2022•02•22 Peru
UNU-BIOLAC is accepting applications to academic activities held in interactive webinar modules around a common theme, according to the priority areas of the Programme. Following our mission to build Biotechnology capacities within Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, we aim to prepare and qualify professionals through high-level training courses. All activities are co-organized with UNU-BIOLAC throughout the LAC countries and carried out in collaboration with an international network of highly qualified academics and researchers in the diverse fields of biotechnology.
In pursuit of strengthening the region’s biotechnology studies and networks, and considering the coronavirus pandemic outbreak’s current circumstances, we have announced a new initiative to integrate elite professionals in the biotechnology fields into online activities engaged with regional professionals. These academic activities are of great importance for our mission of empowering qualified professionals to implement educational events all over the region and incorporating them as an active UNU-BIOLAC alumni community.
Applications proposals pursue senior researchers who combine the highest level of research excellence with a demonstrated passion for delivering social impact from biotechnology.
With this call, accepted members will have the opportunity to be part of the UNU-BIOLAC mission by proposing high-level capacity building activities and helping UNU-BIOLAC outreach and dissemination capabilities.
Expectations
Each UNU-BIOLAC webinar activity should host a minimum of 20 participants and organized by at least one coordinator. A minimum of 3 invited expert speakers should be part of the event. These training webinars will have to rely on worldwide specialists and participants equally representing the LAC region. Each virtual lecture should last around 40-50 minutes with a live Q&A chat arranged towards the end.
Budgets for these activities will be studied on a case-by-case basis. They should consider items such as speaker honorarium (according to academic merits), internet platform connections costs, or supplemented learning material. Each webinar activity should also provide, as output, a recording file of the training and a discussion of its content that helps verify learning goals.
At the end of the activity, the coordinator will have to deliver a final report with all academic/training results and include a financial statement of all incurred expenses, which a UNU-BIOLAC academic committee will evaluate. If an activity report receives an outstanding evaluation, its coordinator would be able to apply for further financing within this or any other UNU-BIOLAC funding call.
Research fields
This call is open to all senior researchers engaged in active research and academic activities related to high-throughput/deep sequencing of genomes, metagenomic analysis, and whole-genome gene expression to discover new genes and biological functions.
The above technological approaches provide new insights into four priority areas identified in the context of global climate change as challenging the sustainability of traditional cropping systems and the control of animal and human health by affecting the (re)emergence of diseases and their etiological agents and vectors.
Therefore, for 2022 UNU-BIOLAC is seeking to empower young scientists to use Big Data as a knowledge-enabling strategy that navigates across the following priority areas:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact human society globally, biotechnology researchers work on the clock to provide cutting-edge information that can be useful. Therefore, as an organisation engaged with the development of Latin America and the Caribbean region, we decided to encourage research proposals to study the nature of SARS-CoV-2 as an emerging human disease.
In these moments of uncertainty and challenges, UNU-BIOLAC wants to promote a contribution from the Latin American and the Caribbean countries to the resolution of the pandemic outbreak, fostering the collaboration among active researchers to understand this emerging biological threat.
Impact
UNU-BIOLAC Programme is committed to using biotechnology for social development in Latin America and the Caribbean; therefore, it pursues promoting scientific and technological knowledge to a broad audience, engaging in policy debate, and fostering international and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Application process
All applicants should download and complete all mandatory documentation and submit it with the application form to applications.biolac@unu.edu
The email must contain the following information:
*Subject: Webinar Call for proposals 2022. “Name of the applicant”
Email content:
Mandatory attachments:
Please note that an application MUST be oriented towards the UNU-BIOLAC priority areas. Any application not meeting this requirement will need an explanation letter. Relevant subject matters for the region will have special considerations.
Deadline
Applications will be received and evaluated on a rolling basis requiring a three-month timeframe since submitting the application and the webinar’s date.
Disclaimer
UNU-BIOLAC is an equal opportunity institution. No applicant for our academic or research activities shall be discriminated against in any term or condition because of gender, race, colour, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, or sexual orientation.