In 2010 we established a spin-off company, Biosistemika d.o.o. (http://www.biosistemika.com), which services and products are aimed to provide complete solutions for users of complex laboratory analyses related to real-time PCR, ISO-certified validation of protocols, consulting and contract research. BioSistemika is the interdisciplinary team of creative and recognized experts from the fields of bioscience, bioinformatics, business and marketing, who provide our customers with complete quality solutions. Company was awarded first prize for its business plan at Technology Park Ljubljana and was one of the 5 finalists of the STARTUP 2010 competition. Its innovation “Expert system for molecular diagnostics” was presented at Slovenian Innovations Forum and received a bronze award by the local Chamber of Commerce. Their main customer is Gilson, Inc., a global company for delivering solutions from liquid chromatography to liquid handling instruments.
F.20 Company spin off
COBISS.SI-ID: 2363215The Department of biotechnology and systems biology, which includes the great majority of the program team, increased a scope of the accreditation ISO/IEC 17025 from detection of GMOs (more than 50 methods) to the detection of plant pathogenic microorganisms by molecular method quantitative PCR (qPCR). Validation data were incorporated into database of European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO). For EPPO we are preparing an international diagnostic protocol, which will include the diagnostic methods developed by the program team. This is the first accreditation for plant pathogens in Slovenia and is an evidence of a successful and qualitative transfer of research results of the program members in this field. As an appointed laboratory of the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection at the Ministry of agriculture and environment we performed high-tech research and diagnostic for several plant pathogenic microorganisms. In addition we have been also offered a service for quarantine testing of bacteria and viruses to different companies and to official plant protection services in other European countries (e.g. Austria, Norway, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monte Negro).
D.05 Laboratory accreditation
During the reported period members of the program team received several awards. Dr. Kristina Gruden, Dr. Jana Žel and Dr. Maja Ravnikar received the Miroslav Zei awards of the National Institute of Biology for their excellence in science in the period of 5 years. Dr. Maja Ravnikar received the American Society for Microbiology Morrison Rogosa Award (https://www.microbemagazine.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3057:morrison-rogosa-awardees&catid=701&Itemid=905), which recognizes bacteriology research accomplishment and potential of women scientists from the countries of the Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Russia. Dr. Maja Rupnik and Dr. Maja Ravnikar received the awards of the Slovenian microbilogical society for the excellence in science and applications of research in diagnostics, respectively. Matevž Rupar received the Biotechnical Faculty Prešeren award for his excellent diploma work completed under the mentorship of Dr. Marina Dermastia. Dr. Marina Dermastia co-authored a high school text book on cell biology and genetics “Where life begins”, which was awarded by the Bronze award on the completion for the Best European text book in 2012. The completion is annually organized by The European Publishers Group, Frankfurt book fair and the International Association for Research on Textbooks and Education Media.
E.02 International awards
Members of the program team performed many activities to popularize their scientific work and present their research achievements to public. They participated in 39 TV or radio shows and published 39 popular science papers. They have several public lectures and also wrote textbooks for all levels of education. Every year, many lectures are organized for experts, students and public. In the frame of European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) 'Plant fascination day' was co-orginized in 2012, 2013 and 2014. It was very well accepted event with more than 600 students and others attendies.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
Members of the program team served during the reported period in editorial boards of the following journals: Anaerobe (Rupnik), BMC Plant Biology (Gruden), Food Analytical Methods (Žel, Jana ), Frontiers in Physiology (Gruden), Molecular Genetics and Genomics (Gruden), National Geographic (Dermastia), Phytopathogenic Mollicutes (Mehle).
C.04 Editorial board of an international magazine