We acknowledge support of this work by the project “Infrastructure of Microbiome Applications in Food Systems-FOODBIOMES” (MIS 5047291), which is implemented under the Action “Regional Excellence in R&D Infrastructures”, funded by the Operational Programme "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation" (NSRF 2014-2020) and co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).
The “Infrastructure of Microbiome Applications in Food Systems- FOODBIOMES” is included among the approved projects of the Action "SUPPORT OF REGIONAL EXCELLENCE", with a budget of 3,943,705.00 €.
FOODBIOMES is coordinated by the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) (Scientific Coordinator I. Kourkoutas, Associate Professor) but complementary research groups of the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Department of Medicine and Department of Agricultural Development of DUTH, as well as of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Ioannina, the Department of Food Science & Nutrition of the University of the Aegean and the Department of Food Science & Technology of the Ionian University are also participating, combining the expertise of researchers and infrastructure in the of Agri-Food sector, a field that constitutes a key priority for our country.
The goal of FOODBIOMES is to become a key infrastructure for the National, European, and International Research Area, offering services and developing new products for users from different communities and levels of economic activity, while being a key link between innovation, education and research.
Hence, the objective of FOODBIOMES is the utilization of microbiome applications in food systems to enhance their functionality for the production of new products with superior quality and beneficial characteristics, the documentation of food authenticity, the improvement of traditional production and processing techniques, and the production of new knowledge for the effect of innovative ingredients on the microbiome and on human health.
Exploiting the complementary and multi-disciplinary skills of the participating laboratories and researchers and the know-how developed in the Research Infrastructures FOOD INNOVATION RI, OPENSCREEN, and OMIC-ENGINE, FOODBIOMES focuses on microbiome applications in food systems, an emerging field, which is the top priority of Smart Specialization (RIS3) FOOD INNOVATION RI of our country.
FFOODBIOMES Research Infrastructure aims to be a Center of Excellence - a Model Infrastructure for Research, Education and Innovation, connecting local stakeholders with scientific centers at European and International level, playing also an important role in educating and upgrading human resources, local industry, strengthening, at the same time, the economy of the Regions of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, Epirus, North Aegean and Ionian Islands.
