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Proposal acronym: MUSHROOMBIOTECH Work programme topics addressed: FP7-REGPOT-2010-5 Proposal Part B [You have mentioned taking part in FP7 only once in this proposal. It should be a central theme in your project - to improve your capacity to contribute in the future to FP7.] 1: Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the topics addressed by the call 1.1 Concept and objectives The main ideas that led us to propose these study topics were:

Establishing the Mushroom Centre, a dynamic centre, which will be dedicated to applying innovation in mushroom studies, increasing motivation of students and young scientists for researching edible and medicinal mushrooms [it needs to be more than just research on mushrooms - what sort of research? What are the challenges and problems that research is needed to overcome?], as well as dissemination of results and experience among young scientists and stakeholders;

Improvement of human capacities of laboratory staff through exchange of knowledge and experience with project partners, as well as giving the possibilities to young scientists to gain knowledge and apply new ideas;

Hiring young researchers to improve human resources [REGPOT wants you to hire experienced researchers, not young ones!];

Creating a network of partners with other EU research centres with similar scientific interests; Promoting the centre into the leading institution [on what?] in the Balkan region; Establishing and improving scientific collaboration with similar institutions in the region; Improving methods and techniques of studies [use ‘research’, but it needs to be focused

research rather than general research. Without more specific goals to your research, you will not convince the evaluators that you have a mission and vision to your research programme.] by supplying sophisticated equipment [Sophisticated makes it sound as though it is complicated, whereas what you really need is modern equipment to support your research activities more effectively.].

The MUSHROOMBIOTECH project is devoted to establishing the Mushroom Centre, which is going to be the leading centre in mushroom research in Balkan region. This goal is going to be achieved through creation of a partner network with leading institutions from the EU (University of Naples and Universita del Salento, Italy; Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; and Slovak Academy of Sciences) and scientific collaboration with similar institutions in the region (Mardi d.o.o., Kruševac, Bonum Skoplje). Through the exchange [of what?] among project partner institutions the scientists in our laboratory will have the opportunity of gaining more advanced knowledge. Besides experienced scientists, the centre will also hire PhD students who will be trained for different mycological techniques in the Centre laboratory [Probably better not to emphasise too much that you plan to hire several PhD students. The Commission wants you to focus on hiring experienced staff.]. They will receive advanced training in laboratories of our EU partners, where they will be able to improve their knowledge in new methods and techniques, which are planned to be included in the Centre’s future projects. The main activities of the Centre will be focused on research, but the Centre will also be engaged in improving the commercial cultivation of mushrooms nd applying the obtained results in the pharmaceutical industry. The Centre will be devoted to research of different edible and medicinal mushrooms, which attract attention because of their famous important nutritional and medicinal characteristics. Some mushroom species are especially rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, protein and essential amino acids. Significant concentrations of vitamins (C, A, B2, B1, D, and niacin) and minerals (especially K, Mg, Na, and Ca), very low amount of lipid, and high moisture content are present in the fruiting bodies. Their numerous medicinal effects, anti-hypertensive, antioxidant, anti-

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hypercholesterolic, anti-hyperglycemic, immunomodulating, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-osteoporotic effects, etc. [It would be better to give references to each of these effects.] are based on synthesis of various biologically active compounds. The MUSHROOMBIOTECH project will accomplish detailed study [This sounds like a research project and not a capacity-building project.] of possibilities of obtaining high yield of valuable and cheap food, such as mushroom fruiting bodies, by usage of plant raw materials, as well as study [Study is a rather vague word. What sort of research on metabolites is planned?] of metabolites and conditions of their production in selected mushroom species.[Be careful that you don’t say too much about doing research as part of the activities of this project. Proposals have been rejected as ineligible because they looked too much like research projects and not capacity-building projects.] The set of goals of the project was based on a few facts that justify and stimulate mushroom production and usage.

First, the certain mushrooms are from the ancient times known as rich source of significant nutritional compounds. This is scientifically proved during last decades in numerous mushroom species (Manzi et al., 1999; 2004, Wasser and Weis, 1997 [You talk about decades, yet the only references you give are up to only 12 years old!]).

Second, by lignin degradation the substrate is converted into more digestible compounds, cellulose and hemicellulose rich forms that could be used as cattle feed as well as in the paper industry.

Third, mushrooms are known as good producers of biologically active compounds. Numerous studies have proved that activity of these compounds is mainly based on their immunomodulating effect (Chihara, 1992; Wasser and Weis, 1999; Chen et al., 2004 [Where are the full details for these references? I can’t find any reference list for Part 1.1.]). Due to production of numerous biologically active compounds certain mushrooms have important medicinal properties, and in some countries some mushroom products are even officially included in medical treatments [Where are the references?]. Nowadays, the trend is to study the antioxidative capacity of these compounds and their components, as well as their potential antimicrobial activities against bacterial and fungal species which are human, animal, and plant pathogens, and food poisoning species that are known as potential toxin producers. Obtaining new antibacterial and antifungal agents without resistance development in microorganisms and without any toxic effect to higher organic systems and environment, would be very important. [What is the likelihood of getting commercially-useful antifungal agents?] One more current trend is the study and introduction of metabolic pathways of the active compounds in order to understand better the genetic regulation of synthesis and possibility of their industrial production. However, many mushroom metabolites are not yet discovered [How is this known?] and many isolated are not yet analysed and characterised. These will be the objective of future research. [So what research do you do at the moment?]

[That section ought to be FULL of scientific references from the literature, from your own research and from research of your partner institutions.]

The Mushroom Centre will be established at Institute X. The Institute X is an institution with a long successful tradition [What does a ‘long successful tradition’ mean in terms of contributing research in high impact international journals?] which is centrally-located with excellent access by road and air. It is a leading institution in the fundamental as well as biotechnological research of mushrooms [in Belgrade, Serbia, the region, all of Europe or where?]. The Institute X is already experienced in EU projects, because it is a participant in EU projects (Tempus project), with collaborations with EU partners from Italy, France, and Spain. [It also has an FP6 project.] The Institute has a well-established enthusiastic management team keen to improve research. [So, this indicates that it is not at present a research Centre of Excellence.] The Mushroom Centre will be a dynamic centre scientifically based on studies of a heap and nature friendly way of getting high yield of valuable fruiting bodies, as well as analysis of biomolecules produced by some medicinal mushroom species, their purification, characterization, as well as the possibilities of their application [Give details.]. The Centre is well equipped (Spectrophotometer CECIL; Microscope ZEISS; Binocular microscope; Laminar; Centrifuge; Autoclave; Thermostat

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MEMED, electrophoresis set Bio-Rad), but new sophisticated equipment is needed for planned biochemical and molecular analyses. The Mushroom Centre will also be dedicated to teaching [training is a better word to use, as the Commission does not fund any aspects of education.] young scientists and development of their creativity and ability and encouragement to put forward new research ideas. In the framework of the Centre’s activities, the hiring young scientists in the Centre and similar institutions will be done. [It is not clear to me what this sentence means - as part of this project?] The Mushroom Centre will support and advise the producers in Serbia and countries in the region on broadening their knowledge, improving mushroom production in individual farms, introduction of new substrates for gaining higher yield, as well as widening of the mushroom farmers network. Significant activity of the Centre will be the stimulation of farmers to introduce new mushroom species into commercial cultivation, which will also be a basis for employment of a number of people. Generally, at the national level, reduction of the unemployment rate in the region will be a consequence of the project and important for society and the economy of Serbia. The Mushroom Centre will widen scientific collaboration in the Balkan region and establish a network with similar research centres from EU countries, which will be in synergy with the European policy priorities [Say what these are.]. This network will be the basis for integrating the Centre research staff further into EU innovation projects and international collaboration. The relevant contribution of the Centre activity will be the influence on the government institutions in order to pass a law on prohibition of the various hazardous fungicides applications in the farms and their exchange with natural products, as well as a law on officinal [official?] introduction of some natural, mushroom, products on the list of the paratherapeutical medicines. Establishing the Mushroom Centre has an excellent basis in current research projects dealing with taxonomical, biochemical, and molecular studies of fungi, funded by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, as well as in collaborations of members of our research group with numerous institutions worldwide. Collaborations with Prof. Dr. Solomon P. Waser and Prof. Dr. Evitar Nevin and their team from the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, as well as Prof. Dr. Yitzhak Hadar team from Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel; Prof. Dr. Helen D. Skaltsa from the School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, and Prof. Dr. George Zervakis from Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; Prof. Dr. Leo van Griensven and his team from Wageningen University, the Netherlands; Prof. Dr. Paola Bonfante from Centro di Studio Sulla Micologia del Terreno, Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Torino, Italy. Results obtained during research work performed in these collaborations [Done here or abroad?] are published in several respected international journals, such as Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Enzyme and Microbial Technology, Israel Journal of Plant Science, International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, Mycotaxon, Journal of Essential Oils Research, Pharmaceutical Biology, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, Mycoses, Agro Food Industry, High-tech, etc. (see Chapter 2.2). [Don’t just give a list of the journals. Say what the subjects of the research projects were and what the results were. You need to provide the evidence of your existing research progress and excellence.] Team members have experience in work in respected international laboratories, described below, where they have studied various edible and medicinal mushrooms from different aspects (taxonomical, biochemical, molecular, cultivation, protection, etc.) as part of the research for their masters and doctoral theses, and postdoctoral training. [Text on some senior researchers who have had experience working abroad deleted from this example.] M.Sc. Ivanka G spent a year in Mushroom Experimental Station, Horst (The Netherlands), where she performed study in improvement of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) cultivation. The experiments were done under supervision of experts in the mushroom cultivation. The knowledge was implemented in the production of this mushroom species in Serbia. The contacts are successfully continued [What does this mean?] and broadened with similar institutions worldwide. During last years she stayed in Italy, Germany, UK, USA, Colombia where she studied new technologies of applications of different raw materials (apple detritus, residues from beer industry,

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coffee residues, acid tree detritus, etc.) as potential substrates for edible mushrooms cultivation. As it can be seen from the previous text, several project members already have participated in the European projects (“The effects of glucans isolated from mushrooms on human immunity”; ”Truffle biology: development of molecular probes to identify truffles during their symbiotic stages”; “Secondary metabolites from Greek endemic medicinal plants with antimicrobial and cytotoxic/cytostatic activity”), which will be useful for the future work and accomplishing the goals of this proposed project. The group is particularly productive, with approximately 10 papers per year in respected international journals with high citation rate. Team members have participated in numerous international conferences and congresses with abstracts or full papers (Conferences of Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products; International Mycological Congresses; International Medicinal Mushroom Conferences; Congresses of European Mycologists, etc.). Likewise, we should emphasize the organisation and participation at national congresses and conferences (Congress of Microbiologists of Yugoslavia; Symposia of the Flora of Serbia; The Scientific Meetings of Mycology, Mycotoxicology, and Mycoses) by some group members. The members have the memberships of numerous national and international mycological societies (Mycological Society of Serbia; Biological Society of Serbia; British Mycological Society; Phytochemical Society of Europe; Organization for the Phyto-taxonomic Investigation of the Mediterranean Area – OPTIMA; Mycological Society of America; Bulgarian Mycological Society), and also membership of editorial board of international Mycological Journals. They are reviewers in many international journals (International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, Enzyme and Microbial Technology, Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Planta, Process Biochemistry, etc.), international scientific projects (Czech Science Foundation. “Mechanism of 17α-ethinylestradion degradation by enzymes of ligninolytic fungi”, etc.), as well as experts in the Seventh Research Framework Programme. [You give details of research projects in international institutions but you haven’t said ANYTHING about any research that you actually do in Belgrade - give details of scientific achievements, research programmes and actual results!] The mycological team has established successful cooperation with one of the most important SME in Serbia and region (Mirna Pečurka, Belgrade), which is devoted to edible mushroom cultivation. Since the mushroom cultivation and yield of fruiting bodies could be frequently endangered by presence of pathogenic fungi, the possibilities of efficient control by natural products was studied in our laboratory by staff of mycological group and results were applicable to the mushroom farm. Besides everything mentioned above, the numerous published manuscripts, books (see CVs of participants in subchapter 2.3.), and PhD thesis, as well as organisation and development of the laboratory and mushroom farms in Serbia and local region are good indicators of researchers success. Since significant results were achieved during past years, the members of the group are capable to accomplish all proposed tasks in the MUSHROOMBIOTECH project. [Make the SWOT analysis a separate section, clearly separated into Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats so that evaluators clearly see you have responded to the WP requirements.] However, besides mentioned strengths, several weakness of our team and institution still exist. The management team of the Institute X is selected among professors, who have not passed

formal management training. It was one of the reasons due to the Institute staff have contributed to several FP proposals so far, but only few were successful. [That suggests that one of your aims in the Action Plan will be to improve the skills of the Institute’s management team, but you say nothing about this in the Action Plan.]

The links of the Institute with scientific and research institutions are very well developed, but links with industry and SMEs are not still developed enough.

Mycology group do not have much applications of the published results, which are numerous and significant [What does “significant” mean?], due to insufficient interest and misunderstanding of SMEs, industry and careless government policy in environmental protection and human health.

Poor access to new techniques for sophisticated research [What is sophisticated research?] is caused because of very expensive equipment and chemicals, and also insufficient funding.

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The consequences of insufficient funding are reflected to rare publication in leading international journals [This could be interpreted as evidence that the quality of the research is actually not very good or competitive.] and obtaining the licences from Ministry for antifungal natural products and paratherapeutical medicines as well as for improvement of commercial mushroom production.

Some opportunities are given to our research through financial support from the Serbian Ministry of Science. The Ministry organizes training for improving knowledge in preparing FP7 project proposals. However, this support is not enough for significant improvement in the quality of research, which is serious threat to make progress in scientific work. That is why Ministry of Science is expecting from the scientists to find fundings from other sources, such as EU. Among the consequences of the poor financial support is the fact that many young talented researchers leave the country and find a job abroad. Criteria for staff promotion increasingly need involvement in EU research. Future projects will tend to go to institutions with the most modern equipment. The training of staff for getting the FP7 projects is inefficient. More competitive institutions have better chances to get the FP7 projects. The SWOT analysis presented here leads to the conclusion that the advantages prevailed over disadvantages and could enable the successful accomplishment of proposed activities according to the Action Plan. [Give the next section the heading Action Plan as this is a component of your Project Concept required by the WP.] The Action Plan is aimed to overcome the disadvantages of our research group, such as publishing results in higher quantity of papers in leading world journals in this topic, by introducing new, more sophisticated techniques which will be performed on the new sophisticated apparatus [Say which techniques and which equipment and what it will be used for.]. The purchasing of new equipment essential for efficient work and obtaining reliable results will be of great importance for accomplishing the proposed tasks. Some of the existing apparatus can be upgraded and used in further investigation. The research [Which research? You need to be very clear in describing what research the new equipment/techniques will be used for.] will lead to improvement of cheaper obtaining of healthy food, cattle feed, paper, etc. from agricultural waste, as well as natural control of pathogens, and sustainable development of the environment. The biological degradation is much more economically acceptable and friendly to nature comparing to chemical and physical degradation, which is very expensive and an inefficient process. Realization of the MUSHROOMBIOTECH project will enable fast obtaining of quality food in the form of mushroom fruiting bodies, as well as, indirect production of meat by feeding the cattle with cheap feed originated after delignification process made by mushrooms. The people in the region should become aware of significance of environmental protection by usage the natural products which do not have toxic, mutagenic and cancerogenic effects. Obtaining licences from the Ministry for antifungal natural products and paratherapeutical medicines is also the goal of our project [What are these licences for? What do they allow you to do?]. The exchange of staff members (young scientists, two PhD students, and seven postdoctoral and senior researchers) will be of the crucial significance in this process, because the scientists who will spend certain periods of time in EU laboratories will be trained in new techniques. Application of the knowledge will improve the research capacity of the staff and better production of reliable results. The visits of six experienced EU scientists will also contribute to our work efficiency. Two young scientists will be accepted in our laboratory for training. With achievements in obtaining and publishing results [You should already be obtaining and publishing results!], young scientists will be attracted to join our laboratory. The obtained results will be presented at scientific meetings, the staff members will take part in 10 international meetings. In the framework of the project two workshops and one conference are planned to be held [On what subjects?]. The organisation of meetings is very important for exchanging scientific experience and discussing results, and for getting ideas for future research. The lack of applications of the published results could be overcome by promotional activities in order to inform and attract the individual producers and SMEs to be more in touch with new scientific achievements and its application. The Government and responsible Ministries are also planned to be stimulated to bring new regulations in environmental protection and human health, considering the application of natural products in the control of pathogens which are safe for the environment and living organisms.

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[Although you may be a centre of excellence, I have seen nothing in this section so far that convinces me that you are! You have given no references to any research that you are doing at the moment or have done in the past in Belgrade, and no mention of specific current research projects, either of your own or with your collaborating institutions. You have not said very much about FP7, and have not identified any themes or topic areas where your research is appropriate. You have not said anything about the equipment that you plan to get and why it is necessary for your future research.]

1.2 Quality and effectiveness of the support mechanisms, and associated work plan

Table 1.2 d: Work package description

Work package number WP2 Start date or starting event: month 1 Work package title Improvement of human capacity Activity Type1 SUPP Participant number 3 Participant short name FBUB Person-months per participant:

7

Objectives. The introduction of novel methods, techniques, and knowledge in the Mushroom Centre, as well as dissemination of results and experiences among partners` laboratories will be a basis for improvement of human capacity. Presentation of our research results at scientific meetings, and successful publication of manuscripts will enable the introduction of our research to other scientists.

Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants The members of our laboratory will visit the partners’ laboratories. Two PhD students will twice stay in specialised partners` laboratories for three months per visit, with the aim of receiving advanced training in new methods and techniques. The visits will start from the sixth month of the first year and will continue during almost the whole project period. Eleven postdoctoral and senior researchers will also stay in the specialised collaborators’ laboratories with the aim of improving their knowledge and introduction with HPLC and different PCR methods and techniques. [You need to say where each person will go and why and what techniques they will learn from each visit. At the moment it is all very vague with no details of what will be done.] Two young scientists from partners` laboratories will have possibilities to stay in the Centre and participate in current work [Which is doing what?]. Stay and work of three experienced researchers from partner teams in the Centre will have the great positive impact to our laboratory. Dissemination of results and experiences at the scientific meetings and by manuscripts submission will be done during the whole project period. To facilitate knowledge transfer at a national, regional, and international level in innovative methods and ensure dissemination to as wide a European stakeholder community as possible through a series of dissemination activities designed to inform: the European science community; national and regional scientists; end-users; policy makers; the general public. Dissemination activities will include holding one scientific international meeting and two workshops for scientists from region and preparing the proceeding, participation at 13 selected scientific meetings, organisation of three workshops for public and SME workers training, development of website, presentation of the Centre and project activities in the media, publishing of booklet for small and medium enterprises, which dealing with mushroom growing. [It seems to me that this WP is a mixture of training visits and dissemination activities. You also have a WP on training, so what is the difference between activities in this WP and the Training WP? There is also an inconsistency with the person-months, as it looks to me from the list of activities that you have described here that it will be at least 6 p-m for the 2 PhD students +

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several p-ms for 11 other senior researchers going for training + all the time taken on your dissemination activities, so I would guess it should be more like 20 p-m if you include all the workshops and conferences to be organised. You haven’t said anywhere here about hiring any experienced staff. Do you plan to do this, and if so in which WP will this be?] Deliverables (brief description and month of delivery) [Text deleted.] Work package number WP 3 Start date or starting event: month 3 Work package title Training Activity Type2 SUPP Participant number 1 Participant short name FBUB Person-months per participant:

84

Objectives The young scientists, PhD students, will be trained in biochemical and molecular techniques, which will improve investigation in the Centre. The postdoctoral and senior researches will also visit collaborators laboratories. The foreign experts from partners’ laboratories will spend a short period in our laboratory due to teaching the staff in management and laboratory organisation, as well as in the broadening specialised knowledge. Young scientists from partners laboratories will study and work in our laboratory. The training of SMEs members will be also important task of this WP of MUSHROOMBIOTECH project.

Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants

Two young scientists will spend three months per year per scientist with the aim of training in biochemical and molecular techniques by participating in research activities of our European partners. Training visits will provide our researchers with expertise in a) new HPLC methods, b) new PCR methods, c) new methods in antimicrobial and antioxidative analyses.

a) The Mushroom Centre currently has no HPLC, though we intend to buy one in first year of the project. Therefore we plan for one of the young permanent staff, M.Sc Jasmina H, and one senior researcher, Dr. Katrina X, to visit the laboratory of Hemstek which is representative of Walters company, specialized in production of chromatography equipment, which organises educational courses, in duration of three months. This obtained knowledge will be improved by visit of our project partners from Italy who are specialised in chemical characterisation of biomolecules [Be more specific.].

b) The Mushroom Centre is intended to buy sophisticated PCR machine [A PCR machine is now regarded as a standard piece of laboratory equipment and although technically it could be called a sophisticated piece of equipment, you would never emphasise this!] in the first year of the project. We plan for one of our young permanent staff, M.Sc Aleksandar K, and one postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Jasmina G, to visit the laboratory of our project partner, Prof. Dr. Z who is expert in the field of mushroom molecular biology, during three months periods. [To do what?]

c) M.Sc. Ana C will perform three months periods in partner laboratory from Spain specialized for the study of antioxidative effect of numerous biomolecules and Dr Pedja J will visit the aboratory of Prof. Drainas from Greece also for three months in order to study novel methods for analysis of antimicrobial activity of different compounds. [Be more specific.]

d) The foreign experts from partner laboratories will spend a short period (a week or two per

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visit) in our laboratory to teach the staff in management and laboratory organization, as well as in the broadening of specialised knowledge, consultations and discussing the obtained results. [Which experts and what evidence is there that they have specific skills in management and management training?]

e) A foreign scientist, Prof. Dr. Nona Mikasvodski, with significant experiences of working in eminent biochemical and mushroom laboratories worldwide, will have an important role in training of the Centre members in novel methods and usage of new sophisticated [Don’t keep using the word ‘sophisticated’. A mobile phone is extremely sophisticated, but would you say you would buy a sophisticated mobile phone?] equipment. [Training in what novel methods?]

f) Training of SME members by attending courses, lectures, and workshops, as well as preparing the booklets. The training of workers in SMEs will be performed during second and third year of project period. [Training in what? You need to give details.] Deliverables (brief description and month of delivery)

[Text deleted.]

Work package number WP4 Start date or starting event: month 1 Work package title Development of network Activity Type3 SUPP Participant number 2 Participant short name FBUB Person-months per participant:

7

Objectives: The exchange of scientists, knowledge, experiences, and results with EU partner laboratories will establish the network and improve the capacity and research possibilities of our laboratory.

Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants

The exchange of staff members (mentioned in WP 3) will be very important in this project, because the scientists who will spend a certain periods of time in EU laboratories will be trained in new methods and techniques, and make contacts for future collaboration. Application of the knowledge will improve the efficiency of our work and better production of reliable results. The visits of experienced EU scientists will also contribute to our work efficiency as well as establishing successful organised Mushroom Centre. The communication among partner institution members will be established during the first months of the project. The short visits of EU scientists will start from the beginning of the project. The exchange of scientists will start from the second part of the first year of the project. In the second and third years of the project period, two workshops, 2-days long, which will gather scientists from region, will be organised in collaboration with EU partners. In the second year the 4-days international scientific meeting will also be organised. In the third year the preparation for the next project period will be done [What does this mean?]. [What will the subject of the workshops be?] Deliverables (brief description and month of delivery) [Text deleted.]

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Work package number WP5 Start date or starting event: month 1 Work package title Equipment supply Activity Type4 SUPP Participant number 1 Participant short name FBUB Person-months per participant:

3

Objectives: Purchasing the new equipment will improve the possibilities of our laboratory to perform more sophisticated experiments and obtain more significant and reliable results.

Description of work (possibly broken down into tasks), and role of participants The planned equipment purchasing will be done in the first year of the project, in order to start the new research as soon as possible. The existing equipment will be completed with the following apparatus: HPLC; Filter system; Vacuum dryer; Homogenisator; Shakers; Fermenter; Phytotron; Deep freeze; Laminare; PCR machine; Millipore system (detailed list is given in chapter 2.4). The equipment is needed for detailed biochemical and molecular study of mushroom metabolites. [You don’t say much here to justify why you need the equipment. Most people would list the items of equipment and give estimated prices for each in this WP. Where do you plan to get training to use the equipment?] The organisation of tender commission will make the selection of supplier. The equipment purchasing will be done from the best supplier. Deliverables (brief description and month of delivery) The selected equipment will be purchased and installed during the first year of project period. 1.2.8. Work packages dependence

European Commission

Coordinating institution

Management

Coordinating institutions

New staff and training Networking

Equipment

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[Your PERT diagram is of little use at present as the arrows give no information.] 2. Implementation 2.1 Management structure and procedures 2.1.1. Project management structure The management will be done by a consortium composed of the project coordinator, Dr Katrina X, and one chosen member from each partner laboratory. [It will be difficult for your partner laboratories to help you manage the project as they are in other countries. Also, your WP leaders ought to be doing most of the managing within their own WPs. EU partners can help give advice.] Project coordinator will coordinate the activities which are described to be done during the project period. The activities will comprise: the establishing of dynamic scientific network among our laboratory and laboratories of EU partners, organisation of training of young and postdoctoral researchers, sophisticated equipment supply and introducing new methods, organisation of workshops, scientific meetings, dissemination of knowledge, testing of the predicted hypothesis and implementation of the reached results among SME members. Coordinator will organize, plan, control realization of all proposed plans and tasks in predicted time, as well as the resolve problems during project realization. The WP leaders will be responsible for each WP and activities planned within. They will coordinate activities within WP and submit the report to the project coordinator after certain period which is predicted to specific activity. The coordinator of the project will be Dr Katrina X i.e. she will be leader of the activities in the WP 1. Dr. Nataša Y and Dr. Ivana B will be leaders of the WP2 activities, leaders of the WP3 will be Dr. Jelena N, Dr. Zoran M, Dr. Sonja Z, and Dr Marina K. Dr. Jasmina L and Dr. Miroslava S will be leaders of the WP 4, and Dr Katrina X of the WP 5. [How can you have several people all leading the same WP? How do you identify who has responsibility for what actions and what decisions? This will not be a sound management strategy.] The leaders of WPs 2 and 3 will comprise the scientific management group, which will prepare and give reports to coordinator every six months, while the leaders of the WPs 4 and 5 will give reports [To whom will reports be given?] after each performed task. The management consortium will have meetings once per year, at the end of year when annual report and plan for next year will be passed and when achieved results and further tasks will be discussed. The meetings will be organised more frequent if it will be necessary. [What about at the beginning of the project to ensure it starts off properly?] 3. Impact 3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme The realisation of the proposed project will have multiple impacts. The positive effect of the project is expected to be on the members of the mycological team, as well as on the national, regional and wider level. Mushroom Centre will benefit from the project in the following ways: broadening of knowledge from mycology, in the fields of biochemistry, genetic, and biotechnology

of edible and medicinal mushrooms; including of novel scientists in the mycology, biological discipline which show important progress

in last few decades; publishing the obtained results [What sort of obtained results?] in respectable international

journals of appropriate scientific fields; realisation of collaboration with different European mycological, chemical, and biotechnological

laboratories which will enable dissemination of experiences, knowledge, and results, as well as make the first step for new projects;

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completion of present equipment and introduction of new techniques and methods of research, which will increase work quality in the laboratory.

The achievement of mentioned impacts need the great financial support, because the proposed research is very expensive due to need of very sophisticated [Use a different word.] and modern equipment and needed knowledge about methods which are employed in this kind of research. Numerous steps for the mentioned impacts achievement are necessary: training for using new methods necessary for achievement the relevant results in our field of

research; supply of new equipment which could enable our team to work independent and apply the gained

experience from partners` laboratories; discussion and comparison of obtained results with other colleagues; submitting the papers to the international journals and presentation of results at the scientific

meetings. The impacts could be achieved if the collaboration with our partner laboratories would be established, and training will enable the members of our team to apply the sophisticated methods in our laboratory, if new equipment is purchased. On the other hand, the project will improve our knowledge in this area, and other laboratories from our country, and the neighbourhood [What does this mean? Is it other institutions around Belgrade or other Balkan countries, or…?] will also benefit from our knowledge and equipment. As we expect our center to be successful in project tasks, study of mushroom species and biologically active compounds, as well as in improvement of commercial cultivation we expect that it will be respected partner in further international projects. At the national level the impacts are expected: the increase of consciousness of the people about healthy food and environmental protection; impact to the Government policy in the field of health and environmental protection. Broadening of mushroom species which can be cultivated will ensure higher rate of employment. The export of different mushroom species will be improved and economic impact is expected. Dissemination will be done by organizing the lectures, workshops, printing booklets, etc. The dissemination of results will improve the human capacities of SMEs, and the workers will be able to improve the production. The products will be of better quality and better yield and it will increase the income of the SMEs. The analyses of biological active compounds will be a significant contribution to their possible introduction [‘possible introduction’ doesn’t sound a very convincing impact. What is the evidence in the literature that you will identify useful compounds? The prospects are probably very low.] in pharmaceutical production of paratherapeutical medicines. The eventual acceptance of mushroom products could lead to new Government policy in the field of human health and including the natural mushroom products in the list of medicines. [Well, I suppose so, but not very realistic!] The establishing of scientific links with respectable European laboratories will contribute to development of future investigation, and obtaining high quality results. At the regional level: A network of similar institutions will be constituted in order to exchange of knowledge end experience. The dissemination of results by workshops organized for neighbouring countries will contribute to broadening the knowledge about mushroom importance in food and biotechnology. The export of high quality food will probably stimulate the SMEs in neighbouring countries to start or enrich their production. At the EU level The analyses of biological active compounds and obtained results could be of interest for European countries. The possible application of results is expected in paper and pharmaceutical industry. Since the number of commercially cultivated mushrooms is low, and considering their exceptional nutritive and medicinal value, the broadening of commercially cultivated mushrooms could be of great significance. Nowadays the consciousness of healthy life style is increasing among European citizens, and healthy food as mushrooms will increase their value.

3.2 Spreading excellence, exploiting results, disseminating knowledge

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The public dissemination of knowledge and new experiences, as well as new methods, will be established through training courses and different education lectures. As the result of public dissemination of knowledge about edible and medicinal mushrooms, their nutritional value, and medicinal properties, increase of productivity, cultivation and usage of mushrooms as food and paratherapeuticals should be expected. The increase of mushroom production would also make impact to opening small and medium enterprises for growing and processing of mushrooms and to employment of new people. [There is very little information here on spreading excellence and disseminating knowledge, and nothing is said about exploiting results. In Part 3 there is no information given of any impact through FP7 projects, and nothing is said about the long-term sustainability for the claimed benefits of the project. Overall, you need to give much more detail of the actual research that you are doing, and to use this and your research plans for the future to justify all the equipment that you need. At the moment there is very little evidence that you and your team constitute a centre of excellence and that you will be able to use the project effectively to improve the centre’s skills sufficiently to make a significant contribution to FP7 and the ERA in the future.]