News

Joint MarBEF-MARS-MGE Conference of Directors, 26 June 2008 in Brussels

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and initiate some major and important changes in the role of MARS. This is prompted by discussions we have held with some of the marine Networks of Excellence (MarBEF and Marine Genomics Europe/MGE).

MARS has now been established for over 10 years and represents all of the major marine research institutes and stations in Europe. Many, if not all of our membership are partners in one or more of the currently existing NoEs. These NoEs, funded under FP6, have a finite lifetime but it has always been intended that they should explore ways for their “durable integration” into the European Framework. The ambition agreed both by MGE and MarBEF is that both of these NoEs should establish a “virtual network status” within the umbrella provided by MARS. Thus the long established MARS framework would host the continuation of these network activities and at the same time provide a unique platform for their further integration.

This idea was discussed at the recent ESF Marine Board “Post Aberdeen” meeting. In brief the remit here is to work for the integration of European Maritime Research Strategy, from maritime transport to ecosystems and biodiversity. This meeting established a “Task Force” that includes MARS as the representative for the marine NoEs and marine science in its widest sense.

It is therefore now timely to revisit MARS strategy and the way it should operate and be organized. This will be the focus of our meeting in Brussels where we hope also to have key members of the Commission present.

Venue
Planetarium of the Royal Observatory of Belgium
Boechoutlaan, 10
1020 Brussels
Belgium
Tel : +32 (0)2 474 70 50
Fax : +32 (0)2 478 30 26
Web : http://www.planetarium.be/access.html

This event is endorsed by MarBEF, which means MarBEF members are allowed to book maximally 1,500 € of the costs for participation on their MarBEF account.

Please indicate to Herman Hummel at your earliest convenience whether you aim to participate in the meeting.

Mike Thorndyke new president of MARS

Mike Thorndyke obtained a B.Sc. Sp. Hons. Zoology from Queen Mary College, University of London in 1968 followed by a PhD from the same institution in 1971. He has been a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee and spent most of his career at the School of Biological Sciences Royal Holloway, University of London where he was Director of Research 1990-2002. In 2002 he was appointed as Director & Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Distinguished Research Chair in Experimental Marine Biology at Kristineberg Marine Research Station (now Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences – Kristineberg) Sweden. In 2005 he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. For many years his laboratory has investigated the cellular, molecular and genetic bases of development and adult regeneration in tunicates and echinoderms and has been responsible for the characterisation of new genes and gene networks that regulate both larval development and adult regeneration. Particular emphasis has been placed on the evolutionary and adaptive plasticity of these phenomena. Recently attention has been focused on the critical issue of ocean acidification where these molecular tools have been instrumental in revealing new avenues for analysis and understanding in keystone echinoderm, tunicate and crustacean taxa.

Mike's mission statement can be read at objectives.

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