The European Union Signs Grant Contract to Fund a 2 Million Euro Biotechnology Research Project Led by Hadassah College Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, December 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

This is the first time an Israeli College will initiate and lead a multi-national scientific project funded by the European Union.

The Joint Management Authority of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI CBC MED program) has informed Prof Nava Ben Zvi, President of Hadassah College in Israel that they will award a contract of up to 2 million Euro for the Bio-Xplore Project. This project, initiated and directed by Hadassah College, will be implemented in partnership with the Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center of the Palestinian Authority, Leitat Technological Center in Spain, and the Hellenic Regional Development Center in Greece. Two US-based Universities Rutgers University, New Jersey and the North Carolina State University, will also participate in the project.

Prof Bertold Fridlender, Director of Hadassah College's Biotechnology Department is the inspiration and driving force behind the BioXplore project. He explained: "the goal of the project is to identify endemic plants from the Mediterranean area, which contain compounds that may be valuable for industrial products such as pharmaceutical products, food additives, cosmetics and others. This collaborative research will promote social and financial developments in the Mediterranean Sea Basin Area."

As part of the Bio-Xplore project, a Mediterranean branch of the Global Institute for Bio-Exploration (GIBEX-MED) will be created. The GIBEX (http://www.gibex.org) centers are active today in Africa, America and Asia, and aim to initiate and support international joint research and development. These joint activities promote the development of biological products based on natural resources endemic to each of the partnering countries. The products are focused on achieving health and environmental targets in developing countries.  

Prof Nava Ben Zvi, President of Hadassah College, Jerusalem stated: "This program will enable collaboration on an academic level with industrial and business potential for each of the involved partners".

The project will be part of the curriculum of the Biotechnology Department in Hadassah College. The Department was founded to prepare students for joining the industrial workforce and continuing post graduate studies and research. According to Prof Fridlender: "The conditions, the knowledge and the minds in Israel today are an outstanding base for this project and we are confident in its success."  

Link to the program website:

http://www.enpicbcmed.eu/documenti/29_153_20111028122848.pdf

For more information: Yaniv Rosenberg, PR Hadassah College +972-50-4488962, yaniv@rcspr.co.il; Dan Shoshani, PR +972-523608508