WP2 Lipidomics Expertise Platform

WP2 Lipidomics Expertise Platform

Gerd Schmitz (P2)

T2.1	Design a Lipidomics Expertise Platform	0-3
T2.2	Organize a workshop "Lipidomics and Technology"	5
T2.3	Write a position paper on the need for expert platforms for the shaping of the Metabolomics field	6-8
T2.4	Hold a survey of expertise and infrastructure within the Lipidomics field	3-12

T2.1    Design a Lipidomics Expertise Platform

The most promising methodology for the field of lipidomics will be defined. Experts using these methods, developing methodology and adapting methodology for clinical or industrial applications will be identified and contacted. The website will be designed such that the expertise platform can develop procedures of efficient communication between its members. In addition, channels will be created for optimal contact with the field. Apart from offering the best possible ways to keep abreast of the problems at the cutting edge of the field, the platform will serve to plan advanced teaching programs in the next EC framework programme.

T2.2    Organize a workshop “Lipidomics and Technology”

This Workshop will be organized in Dresden by Gerd Schmitz (P2), with co-organizer Sandro Sonnino (P13) and a task force consisting of Andrej Shevchenko (Simons, P3; local organizer), Jos Brouwers (van Meer, P1), Britta Brügger (Heidelberg; guest) and Tony Postle (Southampton; guest). The workshop will be attended by roughly 20 additional participants beyond the consortium to be selected from the applicants. The workshop will be advertised via FEBS, EMBO, ELSO, ICBL and Euro Fed Lipid. It will consist of lectures, round-tables and hand-on experimentation in the Shevchenko lab. Members of Advisory board will be invited.

T2.3    Write a position paper on the need for expert platforms for the shaping of the Metabolomics field

The results of the workshop will be translated into a paper critically evaluating technology development and the role of lipidomics expertise platforms. This paper will, in principle, be published in Biochim. Biophys. Acta.

T2.4    Hold a survey of expertise and infrastructure within the Lipidomics field

The contact information collected under T1.2 will be used to make an inventory of the expertise present in the various European labs. Also existing networks and plans for new networks will be mapped. Possibilities for collaboration and teaching visits will be explored.
The Survey will contain names of key actors in Europe including industry and SMEs, national or regional research programmes funded in the field, main topic, recent publication, specific equipment and infrastructure, need for optimization/standardization of methodologies for advance in the field,specific training needs in the field – The survey in printed form will be included as a separate appendix of the annual report.

Work Package number 2

Starting date or starting event: 0

Activity Type 12

Activities specific for the support action

Participant id	P2	P3	P13	P1	others
Person-months per participant	6(2)	4(1)	3(1)	2(1)	0(0)

*person months are a total expected for the tasks, for the person months in brackets EU-funding is requested 

¹² For Specific Support Actions each work package must relate to one (and only one) of the following two possible Activity Types:  Activities specific for the Support Action , Management activities.

Objectives The Work Package Technology comprises the tasks to try and generate an overview of the most promising methodological and technological developments in the field of Lipidomics, and to network the workers in this area by creating an Expertise Platform and by organizing a workshop. The main objective is to bundle the European efforts and resources into a strong network that will allow themselves and others outside the forefront technology labs to profit from the combined expertise, both via the platform website and via future training possibilities after the end of the project that the platform needs to realize.

Description of work With his great contacts in both the medical world and industry, Gerd Schmitz is in an optimal position to define the most promising technology for developing Lipidomics as a field in itself and as a routine for the clinical laboratory. With the other experts he will then have to identify the major players in the field. Helped by the Project manager (van Meer, P1), the expertise platform will be developed via the website and a survey of expertise in the field will be held. The workshop will be organised to strengthen the ties between the platform members, and the outcome will be reported in a position paper by Schmitz and colleagues. The organisation of this event is in the hands of a more limited group of people, however participants from all Partners are expected to attend the meetings and provide information for the database.

Deliverables D2.1    Interactive Database set up (m3) D2.2    Workshop (m5) D2.3    Position Paper submitted for publication (m8) D2.4    Survey of expertise published on line (m12)

Milestones and expected result M2.1    Critical analysis of the outcome of the Workshop. Decision on the suitability of the structure chosen for the expertise platform. M2.2    Critical analysis of the survey of European expertise in terms of the position of the present consortium. Decision to (or not to) involve other European scientists in the core activities of the SSA.