Portugal to host European Research Infrastructure

For the first time, Portugal will host the headquarters of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) in Microbiology. The Iberian application was prepared by Prof. Nelson Lima, from the Microbial Culture Collection of the University of Minho – Center for Biological Engineering, and Prof. Rosa Aznar, from the University of Valencia (Spain), with institutional support from the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology), the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, and the Secretary of State for Research and Innovation of the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (MINECO).

MIRRI (Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure) is a European infrastructure that is in the process of becoming an ERIC, thus becoming an independent legal entity. Its Coordination Unit will be located at the University of Minho and IT services will be operated at the University of Valencia.

This new entity aims to facilitate access to a large amount and variety of European microbiological data and resources. MIRRI will promote access to experts in this field and to the MIRRI collaborative platform, with the aim of fostering research and development in the field of biotechnology and finding solutions to societal challenges. In this way, it also seeks to enhance interaction between academia and the bioindustry.

The presence of MIRRI-ERIC in Portugal will also contribute to greater visibility for the work carried out by the scientific community and the business sector in the field of microbiology, as well as for all national partners involved in the new infrastructure.

More information at www.mirri.org