Marie-Curied Advanced Training Network in Food Quality, Safety & Security
FoodTraNet is a new advanced Marie-Curie training network for globally important topics in food quality, safety, and security. It is coordinated by the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and comprises 8 academic and 2 industrial partners across 7 locations in Europe. This consortium is supported by a further 20 organisation for secondment and other training activities.
FoodTraNet is designed to provide world-class training of a new generation of high achieving Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in a common platform of advanced mass spectrometric tools for food quality, safety and security. Each ESR will be provided with an individualised structured and comprehensive research programme, learn theory and gain first-hand laboratory experience. FoodTraNet will cover techniques including stable isotopes, target, suspect, non-target screening and mass spectrometry imaging to meet the following objectives:
- To identify biomarkers and bioactive compounds to assure food quality and traceability.
- To characterise novel foods to support food safety and security.
- Develop and characterise new products based on the latest advances in nanotechnology, including edible photonic barcodes, nano-sensors, multi-functional polymer nanostructured materials, and new, active and intelligent packaging.
FoodTraNet will provide world-class training of a new generation of high achieving Early Stage Researchers in a common platform of advanced mass spectrometric tools for food quality, safety and security.
Structure
FoodTraNet ESRs will be immersed across the FoodTraNet project, spending time at the hosting institution and in one of the other European partners involved in the project. You will learn important soft and complementary skills to support you in your future career whilst given the opportunity to network with your fellow ESRs and other scientists in the field.
Technical Training
FoodTraNet ESRs will benefit from a dedicated research training program focusing on scientific excellence and exploiting the network’s combined research expertise and infrastructure to support you in your chosen area of specialism. Each ESR project will allow the successful candidate to develop specific research skills in a wide range of cutting-edge food science research techniques, which will make you highly attractive to both academic and industrial EU employers.
Soft and Complimentary Skills
FoodTraNet will provide successful applicants with a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and holistic experience to ensure you are trained not just in important technical areas, but also in complementary and soft skills to support you in your future career. Provided by our project partners across Europe, areas of training will include research ethics, intellectual property, contracts, presentation skills, public engagement and dissemination, gender issues, and grant proposal writing.
Networking
FoodTraNet’s network will provide successful applicants with an important international forum for exchanges of ideas across the relevant disciplines. The inclusion of leading industry and private companies will ensure rapid commercial exploitation of the novel methods, techniques and marketable products developed within the project. You will be stimulated to produce relevant, practical work robustly and rigorously tested, which will empower you with confidence and leadership skills going forward.
WRG Europe's Role
WRG is the primary communications and exploitation partner, ensuring the project becomes visible to the academic and industrial communities as well as ensuring any technologies developed by ESRs can find suitable exploitation routes. We are also one of the 15 ESR Hosts. WRG's Associate Director, Dr Vicky Edkins, is the main supervisor of ESR Project 15 "Consumer Awareness and Perception" along with support from JSI in Ljubljana. Vicky will be supervising the successful candidate in the following areas of study:
- Traditional food in Europe, specifically food produced in Poland in relation to ‘Protected Designation of Origin', 'Protected Geographical Indication' and ‘Organic’ labelling.
- The nature of the European food value chain, contributing to consumer trust, choice and increased sustainable consumption, thereby supporting the transition to a circular economy.
- Industry and consumer acceptance of innovative, user-driven, packaging solutions and overcoming the barriers to market uptake.
We are very much looking forward to being part of this exciting project!
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