Metabolic and signaling crosstalk of vitamin-derived cofactors - a training platform for systems medicine

During this highly active period of the project (1 December 2023-30 Sep 2024), a number of joined events have taken place and have been conducted in accordance with the schedule set out by the partners. The consortium has consolidated its activities thereby intensifying the mutual scientific interactions and training activities. Moreover, the fruitful collaborations and leading role of VitaCross partners in their scientific field has been highlighted by the joined participation and key presentations of at least 3 of the four partners in each of two highly recognized international conferences (Lisbon and Stellenbosch, see below). - VitaCross Northern Lights workshop - December 10th to 13th 2023, Sommarøy/Tromsø. 10 participants (8 international) - INTPART course Metabolic Pathway Analysis 19 February 1 March 2024, for master and PhD students, Bergen. This course was associated with the Norwegian national research school NORBIS: https://norbis.w.uib.no/metabolic-pathway-analysis-2/ 2 international external lecturers, 3 internal lecturers, >10 master students, PhD students, postdocs - Intpart summer workshop 19-21August 2024, Tromsø. 3 international lecturers, 2 national, 9 students - FASEB Science Research Conference on NAD metabolism and signaling, Lisbon 25 - 29 August 2024. Keynote lecture Mathias Ziegler, invited lectures given by Marie Migaud (South Alabama), and Lena Høyland (Bergen), poster presentations from all VitaCross partners - 21st conference of the International Study Group of Systems Biology, including a training course, Stellenbosch 8 - 13 September 2024. Invited lectures given by Ines Heiland (Tromsø), Barbara Bakker (Groningen) and Mathias Ziegler (Bergen). Meetings with partners and extending the network, 18 PIs and 25 PhDs/postdocs/master students. - Staff exchange: regular between Bergen and Tromsø, Tromsø-Groningen, May 2024, Tromsø-Innsbruck, July 2024 These joint activities provided also the opportunity to shape the schedules for upcoming activities such as the VitaCross workshop on vitamin metabolomics (combined lecture and practical LC-MS course) in December 2024 and a Systems Biology training course in Groningen (April 2025).

Systems medicine has emerged as essential discipline to identify disease mechanisms and biomarkers, follow and predict the effect of treatments and to develop new, combinatorial therapies. To our knowledge, dedicated study programs in systems medicine do net yet exist in Norway. This project will bring together a team of leading experts from four renowned academic institutions [in Norway (2), the United States (1) and the Netherlands (1)]. They will develop a unique portfolio of systems medicine training – from molecular mechanisms to disease treatment. The courses will include experimental and computational analyses of metabolic pathways and signaling networks, chemical biology of cancer, advanced analytical techniques, mathematical modelling and machine learning as well as principles of drug development. Based on well-established scientific collaborations with all partners, UiB will coordinate the project. Practical courses will be conducted in the relevant partner institutions. The EU consortium on systems medicine of breast cancer (MESI-STRAT) and the NeuroSysMed center (FKB, Bergen) will support this initiative with their competences. This INTPART project will also significantly contribute to the scientific excellence of existing joint research projects among all parners. A major focus will be on the biology and medical significance of coenzymes derived from vitamin B precursors, a hot area of current biomedical research both in metabolomics, signaling and for the development of nutritional therapeutic concepts. Collectively, the project will enable tight collaborations with outstanding academic environments in systems medicine, beyond existing EU initiatives, to develop world-class training in systems medicine. Moreover, it will provide the opportunity for outstanding research that no partner institution on its own would be able to conduct. Thereby, the new generation of scientists in biomedical research will be adequately prepared for the challenges ahead.