COMBIVET ERA CHAIR
The project “Setting up the ERA Chair of Comparative Medicine in the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences of the Estonian University of Life Sciences” (COMBIVET) is a 5-year initiative (September 2019 – August 2024) funded by the EU via the Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The aim of the COMBIVET project is to establish an ERA Chair of Comparative Medicine under the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (IVMAS) at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU).
This project proceeds from an understanding that many of the health challenges faced by humans and animals are the same. This includes, for example, age-related diseases, cancer and metabolic diseases. Thanks to these similarities, knowledge gained from studying and treating animal patients can be applied in humans while developing new diagnostic tools and therapies for both humans and animals. This, however, requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach in research efforts and the development of research capabilities to support excellent comparative animal research. The strand of research that forms a bridge between human and animal health is called comparative medicine – the effort of exploring disease processes in animals and in humans with an effort to improve medicine for each and both Human and animals.
The primary objectives of the COMBIVET project include the following:
This project proceeds from an understanding that many of the health challenges faced by humans and animals are the same. This includes, for example, age-related diseases, cancer and metabolic diseases. Thanks to these similarities, knowledge gained from studying and treating animal patients can be applied in humans while developing new diagnostic tools and therapies for both humans and animals. This, however, requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach in research efforts and the development of research capabilities to support excellent comparative animal research. The strand of research that forms a bridge between human and animal health is called comparative medicine – the effort of exploring disease processes in animals and in humans with an effort to improve medicine for each and both Human and animals.
The primary objectives of the COMBIVET project include the following:
- Bringing excellence to EMU and increasing its attractiveness by
- recruiting outstanding comparative/translational medicine researchers,
- elevating the existing potential in the field of comparative medicine in EMU;
- Promoting comparative medicine research in EMU by
- developing research excellence in the interdisciplinary field of comparative/translational medicine under the One Health concept;
- Boosting the international visibility of EMU in the field of comparative medicine by
- establishing long-term strategic partnerships that extend beyond the life of this project;
- Reinforcing cooperation with various departments and other R&D institutions by
- integrating comparative medicine research conducted in various departments of IVMAS under the One Health umbrella,
- Increasing interdisciplinary cooperation, bringing together different universities’ competence.
Aim of the deliverable
ERA Chair Combivet is running different scientific projects. Each project employs researchers at different stages of their careers and has a balanced mix of researchers from different genders in place. Combining knowledge from various early stage and experienced researchers enables better integration of research strategies and results. In this deliverable detailed background of projects and project aims are brought forward. Each project focuses on creating input for comparative medicine by investigating animal and human health aspects and finding opportunities to combine knowledge with other researchers. At the same time the ERA Chair research integration plan is demonstrating the workflow between various chairs of IVMAS and integration/upgrading strategies for conducting excellent research at EMU.
In general, there are 4 research themes explored in the Combivet ERA Chair program:
In general, there are 4 research themes explored in the Combivet ERA Chair program: