rationally exploit the natural resources present in soils
and the minerals that constitute them, as well as to improve the knowledge on
geochemical processes, (ii) to unravel the molecular basis underlying the metabolism of
plants and their mutualistic interactions with microbes, and (iii) to improve the quality
and safety of food products from plant and animal origin.
We propose the following actions to achieve the general objectives described above:
To divide the EEZ in two Institutes, one on Animal Nutrition and another one
comprising Plant Biology, Microbiology and Environmental Geochemistry both under
the same administration and headed by Estación Experimental del Zaidín.
To reorganize the research groups and to create a new Department to study issues
related to environmental protection from different perspectives.
To develop and reorganize General Services to support activities done within the
different research groups and to maintain the equipment in perfect state and to run it.
We intend to reorganize the stable isotope laboratory and to create services to run greenhouses and scientific instrumentation. It would also be desirable to set up an animal
experimentation laboratory and other Services that the Centre may propose.
Specific objectives
The achievement of the referred objectives implies the following specific targets:
Research line 1. Plant/microorganism interactions:
Objective 1.1. To establish the molecular basis of plant/microbe interactions. Mª Jesús
Delgado Igeño, Eulogio J. Bedmar Gómez, Juan A. Ocampo Bote, José M. García
Garrido, Concepción Azcón González de Aguilar, Nuria Ferrol González, Nicolás Toro
García, Juan L. Ramos Martín, Juan Sanjuan Pinilla, Francisco Martínez-Abarca
Pastor, Manuel Espinosa Urgel, Mª José Soto Misffut, José Manuel Ruíz-Lozano, Juan
Sánchez-Raya.
Objective 1.2. To gain information on the microbial ecology and genetic diversity in the
rhizosphere of plants of agricultural and environmental interest as the basis for
exploiting the microbial potential to improve a healthy and sustainable crop production
46
and revegetation of degraded soils. Alberto Bago Pastor, Mª Jesús Delgado Igeño,
Eulogio J. Bedmar Gómez, Inmaculada García Romera, José M. Barea Navarro, Nuria
Ferrol González, Nicolás Toro García, Juan Sanjuan Pinilla, Francisco MartínezAbarca Pastor.
Research line 2. Bioremediation:
Objective 2.1. To design new biotechnological tools for the removal and control of
contaminants based using microorganisms, amendments, and transgenic plants, as well
as strategies to recycle wastes. Ana Segura Carnicero, Mª Trinidad Gallegos
Fernández, Juan A. Ocampo Bote, Inmaculada García Romera, Juan L. Ramos Martín,
Rosario Azcón González de Aguilar, Rogelio Nogales Vargas-Machuca, Francisco
Gallardo Lara, Esperanza Romero Taboada, Emilio Benítez León, Silvia Marqués
Martín.
Objective 2.2. To advance in the understanding of the soil processes involved in the fate
of the nutrients and pollutants in agricultural and environmental scenarios. Rogelio
Nogales Vargas-Machuca, Emilio Benítez León, Silvia Marqués Martín, Esperanza
Romero Taboada, José Luis Guardiola Sáenz, Mª Aránzazu Peña Heras, Francisco
Gallardo Lara, Mª Dolores Mingorance Álvarez.
Research line 3. Plant biochemistry:
Objective 3.1. To establish the biochemical and molecular basis of the plants’ tolerance
mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stresses. Juan P. Donaire Navarro, Andrés
Belver Cano, Mª Pilar Rodríguez Rosales, Cornelis Marinus Venema, Luis A. del Río
Legazpi, Luisa Mª Sandalio González, José M. Palma Martínez, Fracisco J. Corpas
Aguirre, Matilde Barón Ayala, Concepción Azcón González de Aguilar, Juan J. Lázaro
Paniagua, Juan M. Ruiz Lozano, Rosario Azcón González de Aguilar, José M. GarcíaGarrido.
Objective 3.2. To contribute to the knowledge of the main plant processes involved in
efficient carbon assimilation and design new biotechnological tools and transgenic
47
plants to improve crop production and quality. Matilde Barón Ayala, Ana Chueca
Sancho, Mariam Sahrawy Barragán, Juan José Lázaro Paniagua.
Objective 3.3. To improve our knowledge on plant reproductive biology by applying
cellular, molecular and proteomic approaches to determine the function of gene
products (including allergene) in the pistile and pollen grain. Juan de Dios Alché
Ramírez, Mª Isabel Rodríguez García, Adela Olmedilla Arnal.
Research line 4. Plant protection:
Objective 4.1. Integrated control of pests and diseases in crops. Mª Aránzazu Peña
Heras, Juan A. Ocampo Bote, Mercedes Campos Aranda, A. Juan Sánchez Raya.
Objective 4.2. To establish methods for the characterization and evaluation of
sustainable agro-ecosystems. Juan de Dios Alché Ramírez, José Luis González
Rebollar, Ana Chueca Sancho, Mariam Sahrawy Barragán, Emilio Reyes Camacho,
Alberto Bago Pastor, Mercedes Campos Aranda, José Miguel Barea Navarro, Juan
Sánchez-Raya.
Research line 5. Animal nutrition:
Objective 5.1. To improve our knowledge on the metabolism and nutrition of native
breeds; to determine their nutritional requirements and to study the nutritive value of
feeding resources to obtain high-quality animal products. Mª Remedios Sanz Sampelayo,
Matilde Rodríguez Osorio, Ignacio Fernández-Fígares Ibáñez, José F. Aguilera
Sánchez, Manuel Lachica López, Luis A. Rubio, Eduarda Molina Alcaide, Rosa Mª
Nieto Liñan.
Objective 5.2. To study the physiological effects of bioactive substances in animal
nutrition. Mª Remedios Sanz, Matilde Rodríguez Osorio, Ignacio Fernández-Fígares,
José F. Aguilera, Rosa M. Nieto, Manuel Lachica, Luis A. Rubio, Eduarda Molina.
48
Objective 5.3. To advance in the knowledge of the molecular basis for animalmicroorganism interactions in the gut and in the relationship animal dietmicroorganisms diversity. Luis A. Rubio. Eduarda Molina.
Research line 6. Biogeochemistry of stable isotopes:
Objective 6.1. To determine potential climatic scenarios based on the evolution of past
climate. Emilio Reyes Camacho, Antonio L. Delgado Huertas, Emilia Caballero Mesa,
Concepción Jiménez de Cisneros Vencelá, José Luis Guardiola Sáenz.
Objective 6.2. To design new methods for food traceability based on stable isotopes.
Emilio Reyes Camacho, Manuel Lachica López, Antonio L. Delgado Huertas.
Research line 7. Experimental and computational geochemistry:
Objective 7.1. To determine the structure, properties, mechanisms and reactivity of
minerals using experimental and computational geochemistry techniques. Francisco
Javier Huertas Puerta, Emilia Caballero Mesa, Concepción Jiménez de Cisneros
Vencelá, Alfonso Hernández Laguna.
Quantifiable elements derived from the proposed research strategy
The EEZ could increase its funds from competitive projects, as well as its publications
in SCI journals by 4% per year in the next five years. The EEZ could also experience a
10% increase at the end of this five-year period in funds from contracts with R+D
companies. Around 12 PhD theses will be defended at the Centre every year and the
EEZ will be involved in the teaching of post-graduate courses up to a total of 60 credits
per year.
4.4.
CONDITIONS,
EXTERNAL
TENDENCIES
AND
PROPOSED
EVALUATION CRITERIA.
4.4.1. Quality of the research.
49
The periodic evaluation of the Centre’s activities will establish that the Research,
Development and Innovation system complies with the established quality criteria.
Evaluation is a fundamental tool for financing entities and society. This will provide a
global integrated vision of the whole system.
The following points will be considered periodically:
Publications in prestigious journals
Competitive funds obtained
Invitations to become part of the Editorial Boards of prestigious journals
Important invitations to participate in National and International meetings
Organization and coordination of national and international events: workshops,
networks, etc.
Generation of patents
PhD thesis carried out at the Centre.
4.4.2. Research impact
The Centre, as a result of its research, should participate through its members in the
elaboration of National and EC Framework Programmes. Furthermore, there should be
an associated office for the dissemination of results and technology.
The following points are considered as impact factors:
- Social acceptance of the research done within the EEZ.
- Recognition by the media of the research done within the EEZ.
- Research articles in encyclopaedias and widely-distributed newspapers.
- Technology and patent transfer to companies.
- Improvement of living conditions through human and animal health.
- Reduction of the potential negative impact of plants on human health (allergenic
content of pollen, pollution by pesticides, etc.).
- Sustainable development of the environment.
- Impact of publications.
- Dissemination of results through seminars, invited conferences, scientific meetings,
etc.
4.4.3. Generating funds
The Centre’s strategy to acquire funds is done through several competitive areas of
resources: National and Regional Programmes of the Andalusian Community through
50
high-quality projects. Projects of the European Commission: Identification of
international or European leaders in a specific area to act as partners in innovative
programmes for the advancement of science in Europe.
Research directed to unravel environmental, agricultural and farming problems. To this
end, a network of companies with cooperative links with the EEZ will be created so that
the EEZ will be gradually integrated in the social and productive context of its most
immediate surroundings.
The EEZ will obtain funds by offering external services associated the Centre’s General
Services in the analysis of isotopes, the Pseudomonas Reference Culture Collection and
other technical equipment.
4.4.4. Added value
The investment done by the CSIC in the EEZ is fully justified since the EEZ represents
in terms of research for the CSIC:
-
The largest Research, Development and Innovation CSIC Centre in Andalusia.
-
The largest research Centre in the area of Agricultural Sciences within the CSIC.
-
The CSIC actively participates through the EEZ in post-graduate and PhD
courses (some of which have received the mention of “outstanding”) of the
University of Granada and other Universities.
-
The EEZ has established agreements with local and regional institutions so that
the CSIC is represented at the local level through the EEZ.
-
Thanks to the research that the EEZ has carried along its fifty-year history and
its capacity to form other scientist, the CSIC has reputed experts renown on the
national and international scene in areas such as Geochemistry, Plant
Biochemistry, Biodegradation, Plant-Microbe interactions and Animal Nutrition.
The situation in which the EEZ stands in the context of the regional background
(Andalusia) is that of the low inversion in research, development and innovation
projects in comparison to other Spanish or European regions, as well as lack of research
culture within industrial companies. The EEZ’s Human Resources are limited,
especially as far as the technical personnel is concerned. However, the EEZ has
managed to keep on obtaining considerable funds and has hence contributed to the
creation of employment and technical formation.
51
A judicious policy of expenditure is allowing the Centre to acquire equipment that is
really unique in Andalusia and even in Spain. This equipment includes: (i) respirometric
chambers that are unique in Spain, (ii) continuous flux fermentors for ruminal studies;
(iii) highly-sophisticated Stable Isotope equipment; (iv) transmission electron
microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope; (v) functional genomics; (vi) highcomputational capacity in mineral geochemistry.
The research that is currently being done at the EEZ could lead to the development of
technological companies known as Spin-offs.
5.1. ORGANIZATION
The Estación Experimental del Zaidín (EEZ) is a Centre in growing expansion whose
personnel has increased over 30% in the last 6 years, mainly as a consequence of the
contractual policy that allowed research groups to assign fellowships and contracts from
competitive research projects. Thus, almost 300 people are currently working at the
EEZ, and with the extension of the facilities, which has just recently been approved, the
EEZ could have up to 350 people working in 2010 and some 400 in 2015.
To keep up this growth spiral, the Centre needs to strengthen (i) its management
structure and the Executive Secretarial Office, (ii) to convert the Centre in two research
Institutes, (iii) to redefine the existing Departments, and (iv) to create centralized
service units to better exploit the available human and financial resources.
Justification of the proposed changes
Strengthening of the management office and executive support
The Centre’s Senior Administrator (Gerente) is expected to retire in two years time,
which will require the incorporation of a new administrator. The funds from scientific
projects that will need to be managed will reach 3.5 million Euros in 2009. It is,
therefore, necessary to incorporate a new Senior Administrator with a solid background
formation in economics. This position should be covered through open contest in the A
scale of the CSIC reserved to graduates.
On the other hand, the efficient use of the financial resources of the Centre by the
research groups requires an agile and diligent management, especially because the
Centre’s resources are limited. Consequently, we propose to create a management and
follow-up unit for research projects with new software specially designed to fit the
EEZ’s own special needs.
52
We also propose to reinforce the existing Unit of Personnel Management so that it may
efficiently deal with both the contracting and social insurance of the Centre’s personnel.
The EEZ has an efficient unit that manages the external orders and payments made by
the Centre. The expected increase in both personnel and funds in the next 5 years could
collapse this running service if qualified personnel is not incorporated to this unit. The
Executive Secretarial Office also needs support to maintain fluent two-way relationships
with the main headquarters of the CSIC in Madrid, and contacts with Universities and
companies. We propose the Executive Secretarial Office to take on the responsibility of
handling patents and other supporting tasks such as reports, Centre memoirs, etc.
Conversion of Estación Experimental del Zaidín in a Centre with two Institutes.
At present, activities related to Animal Production in the CSIC are mainly concentrated
in two Centres: EEA in León and EEZ in Granada. At the EEZ, the Animal Nutrition
Unit is located in Armilla (5 Km away from Granada).
The research activities that are carried out by the 9 staff researchers at the Animal
Nutrition Unit in Armilla are quite far from those developed by the other EEZ
Departments located in Granada. Issues such as personnel requirements, the financing
for animal maintenance outside the experimentation periods, etc. confer a series of
peculiarities that also distinguish the Animal Nutrition Unit from the other four
Departments in Granada. In the last few years the Animal Nutrition Unit has increased
its scientific staff personnel in the field of monogastrics (2 new Tenured Scientists). The
Unit also has two contracted scientists through the “Ramón y Cajal” programme, one
associated to the group working in monogastrics and the other one working in the
Human Nutrition group. There is two post-docs with an I3P contract associated to the
group working with ruminants. It has also got three young scientists that are currently
doing a post-doc stage; one of them has received formation in the group working in
Monogastrics, another one in Ruminants and the third in Human Nutrition. There are
also 9 PhD students in this Unit, 2 working in monogastrics, 5 in ruminants and 2 in
human nutrition, as well as technicians contracted through research projects. Due to the
increase in funds and personnel, the Animal Nutrition Unit is mature enough to become
a new Centre on its own but associated to the EEZ under the same administration. From
the financial point of view, the new Centre would only require a minimum investment.
The four Departments at the EEZ in Granada, three of which are ascribed to the field of
Agricultural Sciences and the one remaining to the field of Natural Resources, could be
53
grouped in an Institute on Plant Biology, Microbiology and Environmental
Geochemistry.
Brief analysis of Departments at the main seat in Granada and proposal for a
Department on Environmental Protection.
The Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems is homogenous and well
consolidated and has a balanced age pyramid in terms of scientific research personnel.
However, the Department only has a staff technician, which makes it necessary to
incorporate new technicians for research activities. The Department has consolidated
and emerging groups and both of them have the capacity to open new research lines to
strengthen the Department’s perspectives and facilitate its expansion. The cooperation
links between the different research groups could be strengthened to tackle new
integrated research projects.
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology of Plants is well
consolidated. Four of the groups within this Department are working in plant
biochemistry, molecular biology or cellular biology of plants. The fifth one, the group
of Degradation of Organic Toxics that works mostly in microbial biodegradation and,
more recently, in aspects related to biocontrol, is historically located within this
Department and, although its scientific activities often include aspects of biochemistry
and molecular biology, it seems clear that its current location is not the most suitable.
Because of the size of the group, staff personnel and future perspectives, this group
could be the core for the creation of a future Department of Environmental Protection.
The situation of the two other Departments in Granada requires further attention. The
Department of Agroecology and Plant Protection, traditionally involved in activities
related to plant physiology, agricultural chemistry and plant protection has evolved to
carry out research on the control and evaluation of pollutants in soils; the use of
bioamendments for soil protection and the sustainable management of agroecosystems.
The Plant Protection group has one staff scientific researcher that supervises the work of
several PhD and post-doc students, and another scientist that is linked to the Department
of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry. The group on Soil Protection, headed
by Dr. Rogelio Nogales, holds the rest of the Department with five staff scientists; a
Ramón y Cajal research-associated scientist and several PhD students and post-docs.
Three research staff scientists are over 60 years old. Since activities within this
Department partly converge with the objectives fixed by the group of Degradation of
54
Organic Toxics, and since the three groups are located in the same building, it would be
reasonable to think about the possibility of creating a new Department to agglutinate the
different aspects of the biological fight against contaminants and pests.
The Department of Earth Sciences and Environmental Chemistry is the result of the
fusion of different sections of the EEZ some years ago. This has produced very different
thematic areas and fields of research, as well as atypical ascriptions. Furthermore, CSIC
personnel has moved to the EEZ from other fields of research and other Institutes. This
Department has nine staff scientists, a Juan de la Cierva post-doctoral scientist and 9
PhD students. There are two main research groups at the Department of Earth Sciences
working in Biogeochemistry of Stable Isotopes and Geochemistry and Mineral
Synthesis, respectively. The former is studying global changes and paleoclimatology,
and it is also collaborating with other groups at the EEZ, focusing on biochemistry
topics. The latter, is directing its efforts towards studies on experimental and
computational aspects of geochemistry, and on the development of chemical reaction
models. These groups represent the core of the Department for the next decade and it
would be desirable to reinforce these groups to prevent their dilution within the Centre,
as well as to avoid a potential reduction of their international relevance. Soil Science
research, represented by one staff scientist and one staff technician, focuses on the
physicochemical processes of the unsaturated water zones to understand the soil-watersolute system. The monitoring and physicochemical behaviour of pesticides is carried
out by one research scientist integrated in the Plant Protection group, which is at present
ascribed to the Department of Agroecology and Plant Protection.
Considering the future development perspectives, the EEZ in Granada at C/ Profesor
Albareda could house four Departments and could be referred to as the Institute of Plant
Biology, Microbiology and Environmental Geochemistry.
New Service Units.
The EEZ’s tendency is to maximize resources and to create a core of strong services to
support research. The Centre’s Executive Board has implemented a policy to increase
and improve the Centre’s General Research Services. This policy is described below in
point 5.6.2.
5.2. SPACE AND LOCATION
55
The EEZ has two seats, one in Granada and the other in Armilla. The administrative
management is done in Granada in a historic building dating back to the beginning of
the XX century that also holds a Seminar room (to be reformed), the Centre’s Board
meeting room and a small meeting room. The Centre has two libraries, one at each of
the seats. The Granada seat had several animal pavilions that have been adapted to serve
as ateliers, warehouses and temperature-regulated chambers from plant growth. The seat
in Armilla has a building that serves both as a warehouse and atelier.
The construction of an auditorium for 160 people, as well as a small meeting room for
18 people has recently been finalized at the EEZ seat in Granada. This seat has also two
research buildings, one called “Casa Roja” with a constructed surface area of 4200 m2,
whose weak architectural structure fails to comply with the current security measures.
This situation, of which the CSIC is well aware of, makes it vital to undertake the
complete restoration of the building. This reform was already contemplated, but the fact
that the building known as “Casa Blanca” was declared in ruins and demolished,
impeded the immediate renovation of the “Casa Roja”. We have just moved into the
new building “Nueva Casa Blanca” (2600 m2). This new building has not only come to
relieve the uncomfortable situation suffered by the groups in the EEZ during the last 3
years, but it will also enable to develop the groups’ future perspectives in the long term.
The Department of Agroecology and Plant Protection, the group of Degradation of
Organic Toxic Compounds and the group of Reproductive Biology of Plants are located
in the “Nueva Casa Blanca”. The Stable Isotope Service, the Pseudomonas Reference
Culture Collection Service, as well as the Electron Microscope Equipment are also
located in the new building. The future envisaged service of Scientific Instrumentation
will also be established in this building.
The construction of a 3000 m2 new research building financed by FEDER funds is also
envisaged. These three buildings will make it possible for the EEZ to attain the mark of
400 people in 2015.
The seat in Armilla has four buildings: A building made up of laboratories and offices, a
warehouse, a third building for animal experimentation, and a fourth sheltering the
stables. The following actions are of vital importance: (i) the construction of a new
farming nave, and (ii) to complete the building that houses the laboratories, the offices
and the assembly room according to the original design, unfinished because of the lack
of funds.
56
New buildings to be constructed or restored
EEZ-Granada
1) The building known as “Casa Roja” needs in-depth rebuilding for it to fulfil current
security measures and to provide an appropriate and motivating working scenario.
Estimated costs: 3.5 million Euros.
2) Cafeteria for personnel working at EEZ-Granada and other nearby CSIC Institutes
(coffee breaks, lunches). The project has been completed and the estimated costs add up
to 500.000 Euros.
EEZ-Armilla
1) New warehouse to accommodate more animals for experimentation purposes.
Estimated costs: 600.000 Euros.
2) New laboratories, lecture theatre and two offices to deal with the new Institute’s
administrative issues. Estimated costs: 1.5 million Euros.
5.3. SCIENTIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE
The EEZ has benefited through the last 4 years of a plan that has enabled it to acquire an
important scientific infrastructure and, therefore, to dispose of the most innovative
technology to face up to the new scientific challenges for the next five years and more.
The following equipment has been recently acquired: an X-ray diffractometer for
minerals, two equipments for the analysis of stable isotopes, an electronic transmission
microscope, a confocal fluorescence microscope, a DNA sequencer, several equipments
for hybridization and lecture of genomic chips, an FPLC for protein purification, several
HPLCs, an industrial lyophilizer, a spectrofluorimeter, microtomes and continuous
culture fermentors.
The main limitations at the Animal Nutrition Unit are the need for animal
experimentation facilities and the expansion of laboratory space. In Granada it is also
necessary within the plan for the restoration of the building known as “Casa Roja” to
replace obsolete working benches and outdated facilities.
Regarding equipment, the Animal Nutrition Unit, the Departments of Agricultural
Sciences and the groups of Geochemistry need to complement, acquire or renew
obsolete apparatus. In the Table below we show the needs foreseen in the next four
years.
57
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE WITH COMPROMISED FUNDING BY CSIC
Table A.1.
Research infrastructure (EEZ-Granada – Agricultural Sciences)
Year
Equipment
Estimated cost
2006
Image documentation system
95.000
2006
HPLC with multiple detectors (New Service of Instrumentation)
77.000
2006
icycler/RNA expression system
62.000
2007
140.000
2007
Proteomic analysis: ESI-TOF / TOF (New Service of
Instrumentation)
CCD camera for image capturing equipment
2008
GC-MS (New Service of Instrumentation)
100.000
2008
78.000
2009
System for sample concentration (EVAP type) and gradient
preparative pump (New Service of Instrumentation)
Batch and stacking culture systems
2009
Fluorescence stereomicroscope Leica MZ16 FA
64.000
2009
High resolution electrophoretic system
70.000
37.000
60.000
Observations
Equipment to be used by all Departments at the
EEZ’s premises in Granada. It incorporates upto-date systems to capture fluorescence,
chemiluminiscence and radioactive signals.
Quantification system.
It comes to replace two obsolete HPLCs. It
will be part of the Scientific Instrumentation
Service.
Necessary for all groups working on molecular
biology.
To be incorporated to the Scientific
Instrumentation Services.
To be coupled to available microscope and
other equipment available at the Institute.
It comes to replace the obsolete GC-MS
available in Granada. This equipment together
with the HPLC is the core of the New Service.
Equipment necessary for a fast service to the
users of GC/MS and HPLC facilities
Equipment to be used by all groups working in
the area of Agricultural Sciences in Granada.
Necessary for the growth of microorganisms.
Necessary for the Plant Biochemistry groups.
It will come of complete our facilities.
Equipment to be used by all groups working on
plant biochemistry.
58
Table A2. Germoplasm and Permanent Collections
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
Estimated Cost
5.500
6.000
7.000
7.000
Observations
The Pseudomonas and Glomales collections are general services of the EEZ.
The Pseudomonas and Glomales collections are general services of the EEZ.
The Pseudomonas and Glomales collections are general services of the EEZ.
The Pseudomonas and Glomales collections are general services of the EEZ.
Table A3. Research infrastructure (EEZ – Armilla - Unit of Animal Nutrition)
Year
Equipment
Estimated Cost
2006
High-speed centrifuge with set of rotors
46.000
2007
LECO TruSpec carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen elemental analyzer
57.000
2008
2008
Respirometric chambers
Molecular Biology Laboratory
63.000
84.000
2009
GC/MS Focus DSQ Cromatography system
95.000
2009
Jasco FP-6500 Spectrofluorimeter
70.000
Observations
It represents the main need in Armilla. It is necessary for
the work done by all groups.
Needed for the analysis of animal metabolism. This
equipment is to be part of the analytical instrumentation
facility in Armilla.
Come to complement current facilities.
Necessary for the development of new research activities
at the Unit of Animal Nutrition.
Needed for the analysis of volatile products in animal
metabolism. To be used by a specialized technician to
assist all groups.
Needed by all groups at the Unit to take on new analyses.
Research infrastructure (EEZ-Granada-Natural Resources)
Year
Equipment
Estimated cost
2006
High-resolution cluster
13.000
2007
High-resolution cluster
10.000
Observations
It will provide the necessary power to study the
reaction mechanisms of minerals and mineral structure.
It will provide support to all biology groups working on
analysis and resolution of 3D protein structure.
To complement clusters partially financed in 2006.
59
NECESSARY RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT COMPROMISED FUNDING FROM CSIC
Table A4. Equipment to be acquired (Agricultural Sciences)
Year
Equipment
HPLC-Q-TOF
Circular Dicroism
Differential Scanning Calorimeter
Estimated cost
300.000
100.000
80.000
Observations
For protein analyses.
For protein analyses.
For enzymatic analyses.
Estimated cost
80.000
60.000
18.000
Observations
For instrumental services.
For general use.
For growth of ruminant microbes
Estimated cost
100.000
Observations
Mineralogy and Computational Chemistry.
Observations
Derived from construction of mutant collection
of KT2440, lyophilization of clones, storage,
robot maintenance.
Renting of green-houses, hiring of personnel.
Equipment to be acquired (EEZ-Armilla – Unit of Animal Nutrition)
Year
Equipment
HPLC with several detectors
Ultracentrifuge with 2 rotors
Anaerobiosis chamber
Equipment to be acquired (Earth Sciences)
Year
Equipment
Computational Cluster
Germoplasm and permanent collections
Year
2006-2009
Pseudomonas
Collection
Estimated cost
120.000
2006-2009
Glomales
60.000
60
5.4. HUMAN RESOURCES
Vacancies
In this section we will only consider those that come as a consequence of the
personnel’s retirement, taking into account the age of 65 for administrative personnel
and research-supporting personnel (technicians, maintenance services, etc.). As far as
the scientific personnel is concerned, we have considered those that will reach the age
of 70 in this five-year period, as well as those that will turn 65 and will voluntarily retire
in this period.
Administration: 5
Laboratory technicians: 6
Scientists: Those that have applied for an extension after turning 65: 7
Those that will be 65 in the next five-year period: 12
New positions
The EEZ has an important lack of laboratory technicians, which has made it a priority
for the Centre to incorporate this kind of personnel as staff. As an example of this, there
are over 40 contracted laboratory technicians and only 14 as staff currently working in
our laboratories. We intend to incorporate as staff 8 highly-qualified technicians and 5
research assistants to the Centre’s General Services. In addition, we aim to have 1
assistant per 3 researchers and to have at least a technician per research group. In all, we
would need around 17 assistants at the EEZ in Granada and 3 in Armilla.
As far as informatics is concerned, the Centre has always been deficient in personnel for
this service. In particular, there is no specialized personnel to assist the Animal
Nutrition Unit. For several years this service has had two hired persons. A new person
has just joined the EEZ as staff; however one of the two hired persons has just left after
obtaining a permanent position in Valencia (Spain). It would be desirable to consolidate
as staff one more person for Armilla and to hire another one in Granada for general
assistance services and another person with a profile in bioinformatics.
The EEZ is currently trying to establish General Research Services for which it would
be necessary to consolidate the person that is currently responsible for the Pseudomonas
Culture Collection Service and to incorporate technicians to take on the responsibility of
managing the green-houses, culture chambers and scientific instrumentation. In
addition, it would be desirable to incorporate technicians to handle sophisticated
equipment, such as those used in genomics, microscopy, etc. Furthermore, both seats
61
need the support of repairing ateliers and general maintenance services thus making it
desirable to incorporate two assistants per seat. Although the division of the EEZ in two
Institute does not necessarily mean the need to incorporate personnel in the short term,
we believe it will be necessary to have at least one more person at the EEZ’s Executive
Board and up to 8 people at the administration to cover the vacancies caused by
retirement and to increase the staff at the purchase and personnel department in two
more people.
The number of PhD students and Post-docs to be incorporated through the I3P CSIC
programme is based on the expected incorporation of outstanding students from
different universities and post-docs trained or not in our laboratories returning from
abroad (see below).
The following table lists the global personnel needs.
EEZ
IBVMA
INA
Total
Technicians
with a degree
General
Technicians
Informatics
Maintenance
Admin
Assistance
per Group
1 Chief
Administrator
1
1
3
1
1Bioinfor.
--
8
--
Asístanse
for
Services
--
2
1
3
1
1
3
2
2
4
1
1
10
17
3
20
6
4
10
In the following Tables we list the support personnel with comprised funding from the
CSIC, including temporal positions as those of the I3P programme.
PERSONNEL WITH COMPROMISED FUNDING BY CSIC
Personnel (EEZ-Granada – Agricultural Sciences)
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
PhD Students
I3P
4
4
4
5
Post-docs
I3P
3
4
4
5
Technicians
I3P
4
5
5
6
Tenured Scientists*
5
4
3
3
*Positions are linked to the main research lines described in 4.1.5.
Breakdown of positions are: Plant-Microbe interactions (6,5)
Plant Biochemistry and General Biochemistry (3)
Bioremediation (3)
Plant Protection (3)
62
Personnel (EEZ-Unit of Animal Nutrition – Armilla, Agricultural Sciences)
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
PhD Students
I3P
1
1
2
2
Post-docs
I3P
1
1
2
2
Technicians
I3P
2
2
3
3
Tenured Scientists*
1
2
1
1
*Positions are linked to the main research lines described in 4.1.5.
Breakdown of positions are: Small ruminants (3)
Monogastrics (2)
Personnel (EEZ-Granada – Earth Sciences)
Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
PhD Students
I3P
1
0
0
1
Post-docs
I3P
0
0
1
0
Technicians
I3P
0
1
0
1
Tenured Scientists*
0
0
0
1
* Positions are linked to the main research lines described in 4.1.5.
Breakdown of positions are: Computational geochemistry (1)
Biogeochemistry (1)
63
NECESSARY NON-PERMANENT STAFF, BASED ON THE I3P
PROGRAMME, BUT WITHOUT COMPROMISED FUNDING FROM CSIC
Personnel (EEZ-Granada – Agricultural Sciences)
Technicians I3P*
5
PhD students I3P
Post-docs I3P
4
6
* Personnel to be incorporated in General Services
Personnel (EEZ-Unit of Animal Nutrition – Armilla)
PhD students I3P
Post-docs I3P
Technicians I3P*
2
1
2
* Personnel to be incorporated to animal care (1) and running of equipment (2)
Personnel (EEZ-Granada – Earth Sciences)
PhD students I3P
Post-docs I3P
Technicians I3P*
2
2
2
* Technicians to be incorporated to the Stable Isotope Service and Experimental
Mineralogy.
STAFF PERSONNEL REQUIRED FOR THE OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING OF
THE INSTITUTE’S GENERAL SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION
WITHOUT COMPROMISED FUNDING FROM CSIC
Scientists*
Scientific staff researcher* (Investigador científico)
1
Tenured scientist●●
3
*
Bioremediation (1)
●●
Molecular Biology of Plants (1)
Pathogenic bacteria (2)
●●
Administration*
Main Administrator
1 Master Degree
(Titulado Superior)
Patent Office
Press Release
General
General
Administrative Maintenance
services
3
1 gardener
(laboral)
1 technician
1 technician
(Titulado
(Titulado
técnico)
técnico)
* Both institutes (Armilla and Granada) under the umbrella of the EEZ are considered under this
heading.
64
Currently approved/proposed research services. Personnel to be incorporated for
optimal running of services.
Service
Scientific Instrumentation
Pseudomonas
Stable isotopes
Green-houses
Informatics
Personnel requested
1 Research assistant
(ayudante)
1 Research assistant
(axuliar)
1 Research assistant
(auxiliar)
1 Research assistant
1 (Master Degree),
Glomales
1 Research assistant
(Auxiliar)
1 (Master Degree in
informatics) (Titulado
superior)
Observations
For sample preparation and running
of equipment under the responsible
supervisor.
For sample preparation,
lyophilization, storage of strains.
General running of services,
maintenance & update of equipment.
Organization, general maintenance
services. Collection of glomales.
To run plant growth chambers
Bioinformatics
Other general facilities
Service
Animal warehouse
Personnel requested
3 hired (laboral)
Radiochemical
2 (Batchelor Degree)
Observations
Care of animals in non-experimental
periods.
Responsible for running equipment.
One per Institute.
Research groups
Research groups
Personnel
Observations
Research groups recognized
by Junta de Andalucía
20 technicians and assistant
personnel
One per 3 researchers.
65
As far as the scientific personnel is concerned, once the construction and renovation
activities are through, the EEZ could house the 85 scientists envisaged for 2015. At the
end of this five-year period, the EEZ should have around 70 staff scientists. Currently
there are 63 scientists, twelve of which will retire within the 2005-2009 period. If there
are no new incorporations to the Centre, there will be just 56 by 2009. Therefore, we
need to incorporate a mean of 4 staff scientists per year so that the target of around 70
staff scientists can be reached in 2009. The new personnel will join the Centre
according to the following criteria: (i) researchers that will open new research lines
(plant pathogens, molecular mechanisms related to the induction of plant defence
responses, gene regulation in microorganisms and plants, microbiology of anaerobic
systems, plant physiology under stress conditions, proteomics, etc.); (ii) researchers that
will enhance the strength of scientifically active, although small groups (plant-microbe
interactions, plant protection, geochemistry, rumen metabolism, etc.); (iii) researchers
that will keep strong research lines running and replace retiring personnel. Thus, we
intend to bring “new blood” to maintain the active running of strong research groups
and to open new research venues at the Centre.
The administrative services need the urgent incorporation of personnel, including within
this five-year period a new General Manager and at least three administrative assistants
just to cover personnel that will be retiring within this period and to manage the
Department of Purchases. Of no less importance is the weakness of the Director’s
Assistance Office with a single person close to retirement too. This office should be
reinforced with at least one assistant to take on the responsibility of maintaining
contacts with the CSIC Headquarters in Madrid, the CSIC’s delegation in Seville and to
deal with external relations, patent offices, etc., as well as assist in the preparation of
annual reports, seminars, etc.
5.5. FINANCIAL RESOURCES (Euros)
Years
2005
Total budget
Total external
resources
Total internal
resources
Personnel
budget
Ordinary
budget
Inversions
2006
2007
2008
2009
Total 2005-9
9.153.545 9.467.856
2.500.000 2.600.000
9.597.313
2.650.000
9.851.959
2.750.000
10.260.838 48.255.511
2.900.000 13.400.000
6.153.545 6.297.856
6.447.313
6.601.959
6.760.838
32.255.511
5.365.545 5.472.856
5.582.313
5.693959
5.807.838
27.922.511
788.000
825.000
865.000
908.000
953.000
4.339.000
---------
1.000.000
1.000.000
1.000.000
---------
3.000.000
66
5.6. SCIENTIFIC-TECHNOLOGICAL PROJECTS
5.6.1. Departments
In relation to other Departments in the area of Agricultural Sciences and even in
comparison to the Department of Earth Sciences, the Department of Agroecology and
Plant Protection is currently in a weak position because of the reduced number of
groups and researchers (some of which will retire very soon), but not due to the number
of competitive projects or funds. Based on the evolution of this Department towards
environmental protection issues and the existence of convergent research lines in other
Departments, the EEZ is willing to redefine a new Department to deal with
environmental issues, so that all activities may be grouped in a single Department. We
propose the creation of a Department of Environmental Protection, which could include
the groups headed by Dr. Campos, Dr. Nogales and Dr. Ramos. Moreover, Dr. Peña at
the Department of Earth Sciences could be integrated into Dr. Campos’s group.
The establishment of new research lines is linked to the capacity of the EEZ’s young
scientists to take a technological leap forward and undertake new experimental
approaches, in particular those directed to the study of plant and animal pathogens and
the induction of resistance mechanisms in plants, molecular mechanisms to biotic and
abiotic stress, as well as those related to gene expression in microorganisms and plants
and the molecular approach to the study of the ruminal ecosystem. It would be essential
to incorporate new technological lines to approach new research issues in the field of
Plant Biology, and most particularly, new aspects of Functional Biology and Plant
Physiology under stress conditions.
It would also be desirable to link aspects related to environmental protection,
sustainable farming and agriculture at the local level – which contains numerous fragile
ecosystems – particularly in the context of protected National and Natural Parks.
5.6.2. Services
The Centre’s Management Board has begun a policy that consists in redefining the
Centre’s Services in order to achieve a more efficient use of the Centre’s facilities and
infrastructure. To this end we are making special efforts to incorporate personnel to
these services through I3P contracts, although the consolidation of these services
requires staff personnel.
67
Of the Services that are ascribed to the Centre only those that generate the sufficient
funds for their own maintenance will be kept.
Green-houses. We are beginning a new phase with the construction of new greenhouses. This service will be maintained by the Centre’s groups hiring these facilities.
The funds will be directly reinvested 100% in the facilities enabling their own
maintenance, as well as the hiring of specialized personnel to run experiments at the
facilities. The start-up of this service is expected to begin as soon as the construction of
the green-houses is finished.
Stable Isotope Service. This service generates its own funds through its hiring and
external services. It is linked to the group of Geochemistry and Stable Isotopes. Since
the Centre has made important investments in equipment for this service, we are
envisaging the possibility of unlinking this stable isotope service from the group in
which it is integrated and to have it managed independently. This possibility will be
contemplated before the summer 2006.
Pseudomonas Reference Culture Collection Service. This service deals with the
Pseudomonas Culture Collection and manages the mutant bank. To date, the invested
funds have been obtained through “Special Grants” (Acciones Especiales) from the
Ministry of Science and Education or from the CSIC. The service has been supplying
strains to all who have requested them, both nationally and internationally, free of
charge. However, from May 1st 2005, strains will be charged a fee of 100 €.
We are also beginning to operate different equipments to give external service. This
includes the generation of organized mutant banks and selective systems for the
isolation of mutant clones.
Scientific Instrumentation Service. It is still pending of its creation as such. The
scientific equipment is more and more sophisticated and requires specialized personnel
to handle it. We are planning to start the Chemical Instrumentation Service in 2006.
This service will have an up-to-date HPLC, a Gas chromatographer-mass spectrometer,
68
an FPLC and an atomic-absorption spectrometer with graphite furnace. We have a
laboratory located at the so-called “Nueva Casa Blanca” that could house this service.
Other Centre services will be created as proposed by the EEZ’s Cloister after approval
by the CSIC.
5.6.3. External Relationships
Specific external research-related activities are established by the different research
groups and may vary according to the needs. The creation of twin units has responded
both to the scientific interest and opportunities derived from support from Junta de
Andalucía and the CSIC itself through grants.
Links with companies are also established through the research groups and are not
specifically done through particular agreements.
There are collaboration links with Diputación de Granada, particularly in the area of
Animal Nutrition. It would be desirable to enhance the links with Diputación de
Granada in order to benefit from its facilities and experimental plots.
There are several active agreements with several Middle Schools for student training in
our Centre.
It is vital to enhance and revitalize interactions with the Universities, especially with the
University of Granada, but also with others such as the University of Córdoba. Most of
the researches at the EEZ are actively participating as teachers in PhD programmes
related to their fields of expertise at different Universities. However, it is important to
establish new basis for the use of equipment and technical services of the University of
Granada in more favourable terms for researchers at the CSIC. Furthermore, it would be
good to establish, in cooperation with the University of Granada, a series of scientific
seminars for university students to explain the research that is currently being done at
the EEZ.
5.7. ACTIVITIES THAT FAVOUR SCIENTIFIC CULTURE
Dissemination activities
69
1. Scientists working at the EEZ teach at several Middle and Secondary Schools.
2. Scientists at the Centre write articles for national or local newspapers. This does
not happen at a regular basis.
3. Scientists at the EEZ participate in the formation of Middle and Secondary
School teachers.
4. Active participation in the Ministry of Science and Education European
programme: ‘A week for Science’.
5. For seven years running we have been celebrating what we call a
“Dissemination day” in which everyone working at the EEZ gets together and
the Centre’s activities are presented.
6. The Centre is presented to last-year students at the University of Granada.
7. With the construction of the new auditorium, we are contemplating the creation
of “an open-day dissemination of activities” for companies, general public and
last-year university students.
8. Opening of a Press Release Office.
70
5.8. RESULTS OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Year
2005
2006
Total financing (€) competitive projects
2.600.000 2.700.000
Total Nº of articles in SCI/SSCI/A&HSI Journals 70
73
Nº of articles in NON ISI International Journals
4
3
Nº of articles in NON ISI National Journals
6
6
Nº of books
35
36
Active National Patents
2
2
Active EPO, USPO Patents
1
1
Company patents
1
-Start-up by EEZ personnel
1
-Funds from I+D contracts (private sector)
70.000
75.000
Funds from contracts/assessment (public sector)
--Total stock of pre-doc grants/contracts
60
60
Total stock of de post-doct grants/contracts
30
30
Total nº of PhD thesis defended by C/I personnel 9
10
Total nº of credits from PhD or post graduate 60
60
courses
*Our intention is to increase the quality of the articles rather than the quantity.
2007
2.800.000
77
2
6
37
3
1
--80.000
-61
30
10
60
2008
2.950.000
81
1
6
39
3
2
1
1
90.000
-61
30
11
60
2009
3.000.000
84
0
6
40
4
2
--90.000
-62
30
12
60
Total 2005/9
14.000.000
385*
10
30
187
14
7
2
2
405.000
-304
150
52
300
71