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Microbes and Man Research Programme starting up
February 03, 2003Main focus on interaction between microbes and man
The newly launched Academy of Finland Research Programme on Microbes and Man (MICMAN) is aimed at producing new information on the interaction between microbes and man and at making use of that information for purposes of maintaining health and preventing and treating illnesses. The programme is a Finnish-Swedish venture.
A total of 15 project clusters involving 26 research teams were selected to take part in the research programme. During 2003-2005, the Academy will be spending EUR 4.1 million to support the programme. The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research will be funding five projects with EUR 1.3 million.
The two funding bodies have joined forces in the programme with a view to encouraging closer collaboration among researchers; to promoting researcher training; to increasing the international visibility of research; to creating competitive research environments; and to boosting communication as well as the application of research results.
"The development of new methods in molecular biology has completely revolutionised research in this field and opened up a host of new opportunities. These new methods are widely applied in the projects involved in this programme," says programme coordinator Soile Juuti.
The research projects are concerned with the interaction between man and microbes that promote health and that cause different illnesses. Areas of special interest include Lyme borreliosis, erysipelas, atherosclerosis and reactive arthritis. A number of projects will be devoted to the intestinal microflora and its role in human health and well-being. The impacts of microbes on the human immune defence system will also receive attention. Research into probiots (micro-organisms with positive health effects) will yield a clearer picture of why some bacteria have favourable and others adverse effects on human health. Further areas of study will include the causative role of bacteria in allergies and the health effects of blue algae toxins.
Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland)
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