Monthly Archives: December 2014

At the end of the year

In this last editorial of the year I wish to, on behalf of the K2 leadership, to thank everyone for their efforts in 2014. A lot of great work has been accomplished in teaching, research, research education and HSE. The administration has done a great job with systematizing and simplifying various administrative procedures.

The 2015 budget has now been approved by the Faculty board. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to avoid using a big chuck of the PhD and Postdocs’ operational funds to balance the 3 million kroner budget deficit. This something which we strongly dislike! To ensure that at least some funds will be available to PhD-Candidates, we will consider transferring the funds we normally reserve for public defense expenses to the various research groups. However, this means that the research groups themselves must cover these expenses. Another important change is that, starting next year, the faculty will only cover 70% of the overhead for external projects without overhead (Except The Norwegian Cancer society Funds). This will not affect ongoing projects, but those starting after 1 January 2015. This means that the groups receiving such funding must cover the remaining 30%.

Next year The Faculty will finalise the New Medical School curriculum, starting up for first year students in 2015, and for 1^st, 2^nd and forth year students in 2016. The various leaders of the semester boards will, together with those responsible for the different subjects, work out the details. The recent funding obtained by many of K2’s groups will hopefully be translated into good research in the year to come. This year we have had a total of 21 public defenses at K2 (unfortunately K1 beat us with 1), but we have the highest number of new recruits to the PhD program. We will continue working on creating good meeting places in order to facilitate interaction between K2’s research groups. Last, but not least, a new Head of Department will start his or her term early next year. I am confident that this person will continue to develop K2 in a positive direction..

Now, however, it is soon Christmas and time for a well-deserved break. On behalf of the institute leadership we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Eystein

Head of Department

Meeting – Peder Sather Center

UiB is now administering the Norwegian part of the Peder Sather Center. The center is a collaboration between UC Berkeley and 8 Norwegian research institutions, as well as the Norwegian Research Council. On January 12-13, the center’s Academic Director, Trond Petersen, and Administrative Director, Robert Gleeson, visit UiB. Thus, anyone interested is invited to a presentation of the center, as well as lunch. This is a great way to learn more about center, as well as establish contacts for potential later visits.

Time.: January 12, at 11-12:30. Place. Kollegierommet.

Click here for more information regarding the meeting and how to sign up (in Norwegian).
Click here for more information about Peder Sather Center

Readdressing of shipments

Bring and TPS have sent out important information regarding packages and certified mail addressed to UiB from January 1, 2015 and onwards. For more information (in Norwegian) click here.

NFR announcement: government scholarships to China

The Norwegian Research Council has announced government scholarships to China for Norwegian students/young researchers with application deadline 11.02.2015. For more information (in Norwegian) click here.

Pedagogical training for group leaders, spring 2015

UiB will arrange pedagogical training for group leaders on January 6-8. The course will give you the chance to discuss and plan your own teaching, hence it is an advantage that several group leaders from the same course participate at the same time. That way they can talk with each other about preparations for the course. For more information (in Norwegian) click here.

Novo Nordisk Foundation announcement 2015

Novo Nordisk Foundation has announced funding for young researchers within endocrinology. In total one may be allocated 5 million Danish kroner over a five-year period. For more information click here.

Educational training for group leaders autumn 2014

Every semester the University of Bergen organizes a educational course for group leaders (seminar leaders) who will work with teaching during the semester. The course is organized by the Program for university education at the Faculty of Psychology. Location and time: VilVite, Bergen, week 33/35. Registration by e-mail to Kåre Helleve.
For more information (in Norwegian)

Meeting on Ebola

The meeting will take place on Tuesday January 13, at 19:00. Location: Main Auditorium, HUS. For more information (in Norwegian) click here.

«Ocean and Human Health» seminar

The seminar will take place on Thursday January 15, 2015, at VilVite. For more information click here.

Invitation to The Nordic Public Health Days

The Nordic Public Health Days will take place on June 11-12, 2015. The theme of the conference is: Nature and outdoor activities as a health promoting factor. For more information (in Norwegian) click here.

Announcement – Nansen Fund and De Dermed Forbundne Fund

The Nansen Fund and De Dermed Forbundne Fund have announced funding for free scientific research. For more information click here. (in Norwegian)

Library courses spring 2015

The library offers courses in literature searching and handling of references.
The courses are meant for employees and students at the University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital. The courses are free of charge.

The following courses are offered spring 2015:

– PubMed & EMBASE
– Introduction to databases in knowledge-based practice
– Cochrane and systematic overviews
– EndNote – introductory course and refresher course

If you wish other types of seminars or courses at your department, please contact the library. See course program for more information, dates and deadlines for signing up:
http://www.uib.no/ub/76646/medisin-og-odontologi (in Norwegian)

New Publications

Week 51/2014.

Continue reading →

This Week’s PhD Comics – Special Christmas Edition

Continue reading →

Buoyancy

It is always exciting and nerve racking to wait for the results of the various grant applications every fall. This year we first learned that 2 groups received funding from the NovoNordisk Foundation. Shortly afterward a ERA-Net (Mellgren) and Marie Curie project (Johansson) was awarded to K2-researchers. Thereafter K2-researchers received large grants from The Norwegian Cancer Society. The Stian Knappskog was awarded one of the prestigious BFS-grants. This week K2-researchers have received large grants from The regional Health Authorities and NFR. The latter was divided amon 2 FRIPRO projects (Gjertsen, Njølstad), a mobility grant (Reksten), and a Young Investigator Grant (Bryceson). Altogether the NFR grants are worth 27 million NOK over 3 years. Finally, K2 captured 2 of the 3 PHD-grants announced from UiB.

Congratulations to all of you who have received grants. I also wantt to take the opportunity to thank all those who have helped writing these Grants. Thanks to Corina Guder and Sumathi Subramaniam for helping with grant applications, to Siv Eggereide and her team for putting together budgets and to Synnøve Myhre who has organized and overseen the work

To those of you that did not receive grants – send an improved application next year. To those of you who did not apply – do so next time!

Remember that NFR and EU grants come with overhead and are obtained in fierce competition on national and international competitors. This is very important for the K2’s economy – it now looks somewhat less bleas than last week. Next week we can worry about the budget, but this week I prefer to have a content smile

Have a peaceful weekend

Eystein

Head of Institute

Reservation of parking spot – 2015

It is now possible to apply for parking spot on haukelandsbakken for 2015. For more information (in Norwegian)

Post, transport and campus bus – Christmas 2014

Due to vacation absences, mail delivery will only be conducted once per operating day between 22.12.2014 – 02.01.2015. In the same time period the campus bus will not operate. In addition, Materials and Transport will be away on Christmas break and will therefore be closed. No transport will therefore be done between 22.12.2014 – 02.01.2015. For more information (in Norwegian)

Course in the Chemical Register (ECOonline)

The course will give an introduction on how to use ECOonline, the electronic chemical register for UiB.

Target group

Employees responsible for registering chemicals in the chemical register ECOonline.

Course contents

At UiB, the use and storage of all chemical- and biological agents should be risk assessed in the chemical register ECOonline, UiB’s electronical material database.

The course “The Chemical Register (ECOonline)” will give an introduction on how to use ECOonline. Participants will become familiar with the database, as well as learn how to create a user and location, in addition to registering data sheets in the database. The training will take place in a computer lab.

Time: Wednesday January 28, at 09:00-11:00

Place: Stein Rokkans hus

Sign up electronically by no later than December 15 via this link: https://skjemaker.app.uib.no/index.php

NB: The course is given in Norwegian

Reminder – Theses for Medical Student Research Programme

Not many suggestions for Medical Student Resarch Programme theses have been submitted yet. This is a reminder that it is still possible to suggest theses. Click here for form used to submit thesis suggestions (in Norwegian)

Erasmus+ meetings

Anyone interested in establishing Erasmus agreements with partner universities in USA and Canada (region 13/1) or Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Brunei (region 13/2) are invited to a meeting on Friday December 19, at 9:30 in seminar room E at the Student Centre. Anyone interested in establishing Erasmus agreements with partner universities in Region6 DCI Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) are invited to a meeting on Friday December 19 at 13:00-14:30. Meeting room 7060, Nygårdsgt. 5

Institutes or faculties interested in Erasmus agreements with these countries, but who are unable to attend the meeting, may send an e-mail to Kristin Skogedal

Adjustment of work space

There will be a new round of visits from the HSE department regarding adjustments of PC-elevation and ergonomics. Time: January 13 and 15. If you feel like you need adjustments, please notify Irene Hjelmaas regarding which day is suitable for you.

Norwegian health researchers must become more EU-active

Norwegian health researchers applied far less than their Swedish and Danish counterparts for grants in EU’s 7^th Framework Programme. The Resesarch Council is of the opinion that the ambition level of Norwegian health researchers should be far higher, and the Council wishes to mobilize more researchers to apply for funding in Horizon2020.
For more information (in Norwegian)

Human Nutrition Grants

The announcement comes from Henning og Johan Throne-Holst’s foundation, and is aimed at postdocs and PhD-Candidates working on human nutrition.
For more information (in Swedish)

Young Researcher Prize awarded Professor Emmet McCormack

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K2 wishes to congratulate Professor Emmet McCormack with the Young Researcher Prize awarded at Oncological Forum 2014.
Emmet’s contribution, “Avatar and imaging in cancer therapy development” is available on video. Click here to view the video

Courses in ePhorte – spring 2015

Dokumentsenter 1 will arrange courses in ePhorte, spring 2015.
Click here in order to sign up and read more about the courses (in Norwegian)

Career day for PhD-Candidates

Bergen Biomedical Research School will arrange a career day for PhD-Candidates on December 16, at 9-15 in Auditorium 4, BB-building. For more information

Lucia-celebration Monday December 12

We invite everyone to Lucia celebration on Friday December 12, 8:30 am in the open space area on the 2nd floor of the Laboratory Building.

This will be a cozy pre-Christmas event with nice colleagues.

Hope to see you there!

BFS-grant awarded Stian Knappskog

K2 wishes to congratulate Senior Scientist Stian Knappskog for being one of the recipients of the grant from BFS (Bergen Research Foundation). Stian is researching biological and genetic mechanisms in cancer development, and, in particular, mechanisms which make cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy. For the last three years, Stian has been working at Mohn Cancer Research Laboratory. For more information

Midway evaluation week 51

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Anne Bolette Tjensvoll

Wednesday December 17, at 13:00-14:00

Place: Stavanger University Hospital

For more information (in Norwegian)

Web based course

Regression Models as a Tool in Medical Research 2015

For more infomation