Monthly Archives: December 2022

Editorial

Merry Christmas and happy holiday season!
Another year is almost over. For most of us, it is a busy autumn with application deadlines, congresses, meetings, and new cohorts of students. So now it is good to be able to look forward to a holiday with the opportunity for peace and reflection.

At the time of writing, the Covid-19 pandemic is a growing challenge, especially for the healthcare system, even if the new variants seem milder. Fortunately, strict hygienic measures such as social distancing, face masks, and frequent alcohol washing, as well as communication and teaching through digital media, are not necessary as the situation is now. But NIPH predicts a Christmas holiday with a large degree of intercurrent diseases in the population due to the coincidence of several epidemics with gastroenteritis, influenza and RS virus in addition to Covid-19.

For K2, 2022 has been characterized by new challenges linked to the economy. A series of cuts in funding from KD, UiB and the Faculty have turned the financial situation at the department upside down. Since over 90% of our economy is linked to positions, freezing vacancies is unfortunately what is needed some years to overcome the problem. In addition, we are working on how we can make better use of space and teaching; space efficiency and how to free up time for research through more efficient teaching, so that our scientific activity is not affected.

In this new situation, it is important that we have a common understanding of the challenge and that we must stand together in it. Then, as mentioned, there is also an opportunity to rethink and find new solutions that can nevertheless improve our primary tasks: research, teaching, innovation, and communication. K2 Retreat 2 on Solstrand went as planned despite the tight economy. The Retreat is a very important venue for strategy discussions and generation of new ideas. We therefore aim to carry out K2 Retreat 3 in 2024. We must not lose our hearts, we must manage to come out of the situation even stronger!

For many, Christmas is the highlight of the year, where family and friends gather for a holiday filled with traditions and a sense of belonging, followed by space Christmas, which can provide opportunities for other activities at home in Bergen, trips to the mountains or elsewhere.

What most of us take for granted is not necessarily so for everyone. Some have lost a loved one, or have no close friends or family gathering this year. And in the past year, we have received many refugees from the senseless events of the war in Ukraine. Are we able to think extra about these and perhaps include them in our own Christmas celebration?

In conclusion, I would like to thank each and every one of you for small and large contributions to our primary tasks and for creating a good place to be.

With wishes for a peaceful Christmas and all the best for 2022.

Use infrastructure to boost your research

Helse Bergen and the Faculty of Medicine invite to an information event about how our four European Research Infrastructures can help you and your research.

Through local, national and international collaboration, you can increase the quality of your research and improve your chances with funding opportunities.

Helse Bergen and the University of Bergen are members of the four European Research Infrastructures:

  • ECRIN – European network for clinical trials, Norwegian partner is NorCRIN
  • EATRIS –  European network for Translational Medicine
  • BBMRI – European infrastructure for Biobanking, Norwegian partner is Biobank Norway
  • ELIXIR – the European Research Infrastructure for Life Science Data, with its Norwegian Node ELIXIR Norway

We want to tell you how these infrastructures can help you and your research.

We invite you to an information event on the 5th of January at 13:00 at the EITRI Medical Incubator.

NorCRIN, EATRIS, BBMRI and ELIXIR will be presented and we will talk about specific calls for funding and how scientific collaboration can help you make progress with your research.

We will be available for 1-to-1 conversation before and after the info meeting.

More information here

Welcome to Its21 – call for abstracts! Deadline January 15th

The 7th conference on interdisciplinary teamwork skills for the 21st century, will be held in Bergen, Norway on 27th-28th April 2023. It is hosted by Centre for Interprofessional Workplace Learning (TVEPS)

Conference theme: In pursuit of a sustainable future: creating and anchoring interprofessional- and sustainability mindsets in educations and in the work field.

Call for abstracts! Deadline January 15th
Topics include (but are not restricted to): Research results, innovative examples of interprofessional education, societal value of student learning, reducing inequality and increasing sustainability in interprofessional education and in society, educational facilitators as change agents.

Abstracts can be sent to tveps@uib.no

See webpage for more info

The Letten Prize

Call for applications for the Letten Prize 2023
The call for applications for the Letten Prize 2023 is now open. The application deadline is February 6th, 2023.

The Letten Prize
The purpose of the prize ‘is to recognize younger researchers’ contributions in the fields of health, development, environment and equality in all aspects of human life’. Furthermore, ‘the prize aims to raise public awareness of how research can be used to solve global human development challenges’. The Letten Seminar, hosted in connection with the prize ceremony, is particularly dedicated to the latter. Read more about the initiators’ vision for the prize here.

Courses offered at the Medical library, Autumn 2023

Courses offered at the Medical library, Autumn 2023:

  • Introduction to Endnote
  • Searching in PubMed and Embase
  • Introduction to systematic reviews
  • Literature studies for Bachelor and Master students (in Norwegian)

The courses are planned as a hybrid solution, with the option of attending either physically or online through Zoom. The courses are mainly for employees and PhD candidates at the Faculty of Medicine and for employees at Helse Bergen. Courses for students are normally given as a part of their study program. If that isn’t the case, they can attend these courses as well. The courses are free of charge, but registration is necessary for our planning.

Dates, registration and more information can be found on the library’s web pages:

Courses in English: https://www.uib.no/en/ub/128609/courses-and-guidance#courses-requiring-registration

Courses in Norwegian: https://www.uib.no/ub/126018/kurs-og-veiledning#kurs-med-p-melding

Short description:

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Editorial

The financial room for maneuver at the universities has been significantly reduced in the last year, and the Faculty of Medicine has had major cuts in its budgets. K2 is the largest department at the Faculty of Medicine and has received the largest reductions. The Rectorate has given the faculties a deadline of approx. 2 years to break even.

To reverse the trend, K2 is introducing a number of measures. One of these is linked to the possibility of saving money through area efficiency, to slightly reduce the large amount of area that K2 uses. The faculty pays well over NOK 75 million in area rent. If K2 can reduce the areas somewhat, K2 will receive funds as compensation.

K2 has therefore set up an area committee led by Silke Appel to make a brief analysis of the current situation for the use of offices and laboratories in the Laboratory Building and outline a proposal for how approx. 358 square meters in the Laboratory Block, which are particularly expensive to rent from Helse Bergen, can be saved and which models, if any, can be used. This applies, for example, relocation of entire research groups, joint use of laboratory space and more open office space. The committee will look at the possibility of saving the areas by allowing the staff to work more closely or by using less expensive areas, e.g. in BBB.

The committee has delivered its analysis and identified approx. 355 square meters essentially divided into three areas and which can potentially be saved. The proposal will form part of a process with the Dean’s Office and UiB central regarding possible agreement with Helse Bergen on temporary takeover of these areas. Affected research groups will be involved in the process if Helse Bergen shows an interest in this.

It can be a demanding exercise, but it should be possible to use less space. When it comes to offices, most people today can get by with a PC and a screen, although some may have a greater need. People in reduced positions can e.g. share an office with a little planning. The laboratories are very important for translational research, but here too we have to think anew. Much of the research is done today via core facilities and on a computer today, and it is possible to share bench space with others.

Times are more demanding than before, but I believe it is temporary and that with a skipper roof we can get through the process. It is important that we stand together in this and that everyone, in different ways, gives a little extra now in terms of flexibility so that the institute as a whole will come out of the situation – even stronger. It is possible!

Enjoy the week end,

Pål

Info meeting: European Research Infrastructures – how can you benefit

Dear all,

University of Bergen and Helse Bergen are members of four European research infrastructures in the field of translational medicine: BBMRIELIXIREATRISand ECRIN. The four research infrastructures work in parallel, providing complementary services to researchers in the field of biomedical sciences and support the development of personalized medicine and new treatments.

We invite researchers to learn more about each research infrastructure and how they can help you with a focus on services that support funding applications. The national coordinators of each research infrastructure are available for 1:1 meeting where you can ask specific questions regarding your project or get more information. Here is the registration page and agenda also included a QR-code for the poster (registration). Enclosed is the invitation.

Introductory seminars for new international employees

This course is step 2 of our introductory seminars for new international employees. The course will take place on January 31st from 12.30 to 15.30 in Seminar room E in the International Centre. You can sign up here https://www.uib.no/en/international/155802/introduction-course-new-employees. Please complete step 1 (https://www.uib.no/en/foremployees/141727/introduction-uib-new-employees) before attending.

Invitation to all PhDs and Postdocs: Present your work at the SDG Conference 2023

Dear PhDs and postdoctoral researchers,

It is our pleasure to invite you to present your work at the upcoming SDG Conference 2023!

The sixth SDG Conference Bergen will take place 8-10 February 2023 with the theme “A just transformation to a sustainable future” (see SDG Conference Bergen | University of Bergen (uib.no) for details). This fully digital conference provides new opportunities to present emerging and important research by motivated PhD students and postdoctoral researchers addressing the conference themes. We therefore invite all PhDs and postdoctoral researchers that are interested to present a videorecorded poster on your research and how it relates to the theme of the upcoming conference.

The deadline for submitting a two-minute videorecorded poster is 31 January, 2023.

For more information on details on how to record your contribution and practical information regarding submitting, please see attached pdf flyer with information. Your poster videos will be showcased in the conference platform and available for all digital participants to view.

This is a great opportunity to share your research with a global audience and we hope to see your presentation at the conference!

Want to attend the conference? Register here!

BookitLab

From January 2023, the core facilities MIC, PROBE, FLOW and BiSS will change their booking system from IdeaElan to BooktitLab. BookitLab has been purchased centrally by UiB, which means that other core facilities at UiB also will have the opportunity to start using it in the future. BookitLab has already been implemented at both NTNU and UiO, as well as at the NMR-core facility at UiB (MatNat).

If you want to be able to reserve instruments or services from 1 January 2023, users must by December log into BookitLab (Feide login) once, and thereafter have a project linked to their name.

Separate e-mails with relevant information on how to get started will be sent to project leaders (PIs), project accountants and existing users of the core facilities. The procedures are simple, and it is important that everyone follows the instructions so that the transition becomes as smooth as possible. If you have not received the relevant information yet, you can contact mic@uib.no.

Invitation to SDG Conference Bergen 2023

SDG Conference Bergen 2023:
A just transformation to a sustainable future

8–10 February 2023

In order to succeed with a sustainable transformation of our societies we must face the grand challenges of our time. How can we ensure that this transformation is just and leaves no one behind?

The 6th annual SDG Conference Bergen will tackle such fundamental challenges to the 2030 Agenda, looking at how to reduce the pressure on planetary boundaries while ensuring human rights, peace and security, sustenance, health and education, and other social prerequisites for a good life.

The conference will include speakers from around the world with representation from academia, government, civil society, industry, and more.

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will open the conference.

Keynotes include:

·  Dan Kammen, University of California, Berkley, and former Environmental Envoy for the U.S. State Department

·  Mahmood Mamdani, Professor of Government at Columbia University and former Executive Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research

·  Katja Hujo, Development economist and social policy expert at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

Conference participation is digital and free of charge!

Programme / Registration

ECRIN Webinar: Adopting Best Practices in Personalized Medicine Research

ECRIN Webinar: Adopting Best Practices in Personalized Medicine Research

Join this ECRIN webinar to learn how the PERMIT project and its recommendations can support best practice in personalized medicine!. When: Friday, 16 December, 3-5 PM (CET) Register here. New high-throughput technologies and the digital revolution are offering incredible advantages for researchers…and medical research is evolving rapidly in response.

www.eosc-life.eu

(Norsk) Disputas – Emma Satrell

Prøveforelesning: Fredag 16. – desember 2022 kl. 10.15

Sted: Auditorium, Olavsalen, Haukeland universitetssykehus, Gamle hovedbygg, Jonas Liesvei 71

Oppgitt emne: «Risiko for sykdom hos barn med medfødte misdannelser i lunger og luftveier – behandling og oppfølging fra barneår og inn i voksenlivet.»

Disputas: Fredag 16. – desember 2022 kl. 12.15

Sted: Auditorium, Olavsalen, Haukeland universitetssykehus, Gamle hovedbygg, Jonas Liesvei 71

Avhandlingens tittel: «Alveolar function following extremely preterm birth»

1. opponent: Professor Kim Nielsen, Rigshospitalet, Danmark

2. opponent: Ph.d. Petra Um-Bergstrøm, Karolinska Institutet

3. medlem av komiteen: Førsteamanuensis Marianne Aanerud, Universitetet i Bergen

Disputasen blir ledet av professor Valeriya Lyssenko

Åpent for alle interesserte

Editorial

Dear all,

2022 has been a particularly busy year for our PhD coordinator Irene Hjelmaas and Christina Flornes with a total of 41 PhDs originating from K2, which must be possibly record-breaking. In order to be able to carry out so many disputations, we are dependent on all associate professors and professors taking on the task as custos from time to time, and it is very nice to get help from our professors emeritus / emerita for it – it is almost impossible to beat the number of disputations Birgitta Åsjö has been custos for this year, thank you!

But back to the task as custos: Custos means guardian or orderly man in Latin, and as custos you are stand in for Dean Per Bakke and act on behalf of the faculty. You lead the way when the committee and the candidate march in and out of the auditorium in the prescribed order of trial lecture and public defence, that is, there is something very solemn about this task, especially when you are wearing your cloak for the defence. But it is a very nice task to lead the next generation of researchers through trial lecture and public defence and learn about what kind of research is taking place at K2.

It is of course also exciting to just listen to, and here everyone is welcome to join. We try to advertise all trial lectures and disputations from K2 in K2nytt, and a full overview from UiB can be found on the website (https://www.uib.no/nye-doktorgrader).

Have a great weekend!

(Norsk) Mohn Research Center for Regenerative Medicine (MRCRM) minisymposium

Mohn Research Center for Regenerative Medicine (MRCRM) welcomes all students, faculty and staff to the Mini symposium on Wednesday 7th of December.

The afternoon starts at 11 am with a lunch, and then there are talks from 11.30 am to 2 pm. Both PIs and junior scientists present very interesting work, within the wide range of regenerative medicine.

At 2 pm there will also be an official opening ceremony of the Ex-vivo Facility, the clean room facility where stem cell and advanced cell therapy products for Helse Vest will be produced.

The full program, time, place and abstracts can be found here: MRCRM Mini Symposium – Helse Bergen (helse-bergen.no)

Welcome!

(attachment: flyer)

European Innovation Council online Info Day – Work Programme 2023 – 13 December 2022

The European Innovation Council Work Programme 2023 will be presented in this full-day online event on 13 December 2022 dedicated to potential applicants, together with an overview of what has already been achieved under the previous work programmes.

https://eic.ec.europa.eu/events/european-innovation-council-online-info-day-work-programme-2023-13-december-2022-2022-12-13_en

Emeriti-lunch 2022

Finally time for emeriti lunch for the first time in three years. Due to the pandemic we have not been able to arrange this the last years.

A very fine happening for everybody. Eystein Husebye welcomed and Nina Langeland held a lecture about pandemic.  Arne Skarstein held a fine speech and we all want to meet like this once a year.

Thank you so much to a committed and active emeriti-group!