Introduction - general description and milestones

The primary aim of this consortium is to mobilize and organize key stakeholders, researchers and end-users in the area of Metabolomics. A series of activities will be employed to realize the objectives:

1. On-line accessible database of expertise in the field
2. Identification of stakeholders in and beyond the field of Lipidomics
3. Networking meetings to bring together all stakeholders
4. Web-based interactive discussion groups
5. Life discussion through (scientific) workshops
6. A joint scientific meeting for all stakeholders
7. Initiation of a platform of end-users (representatives from healthcare and industry)
8. Dissemination of findings through position papers
9. A management structure to guide the organization proces

ELIfe is a project with central decision making on the activities to be undertaken and the control of the actual performance on these activities. However, there is a decentralized execution of the activities. The activities are subdivided in four Work Packages, led by members of the Executive Board. The Work Package Coordinators lead a taskforce designated to achieve the goals set out in the Work Package description. The overall planning of the ELIfe project is given in the Gantt charts; for the detailed planning the following procedure will be followed. At the start of the project and at the end of each project year the Work Package Coordinators submit to the Council their detailed proposals for the activities needed for realizing the Project’s goals for the next year. These more detailed work plans are based on the work plan deposited at the start of the project, the adjustments necessary to optimise timeliness of the activities and the input from the advisory platform. The management will decide on the realization of these plans and allocate the funding for their execution. This method has been chosen because only then optimal use can be made of the available resources. However, it is expected that there will be no large deviations from the overall work plan submitted in this proposal. Each Work Package Coordinator has the right to re-allocate resources in the work package, subject to the prior permission of the management and the EC representative. Adjustments in the work package resulting in other and/or delayed milestones and deliverables require the prior permission of the Council.

The Control of each work package is based on the informal tracking of the project through communications with the Work Package Coordinators and the screening of material submitted to the project website (at least semi-annually). The management will make an annual evaluation of the progress in the project based on material that has been submitted to the project database and short progress reports submitted to the Coordinator. These reports should at least contain descriptions of the achieved deliverables and milestones and a self-evaluation of the progress and difficulties encountered. During the first annual meeting, the ELIfe Council will decide on the next phase. Because of the close coupling of planning and control in an annual cycle, the management will be able to control the project closely and to adjust the various building blocks where needed, or shift activities between partners. Each partner is part of a larger network of related institutes and research centres in Europe and has a track record in performing and coordinating large nationally and/or European funded projects. A partner will participate in several other work packages. The Work Packages have been globally described in the work plan, and the role of the participants in these work packages is described.