Abstract
The increasing and rapid development in technologies, infrastructures, computational power, data availability and information flow has enabled rapid scientific advances. These entail transdisciplinary collaborations that maximize sharing of data and knowledge and, consequently, results, and possible technology transfer. However, in emerging scientific fields it is sometimes difficult to provide all necessary expertise within existing collaborative circles. This is especially true for marine biotechnology that directly addresses global societal challenges. This article describes the creation of a platform dedicated to facilitating the formation of short or mid-term collaborative networks in marine biotechnology. This online platform (https://www.ocean4biotech.eu/map/) enables experts (researchers and members of the marine biotechnology community in general) to have the possibility to showcase their expertise with the aim of being integrated into new collaborations/consortia on the one hand, or to use it as a search tool to complement the expertise in planned/running collaborations, on the other. The platform was created within the Ocean4Biotech (European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology) Action, funded under the framework of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). To build the platform, an inquiry was developed to identify experts in marine biotechnology and its adjunct fields, to define their expertise, to highlight their infrastructures and facilities and to pinpoint the main bottlenecks in this field. The inquiry was open to all experts in the broad field of marine biotechnology, including non-members of the consortium. The inquiry (https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/single/UKVsBNtD) remains open for insertion of additional expertise and the resulting interactive map can be used as a display and search tool for establishing new collaborations.
Highlights
The Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action Ocean4Biotech (European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology1) was officially launched in October 2019
Ocean4Biotech is a collaborative networking platform that aims to increase the advancements in marine biotechnology, a rapidly developing field with limited networking opportunities
As part of our activities, we launched an inquiry to initiate, promote, and facilitate the dialogue among marine biotechnology actors, stakeholders, including researchers, industry and policy makers from complementary scientific fields, industries and markets
Summary
The COST Action Ocean4Biotech (European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology1) was officially launched in October 2019. All the respondents were asked for valuable feedback on the challenges that the emerging field of marine biotechnology is facing Such data are of high relevance, especially in European countries, where in 2021 the new Framework Programme – Horizon Europe was launched. Other partner types with their specific know-how are valuable collaborators, and 9% of our respondents come from governmental agencies, funding agencies or other types of organizations (such as professional networks) They have additional expertise, which is relevant when covering regulatory and market acceptance and commercialization of marine biotechnology products. Our inquiry and the resulting interactive map addresses two out of the three mentioned challenges: by displaying individual expertise and infrastructures, the likelihood of being included in future collaborative networks can be increased
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