Report on transfer knowledge obtained during the training session into trainees’ institution

Course: Tromsø, 27. 2. - 10. 3. 2017

Trainee: Kamila Hůrková

Trainers: Professor K. Stensvåg (leader of the course), Professor M. Jaspars, Professor J. H. Andersen, Professor T. Brautaset, Assiciated professor T. Haug, Associated professor B. E. Haug, Dr. P. Nichols, Dr. Ch. Li, Dr. E. Mischenko, Postdoctor K. Ø. Hansen, Postdoctor T. Rämä, Researcher J. Isaksson

The course “ BIO-8604 Marine bioprospecting and bioactive compounds for health ”, administered by Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics at UiT The Arctic University of Norway was a PhD student course held for 2 weeks and it was a mixture of preconference lectures (some online), a preconference workshop, practical sessions, and seminars with discussions. Part of this course was going on at the same time as the conference Bioprosp_2017. The conference and one preconference workshop were included in the course. The topics covered during the course:

• Marine bioresources available for drug discovery and bioprospecting
• The Marine Biodiscovery Pipeline
• Overview of different methods used in drug discovery, spending from bioassay guided purifications, genetic approaches and virtual approaches
• Different techniques and approaches;  how to purify components, solve structures and measure activity for instance in high throughput screening, peptidomics
• Challenges and case studies of lead development
• Legal aspects
• Topics given at the conference and pre-conference workshop
• Practical sessions with demonstrations

During the course I gained valuable and interesting insight into the bioprospecting pipeline from collection of the marine resources, preparation of sample extracts and extracts fractionation, screening of the fractions, isolation and identification of bioactive natural products, to biosynthesis of novel bioactive molecules. This knowledge will be implemented by our research group in our department for bioprospecting of terrestrial and fresh water algae and other material. Moreover, participation in this course will enhance prospects for my professional development in bioprospecting area. In addition, meeting with experts in the field and other people interested in bioprospecting provided an opportunity for networking.

Within this course I prepared a presentation on the topic related to the course “Fucoxanthin-producing algae in a bioprospecting context”. It was considered as the final exam of the course which I successfully passed (see the certificate).

I would like to thank everybody who participated in organising this course and the Bioprosp_2017 conference, mainly prof. Klara Stensvåg who ensured that my stay was full of scientific and personal experiences.

Peter Nichols (CSIRO, Australia) presenting at the Scientific Workshop: Marine bioprospecting - Production of health promoting compounds and novel approaches in biodiscovery

Networking: PhD students, participants of the Marine bioprospecting and bioactive compounds for health course discussing with Peter Nichols (CSIRO, Australia)

Keynote Presentation: Challenges and opportunities of bioprospection through microbial culture collections given by Jörg Overmann (Leibniz-Institut DSMZ, Germany)