As many as 5 out of 8 applications that have proceeded to round 2 of the call from the women’s health center DRIV come from K2 – Eystein Husebye, Stian Knappskog, Camilla Krakstad, Stephanie Le Hellard and Helge Ræder. Congratulations!

In order to maintain the fantastic research and teaching work (including supervision) at K2 and at the same time save money, we need to look at how we can help each other in a better and more effective way. We will therefore begin a mapping process of our technical staff, who constitute a huge resource at the institute we are completely dependent on. Without them, we would not have been able to carry out the research projects or the teaching that we do today. Over the past 10 years, the structure of the research groups at K2 has naturally changed a lot, so it becomes natural to look at it. To begin with, we will send out questionnaires to our technicians to get an overview of the skills, capacity, wishes etc. We will inform everyone on an ongoing basis about where we are in the process.

Have a great weekend!

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has notified an audit pursuant to the Gene Technology Act at the Faculty of Medicine, 10-12 September this year. In preparation for the audit, research group leders must submit documentation by August 29 in accordance with the following points

1. Ongoing projects that have been applied for approval according to GMO (Brief overview of ongoing work with GMOs)
2. Overview of ongoing GMO projects that have not been applied for approval
3. List of persons who can be interviewed during the audit
4. Which rooms (Room number) are used for GMO work

Everyone should familiarise themselves with this page of the HSE Handbook: 4.4. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – HSE at K2 (uib.no)

For the daily work in the laboratory, there are four things you have to deal with:

1. That laboratories and facilities are approved for work with GMOs.
2. That there is a notification/approval for the work you are performing. The notification/approval must include a pre-assessment (risk assessment) of the contained use. A link to the notification form for GMM can be found here.
3. That the work is carried out in a safe manner. Each research group should have its own procedures for this work, based on its own risk assessment.
4. That a journal is kept of the work, and must be able to be presented in the event of an inspection.

For all activities involving GMOs, the principles of good microbiological practice and the following principles of good safety and hygiene in the workplace apply.

For questions, contact Siv Lise Bedringsaas (siv.bedringaas@uib.no)

New Deputy Director of Research

Professor Kurt Hanevik takes over as the new deputy director for research at K2. Kurt is a specialist in infectious diseases. He also has experience from international humanitarian aid and global health. He defended his thesis on research on the long-term effects of the Giardia epidemic in and has continued research on diarrhoea and related disorders. His experience and expertise will constitute a good addition to the leadership at K2.

Have a good weekend when the time comes!

Regards
Eystein Husebye

Dear all colleagues,

 The academic year is officially underway. On that occasion, I would like to welcome you to a new digital morning coffee to talk about what occupies the university leadership.Some of the topics will be the start of the semester and today’s student generation and UiB’s ambitions and challenges as an international university. 

It is also possible to submit questions in advance via this form. https://skjemaker.app.uib.no/view.php?id=17537491

The morning coffee takes place on Thursday 29 August at 09:00-09:30 on Zoom. Follow the link to participate: https://uib.zoom.us/j/64244074872?pwd=zBvwesafx5KROfaisebI5HjMzeaEKb.1

 The conversation is in Norwegian.

 Kind regards

Margareth Hagen, rector

I look forward to being back as (this time not just acting) head of K2! I started on July 1st and have an office on the 8th floor of the lab building. I know that this will be a challenging job and I will have to make some decisions that may not be so popular, but as everyone has noticed, K2 is in a very precarious financial situation so that we have to make changes to get back into balance. I am grateful for any suggestions and input you can provide. I will not make the decisions all alone, with me in the leadership of K2 continue Eystein Husebye as deputy director, Silje Skrede as head of innovation and Mia Holmaas as head of administration, and Camilla Tøndel is the new head of teaching. Many thanks to Mette Vesterhus for her brilliant efforts as head of teaching in recent years and Silje Skrede as acting head of teaching in recent months! I still need a new head of research, but I am working on it.

My goal is to have K2 as a place where people thrive and like to work, where you feel heard, seen and valued, and where you also have the infrastructure to be able to conduct clinical, translational and experimental research of high quality. I know that I am responsible for fantastic researchers, teachers, technicians and administrative supporters and not least students for the next 4 years, and together we will make it happen!