Austrian-Czech project provides open access to research infrastructure

Initiated in 2016, the project RIAT-CZ creates synergies between research infrastructures in the border region between Austria and the Czech Republic. Funded by the joint program Interreg V-A Austria – Czech Republic 2014–2020, it stimulates innovation by fostering exchange and collaboration. All project partners – the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), the International Clinical Research Center of St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno (FNUSA-ICRC), and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) – are equipped with facilities for the life sciences and the bio- and nanotechnology sectors. The collaboration now provides open access to some of its research infrastructure; access can be applied for through a dedicated call. Non-commercial research institutes and universities from South Moravia, South Bohemia, Vysočina, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Vienna are eligible to apply.

“We expect the RIAT-CZ project and the resulting long-term collaborations between the project partners to have a lasting impact on the development in the region. By connecting the facilities of nearby institutes new research opportunities are opening up”, says project coordinator Lada Fialova from the VBCF.

Over the last two years, the cross-border collaboration between the Austrian and Czech project partners has already resulted in joint development of numerous pioneering methods in areas that range from single cell sequencing to bioinformatics. Additionally, numerous staff training activities and staff exchange visits took place. Ludek Lovicar, the manager of the Electron Microscopy Facility at IST Austria was among the participants of staff exchange activities and travelled to Brno several times over the past two years. “It was a very fruitful collaboration for us. On the one hand we could learn about the workflow for the cryo-electron microscope in Brno and on the other hand we could teach the colleagues about array tomography technique, which we use to reconstruct 3D structures of biological objects,” he explains.

Now, some of the new services, as well as some of the standard services of the facilities are available to other, non-partner research institutions and universities in the area, and can be applied for through the open access call. The use of the facilities in the framework of the open access initiative is free of charge, and the call will remain open until no additional users can be accommodated. A list of the equipment and services available through the call is provided on the project website.

Project partners:

Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities GmbH (VBCF) provides access to state-of-the-art research infrastructures in the field of life sciences for both academic and private customers in the non-profit regime.

Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) is a scientific centre in the fields of life sciences, advanced materials and technologies whose aim is to establish itself as a recognized centre for basic as well as applied research. CEITEC offers a state-of-the-art infrastructure and great conditions to employ excellent researchers.

International Clinical Research Center of St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno (FNUSA-ICRC) is a multidisciplinary center of excellence in translational medical research established in 2011 as an integral part of St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. Over 200 employees from 16 countries constitute 24 research teams and 5 core facilities to find new solutions for prevention, diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular, neurological and selected oncological diseases and disorders.

Institute of Science and Technology (IST Austria) is a PhD-granting research institution located in Klosterneuburg. Inaugurated in 2009, the Institute is dedicated to basic research in the natural and mathematical sciences. While dedicated to the principle of curiosity-driven research, the Institute owns the rights to all scientific discoveries and is committed to the promotion of their use.