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From 2011.igem.org

Building a iGEM Synthetic Biology team and performing the experiments of the project needs substantial support. Besides having the infrastructure provided by the University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MHSC-DBMB), our team was supported by outstanding sponsors. The University and the Department supported our work in several ways, and details will be given below.

Platinum Level

Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI)

The Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI) is a collaborative network between ConocoPhillips Canada, Nexen Inc., Statoil Canada, Suncor Energy Inc. and Total E&P Canada. OSLI's vision is to achieve world-class environmental, social and economic performance in developing this world-scale oil sands resource. Their mission is to lead the oil sands industry in the responsible development of Alberta's bitumen resource by taking action to improve the environmental, social and economic performance of Alberta's oil sands. Oils sands initiative is encouraging the development of new ideas and is one of the sponsors of iGEM. You can read more about these new ideas at [1].

Our team received substantial funding for the second time from Oil sands Initiative. This funds were mainly used for purchasing reagents and laboratory tools and supporting our attendance at the Jamborees. We also received samples last year for testing in our newly developped SynBio test systems.

Gold Level

University of Debrecen, Medical and Heath Science Centre - Apoptosis and Apoptosis Signaling Research laboratories

One of the main areas of research in László Fésüs’s lab is the molecular characterization of cell uptake by professional phagocytes, primarily macrophages or dendritic cells. Phagocytosis is a highly complex and redundant process that is influenced by the treatment of phagocytes and the cell types engulfed that may have different origin. The lab focuses on the phagocytosis of cells dying by different types of programmed cell deaths such as apoptosis, autophagy or necroptosis. The Apoptosis Research lab is also focusing on the role of transglutaminase 2 in programmed cell death and other related processes together with Zsuzsa Szondy's Apoptosis Signalling Research group. They also investigate the immunological consequences of the uptake of apoptotic cells. Both labs have several collaborations worldwide and common projects with clinical centers.

University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre - Nuclear Hormone Receptor Research Laboratory

The Nlab’s research focuses on the molecular and cell biology of lipid activated transcription factors, so called nuclear receptors. Nuclear hormone receptors are ligand activated transcription factors participating in the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation and homeostasis ([2]).

Paksi Atomerőmű Zrt. (Nuclear Power Plant of Paks Co. Ltd.)

The company, as a member of the Hungarian Power Company Group, is the major participant of home electric power production. As they are a prominent participant on the Hungarian electric power market, their primary goal during the production is to ensure the reliable and cheap electricity supply of home consumers, in line with the protection of the environment and the atmosphere of the Earth, fostering sustainable development.

Silver Level

UD-GenoMed Medical Genomic Technologies Ltd.

UD-GenoMed Ltd. is an innovative R&D company and service laboratory offering large scale clinical genomics studies, molecular testing and related consulting and training services to academia and industry. UD-GenoMed's services are based on the unique know-how of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Institute of University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre. UD-GenoMed also develops diagnostic products to diagnose certain human diseases. The company's services include complex clinical genomic services with patient recruitment and biobanking, epigenetic and epigenomic services, functional genomic services, recombinant protein manufacturing, education and training. The company’s management possesses several pieces of know-how in the fields of clinical study coordination, sample collection, biobanking and expression data interpretation and clinical and molecular data integration. The company provided us some place where we could work during the summer.

University of Debrecen, Medical and Heath Science Centre - Student’s Association (HÖK)

The Hungarian higher education law declares that every university must have its students’ union. The students’ union is the only legal representative organization that represent students on every Hungarian university. At University of Debrecen the structure of the Students’ Union is the following. University Students’ Union is responsible for all the 30000 students around University of Debrecen. The president is a member of the Rector’s Council, the highest decision maker board of the university. Every University Centre, namely: Centre for Agricultural and Applied Economic Sciences, Centre of Arts, Humanities and Sciences and Medical and Health Science Centre, has its vice president, and each faculty of the University of Debrecen has its own Students’ Union. Additionally, the University Students’ Union has several committees (eg. Students’ Committee for International Affairs, Students’ Committee for Healthcare and Sports, Students’ Committee for Environment Protection). The Medical and Health Science Centre faculties – namely Faculty of General Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Public Health – Students’ Union work closely together, have common committees and projects. In general, students’ union works on all affairs that connected with students’ life. The Students’ Union supports all the students’ proposals that benefit the student community. The iGEM project is one of these for the second time, the registration fees were covered by this association.

Apoptózis Kutató Alapítvány (Apoptosis Research Foundation)

One of the main research profiles of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Debrecen is studying apoptosis and other types of Programmed Cell Death. The Apoptosis Research Foundation gives financial and organizational support for our Department as well as Team: Debrecen-Hungary 2011.

Bronze Level

University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Centre - Reasearch Centre for Molecular Medicine (RCMM)

RCMM (Research Centre for Molecular Medicine) is a research institute of the Medical and Health Science Center of the University of Debrecen, dedicated to clinically oriented and basic cutting edge biomedical research. RCMM operates as a network of collaborating research laboratories aiming at advancing molecular life sciences and our understanding of human diseases. These activities have been supported by interactions with the the Medical and Health Science Center of the University of Debrecen, one of the largest Academic Medical Centers in the country. RCMM was also created in order to facilitate joint research projects and mutual use of core facilities. During our work beside the infrastructure of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology we used also the laboratory space of the Clinical Genomics Center, one of the Core Facilities of the RCMM.