The Franco-Swedish laboratory without walls "UPRA" opens at CRAG, a Spanish research center.
In 2005, the connections between the research projects of the UPSC (Umeå Plant Science Center, Plant Science Center, Umeå, Sweden) and INRA (French National Institute for agricultural research) in the fields of biology and plant genomics led to the creation of a virtual European Open Laboratory called "UPRA" and to the signature of a cooperation agreement between the institutions. In continuation with this action, a new cooperation agreement opens to a new partner, the CRAG (Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, Spain).
October 7, 2015, on the INRA site Champenoux, the UPSC, two divisions of the INRA ("Biology and Plant Breeding", "Ecology of forests, meadows and water bodies") and the CRAG have signed a new agreement. The UPRA became INUPRAG, contraction of INRA, UPSC and CRAG. These three research institutions have strong complementarities in areas of plant integrative biology and genomics.
One goal of this cooperation is to bring together researchers for joint research projects in plant sciences. This involves in particular the transfer of knowledge and tools developped with model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana or Poplar to crop and trees. Another objective is to promote the training of young scientists through regular exchanges between laboratories associated countries and enable them to develop their networks. Universities associated with laboratories belonging to INUPRAG will benefit from this privileged cooperation. Extending UPRA to Spain is an excellent opportunity to promote exchanges across Europe and to build and coordinate future European projects. The signing of this agreement has taken place during the first integrative biology symposium bringing together plant scientists from the three institutions and supported by the LabEx ARBRE, LabEx SPS (Saclay Plant Sciences), the BAP division (INRA) and the University of Lorraine.
- The CRAG, body from a consortium between the main Spanish research institutions, exercises its research expertise in the areas of plant genomics and animals and metabolic engineering.
More information on their website - The UPSC is a leader in research on genomics and physiology of forest trees.
More information on their website - BAP division of INRA focuses its research on plant sciences and plant breeding.
More information on their website - The EFPA division of INRA aims to sustainably manage, conserve and restore forest, grassland and aquatic ecosystems.
More information on their website:
Contacts:
INRA:
UPSC:
CRAG: