| Projects of the Month – September 2016
Have you ever wondered about the outcome of the many international STI cooperation projects the EU is involved in? So have the partners in the IncoNet CA project. They have compiled a list of noteworthy deliverables from EU-Central Asia cooperation projects that are available to the public: The related projects have e.g. made a significant contribution to development of national health standards; improved the quality of services in health facilities; trained young scientists in molecular diagnostics; researched infectious diseases; introduced of innovative methods of teaching; or developed sustainable land management practices.
The IncoNet CA project has compiled databases of multilateral, bilateral and national programmes, projects and stakeholders related to Central Asian countries addressing 3 Societal Challenges, namely, Climate Change, Energy and Health.
These projects have made significant contributions e.g. to development of national health standards in Central Asian countries; the improvement of their quality of services in health facilities; training in molecular diagnostics for young CA scientists; research of infectious diseases; the introduction of innovative methods of teaching and international standards in CA higher education system; the development of sustainable land management practices; the assessment of energy supply corridors; as well as strengthening regional capacity and performance – to name but a few.
In this special issue of our 'Featured Projects', we would like to present some results and deliverables of such projects. They were funded under a variety of programmes involving different programme owners, e.g. the EU's TEMPUS Programme, the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, Germany), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and of course the EU's 7th Framework Programme and Horizon2020.
Project |
Description |
Featured Deliverables |
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Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains (PALM) Targeted CA countries: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: Global Environment Facility (GEF) |
The overall goal of the PALM project was to restore, sustain, and enhance, the productive and protective functions of the trans-boundary ecosystems of the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains, of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, so as to improve the social and economic well-being of the rural communities and households utilising the region's ecosystem resources to meet their livelihood needs, while preserving its unique landscape and globally important biodiversity. |
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New curricula in trade theory and econometrics (CD - JEP-26012 – 2005) Targeted CA country: Kazakhstan Source of funding: TEMPUS EU Programme |
The objective of the TEMPUS 'New curricula' project was to harmonise curricula of the subject 'trade and finance' as well as curricula of applied economics at Ph.D. level and align them with the Bologna Process; to introduce innovative methods of teaching and to promote international accreditation of BSc and MSc degrees in economics in the targeted universities. |
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The estimation of Potential Biological Danger from Natural Arbovirus Foci in Kyrgyz Republic with a Help of Modern Molecular-Genetic Methods, Studying of Isolated Viruses and Development of Diagnostic Preparations ( ISTC Kr 1327) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) |
The project was aimed at conducting systematic research of the natural Arbovirus Foci and estimation of present state of existing pestholes on the territory of Kyrgyz Republic. It also included such tasks as immunochemical description of isolates, identification of nucleotide genome sequence in field samples and collection of viral cultures, as well as comparison of the results of nucleotide genome sequence in Arboviruses. Under this project, the sites not free from TBE (tick-born encephalitis) were fixed through GPS system. Test systems for ELISA diagnosis of this disease were prepared. Together with the collaborators sequence of TBE agent was done. |
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Genotyping Yersinia species to develop surveillance protocols for Kyrgyzstan (ISTC Kr 1929) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) |
On the basis of the collected material a screening of natural foci of Plague in Kyrgyzstan was carried out. The implemented sequence of the obtained Kyrgyz plague strains facilitated the revealing of genetic similarity with Plague strains from China and Kazakhstan and the separating of Plague strains from Georgia and Angola into independent branch. |
Three large natural foci of Plague were found:
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Assessment of Spatial Mechanisms of Pollution of the Territory of Kyrgyzstan by Anthrax Agent – Second Stage (ISTC Kr 1632) Targeted CA country: Krgyzstan Source of funding: International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) |
The goal of the project was to resume systematic research of the natural arbovirus’ foci, to estimate present state of the existing pestholes and to reveal the new ones on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. |
An electronic database on permanent anthrax foci emerged on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic over the last 110 years was created, which included natural and climatic parameters, soil type, soil salinity, date of emergence, type of disease source. According to those indexes variogramms through which one can forecast the probability of anthrax foci occurrence were developed.
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Microbiological Monitoring of Uranium-Contaminated Environments (ISTC Kr 2088) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) |
The project was focused on the research of microorganisms of ecological bays of Kyrgyzstan, where uranium wastes have been buried for 50 years. The project studied specific composition of microorganisms on the biosphere objects – air, soil, water, animals and human beings; examined ecogenesis, morphology, antigenicity and pathogenicity of the changed microorganisms with a purpose of possible production of specific preventive drugs, detoxification and discrimination of radio nuclides in the environmental objects. | Metagenomic researches of microbial community of soil from U provinces using MiSeq illuminating tool with the assessment of taxonomic and functional modification of the community were carried out. The growth of bacterial variety with the detection of certain kinds only in the conditions enriched with chitin was fixed. |
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Molecular epidemiology and diagnostics of Leishmaniasis in Central Asia and in the South Caucasus for the development of local monitoring and control systems (ZACaLeish) Targeted CA country: Uzbekistan Source of funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF, Germany) |
The project successfully contributed to training in molecular diagnostics for young scientists from Uzbekistan and also establishment of the first laboratory for molecular diagnosis of parasitic diseases in Uzbekistan. |
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Regional Programme Health in Central Asia Targeted CA countries: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Source of funding: German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) for 2009-2020 |
Healthcare Systems Development in Central Asia Program of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is being successfully implemented in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The main purpose of the program is to improve the quality of reproductive health through strengthening of healthcare systems. The main objectives of the program are to develop the capacity of medical professionals, medical accreditation, quality management, and promote public awareness about reproductive health.
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Short publications released by the program covered the following topics:
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Free Respiratory Evaluation and Smoke-exposure reduction by primary Health cAre Integrated gRoups (FRESH AIR) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: HORIZON 2020 |
FRESH AIR is a 3 year project which addresses the urgent need to prevent, diagnose and treat lung diseases in LMICs and other low-resource settings where the greatest burden of disease is experienced. |
Project deliverables (planned):
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Risk of Energy Availability: Common Corridors for Europe Supply Security (REACCESS) Targeted CA country: Kazakhstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The REACCESS project looked at technical, economic and environmental issues relating to current and future energy corridors assessing multiple means of supply, via both land and sea, including pipelines, railways, terminals, ships and other means of transport. |
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Targeted CA countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The goal of the HITT-2008 project was to understand long-term trends of population health as a consequence of socio-economic transitions, with a focus on lifestyle-related issues. Key issues included diet, nutrition, smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as related societal implications. |
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Genetic studies of pre-eclampsia in Central Asian and European populations (InterPregGen) Targeted CA countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The InterPregGen project addressed the genetic predisposition to pregnancy-related hypertension, through a collaborative project involving leading research groups in this field in EU (UK, Finland) AC (Iceland, Norway) and EECA (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) countries. |
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Caspian environmental and industrial data & information service (CASPINFO) Targeted CA country: Kazakhstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The CASPINFO project aimed at strengthening the regional capacity and performance of marine environmental data and information management and adoption of international metadata standards and data-management practices, involving stakeholders from management, research and industry. |
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Assessment of Climatic change and impacts on the Quantity and quality of Water (ACQWA) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The goal of the ACQWA project was to use advanced modelling techniques to quantify the influence of climatic change on the major determinants of river discharge at various time and space scales, and analyse their impact on society and economy, also accounting for feedback mechanisms. |
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GEO capacity building initiative in Central Asia (SEOCA) Targeted CA countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Source of funding: FP7 |
The goal of SEOCA project was to promote European GEO-technologies in the region of Central Asia as a platform solution for the regional development challenges. The project aimed at further fostering cooperative ties between the countries of Central Asia and Europe in developing and applying Earth Observation (EO) technologies for effective environmental monitoring. |
Project results (SEOCA is a Supporting Action):
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Earth Observation for Monitoring and Observing Environmental and Societal Impacts of Mineral Resources Exploration and Exploitation (EO-MINERS) Targeted CA country: Kyrgyzstan Source of funding: FP7 |
The EO-Miners project was aimed at integrating new and existing Earth Observation (EO) tools to improve best practice in mining activities and to reduce the mining related environmental and societal footprint. |
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Source & contact: | National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the EU, Poland
