Date 22-24 May 2024
Host: Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Applications extended by 22nd of March
What are Training Schools in COST Action?
Training Schools serve to help the Action achieve their MoU Objectives and deliver impact with regard to:
- Capacity Building: Allowing COST Actions to provide training for researchers and innovators in highly specialised topics which are essential for the Action. They are the tool for transferring know how among all types of actors and building interdisciplinary expertise;
- Research Coordination: Training Schools can also be used for reaching specific results (e.g., data collection or analysis, training on methodologies developed by the Action) in support of the objectives of the COST Action.
What is the main mission of the training school in CA 21149?
Interdisciplinary training, networking, and knowledge exchange to build capacity on monitoring and assessment of acrylamide mitigation measures applied in industrial production.
Who can apply as a trainee?
The training school is dedicated to young researchers, early career researchers, PhD students, innovators, cereal breeders, plant geneticists and agronomists and food technologistsinterested in the field of crop production with low risk of acrylamide in cereal crops.
Who can be reimbursed as a trainee?
- Any researcher or innovator affiliated with:
- a legal entity in a COST Full/Cooperating member
- a legal entity in a Near Neighbour Country (NNC);
- The trainee must be present in person;
- The applicant must have an e-COST profile.
Eligibility for the Training School participation and a reimbursement scheme are described in the Annotated Rules for COST Actions (section 6.4)
What is a capacity of the CA 21149 Training School?
- The number of expected trainees in person: up to 25
What is the program of the CA 21149 Training School?
1st day, May 22nd (Wednesday) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
9:00 – 9:30 | Registration | ||
9:30 – 9:45 | Opening and welcoming remarks | Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT) Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) Dr. Slađana Žilić (SRB) | |
9:45 – 9:55 | Welcoming remarks in front of LO
| Dr. Violeta Anđelković (SRB) | |
9:45 – 10:30 | Genomic and molecular breeding in small-grain
cereals | Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) | |
10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee break | ||
11:00 – 11:30 | Plant genetic resources – Gene bank as source of a high quality cereal genotypes | Dr. Natalija Kravić (SRB) | |
11:30 – 12:15 | Genome-wide association study (GWAS) in
durum wheat for free asparagine content | Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT)
| |
12:15 – 13:00 | Field trialling of CRISPR low-asparagine wheat and investigation of the increase in asparagine in response to pathogen infection in wheat | Dr. Navneet Kaur (GB)
| |
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch break | ||
14:00 – 14:45 | Indirect selection for lower mycotoxin
accumulation in winter wheat grains | Dr. Valentina Španić (HR) | |
14:45 – 15:30 | Application of molecular biology techniques for identification and expression profiling of asparagine synthetase genes in cereals
| Dr. Ana Nikolić (SRB) | |
15:30 – 15:45 | Summery and conclusion of the day | Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT) Dr. Slađana Žilić (SRB) | |
16:00 – 18:00 | Panoramic sightseeing of Belgrade (from the Institute) | ||
2nd Day, May 23rd (Thursday) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
9:30 – 10:15 | Assessing the variation and genetic
architecture of quality traits in cereals. What can plant breeding do to improve the quality, safety and nutritional value of cereals? | Dr. Khaoula El Hassouni and
Prof. Friedrich Longin (DE)
| |
10:15 – 10:45 | Coffee break | ||
10:45 – 11:30 | Marker-assisted selection for high quality and safe maize | Dr. Marija Kostadinović
(SRB) | |
11:30 – 12:15 | Impact of biotic and abiotic stressors on free asparagine formation in small-grain cereals and maize: Exploring correlations with grain quality and agronomic practices. | Dr. Marco Napoli (IT) | |
12:15 – 13:30 | Practical session Ia: PCR analysis of asparagine synthetase genes- setting up and performing qualitative and quantitative PCR (qPCR) reaction | Dr. Ana Nikolić (SRB) Dr. Manja Božić (SRB) | |
12:15 – 13:30 | Practical session II: HPLC demo of asparagine determination. | Beka Sarić (SRB) Dr. Slađana Žilić (SRB) | |
12:15 – 13:30 | Practical session III: color analysis of cerealbased food products by Konica Minolta | Dr. Marijana Simić (SRB) Dr. Valentina Nikolić (SRB) | |
13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch break | ||
14:30 – 15:15 | Practical session Ib: PCR analysis of asparagine synthetase genes- monitoring of PCR reaction progress | Dr. Ana Nikolić (SRB) Dr. Manja Božić (SRB) | |
15:15 – 15:45 | Feedback of trainees / Open discussions | All | |
15:45 – 16:00 | Summery and conclusion of the day | Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT) Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) Dr. Slađana Žilić (SRB) | |
19:00 – 21:30 | Dinner (Bohemian quarter Skadarlija) | ||
3rd Day, May 24th (Friday) | ||
|---|---|---|
9:30 – 10:00 | Usage of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) in yield and quality prediction and cereal crop monitoring. | Maša Buđan (SRB) |
10:00 – 10:30 | Acrylamide – State of play in Serbia (regulatory compliance with the EU and control of the food on the market) | Snežana Savčić-Petrić (SRB) |
10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee break | |
11:00 – 11:20 | Dietary acrylamide exposure in different Serbian population categories | Dr. Saša Janković (SRB |
11:20 – 12:40 | Practical session IV: Field visiting / demo of cereal crosses (fertilization)
| Jelena Škorić Sekulić (SRB) Dušan Urošević (SRB) |
11:20 – 12:40 | Practical session V: Field visiting / Drone imaging of
sulfur treated field | Maša Buđan (SRB) |
11:20 – 12:40 | Practical session VI: Field visiting / observation (evaluation of quality parameters of cereal plant) | Dr. Vesna Kandić (SRB) |
12:40 – 13:40 | Lunch break | |
13:40 – 14:00 | Debrief, Certificates | Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT) Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) |
14:00 – 14:20 | Closing remarks | Dr. Elena Baldoni (IT) Dr. Viktor Korzun (DE) |
14:20 – 14:30 | Farewell words | Dr. Slađana Žilić (SRB) Dr. Violeta Anđelković (SRB) |
14:30 – 15:30 | Tour of the ZP Institute’s laboratories and fields (facultative) | Dr. Marijana Simić (SRB) Dr. Jovan Pavlov (SRB) |
Note: The program can be adjusted according to the availability of trainers.
How to apply?
Applicants are invited to express their interest via Form Express of Interest.
Besides the filling the form, they have to sent via e-mail (szilic@mrizp.rs) the following documents:
- CV of applicants (in a Europass format)
- Motivation letter (Why do I want to apply? Why should I be selected? What are my expectations? How can I use new skills and knowledge? etc.)
- Recommendation Letter of the related WG Leader
Deadline for submission extended by 22nd of March
Priority criteria for selection
Applications will be assessed by the Assessment Committee consisted of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Grant Awarding Coordinator and the WG Leaders.
The criteria for selection and preferences of candidates are as follows:
- Relevance of the Applicant´s research area to the Training School topic;
- Active contribution of the Applicant in the COST working groups assessed by the WG leader expressed in the Recommendation Letter
- 1st time participant in ACRYRED COST networking tools
- COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy:
- ITC, NNC and IPC members
- Young Researcher (< 40 years)
- Early-stage Researcher (< 4 years of research career)
- Gender balance
- Geographical diversity
After the evaluation process, the selected applicants will receive an official invitation of the COST Action with a link to the Acceptance of the event. Only after this step they can start to organize their trip
Financial support - reimbursement
Expenses related to the participation in the Training School will be reimbursed according to the Annotated Rules for COST Actions.
What can be funded?
Long distance travel, subsistence and visas of invited participants present in person.
Daily Allowance covers:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Short distance travel: up to 100 km each way
Long distance travel
- Any travel > 100 km to/from participant’s place of affiliation and the training school location
- Paid based on face-value
- Limited to plane, train, bus, car, and ferry
- Maximum of 1500 EUR for all travel
Travel cancellation insurance is eligible.
Visa, if required to travel to the training school location
For the reimbursement, supporting documents are required:
- Receipt/stamp from the embassy/consulate
- Amount paid
- Administrative costs
After the Training School
- Once the activity has ended, the attendee has to submit relevant documentation in e-COST within 30 days after the end date of the activity.
- Payment has to be claimed via e-COST.
Training School outputs
The list of attendees and a short presentation report of the Training School will be placed on online newsletter and CA website.
For more general information on Training Schools please contact: Local Organiser/MC member Slađana Žilić (szilic@mrizp.rs) Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia and WG2 Leader Elena Baldoni (elena.baldoni@cnr.it) National Research Council, Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, Milan, Italy
