Delegation from Czech research center visits Leiden’s Faculty of Science
On 3 and 4 June 2015 a delegation from the biotechnology and biomedicine center in Prague (BIOCEV) visited the Faculty of Science in Leiden, as well as the Netherlands Centre for Electron Microscopy (NeCEN). The delegation was interested to see the potential for collaboration in the field of cryo transmission electron microscopy.
Both NeCEN and BIOCEV are funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERD) of the European Union. The NeCEN facility offers access to two FEI Titan Krios microscopes, two of the most advanced microscopes worldwide. Besides funding from the EU, the NeCEN facility also received substantial funding from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
About NeCEN
NeCEN’s microscopes can visualize cellular structures in 3D with nanometer precision. The microscopes are also able to analyze single particles with near-atomic resolution. This level of detail allows for a better understanding of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.
About BIOCEV
BIOCEV is a partnership of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and two faculties of Charles University in Prague. The project’s goal is to establish a European Centre of Excellence in biomedicine and biotechnology. Funded by the ERD, BIOCEV is currently building state of the art facilities near the Czech capital Prague.
Professor Martásek, director of BIOCEV: ‘The visit was very fruitful as we explored the potential for collaboration in bioscience. The University of Leiden has a lot to offer and we hope we might be good partners in the area of our expertise.’
Synergy on a European level
The delegation also visited the metabolomics facility and the Botanical Garden.
Prof. Dr. Geert de Snoo, dean of the Faculty of Science: ‘This visit shows that the European efforts to fund state of the art research are strengthening each other. Possible cooperation between BIOCEV and the Faculty of Science in the field of bioscience and the science base of health is creating synergy at a European level’.
During the visit concrete steps were taken to explore collaboration in research, education and infrastructure.