Title of the project: NMR CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE STUDY OF STRUCTURES AND INTERACTIONS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND PHARMACY

Explanation of objectives and anticipated results of the centre of excellence R&D project:

The NMR centre is strongly connected to R&D activities throughout all of Slovenia and beyond. Cooperation with academic institutions proceeds through more than 60 programs and projects, which are financed within the framework of the ministries of Republic of Slovenia and international institutions. A large share of the activities of the NMR centre include support for R&D work in companies in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. The ongoing development of the NMR centre through investment in new equipment and by expanding the potential of the highly-educated workforce will allow us to expand infrastructural support into new areas. It is important to emphasize the educational role of the NMR centre. Our colleagues are involved in the pedagogical process at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Holders of work packages are mentors for undergraduate theses, Masters Degrees, and Ph.Ds. Industrial partners continue to express interest in a highly competent and skilled workforce with knowledge in the field of NMR spectroscopy and structural characterization.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a spectroscopic method, which allows the study of the correlations between the structure and sequence of biomolecules, as well as their dynamics, and molecular recognition. NMR is thus a key to gaining insight into the biological functions, chemical structure, and interactions of molecules in both the liquid and solid state. Therefore it can be used to gain insight into the nature of the fundamental processes which underlie the production and development of pharmaceutical preparations. Knowledge in this area opens up new biotechnological and biomedical possibilities, which will help to raise competitiveness, to develop a more innovative environment, and encourage advances in medicine. The resulting technology and products will lead to greater prosperity and new high-tech employment opportunities.

The National Centre for High Resolution NMR spectroscopy (NMR centre) was established at the National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) in Ljubljana in 1992. 11 academic institutions and businesses supported the establishment of the NMR centre by contributing funds for the purchase of new NMR spectrometers. The partners of the NMR centre continue to support the ongoing development of the infrastructure centre for NMR spectroscopy, where research equipment as well as expertise are collected in one place. The links of NMR centre and highly technologically developed business partners within Slovenia are strong, particularly with the pharmaceutical industry. Within the framework of this R&D project, our vision is that through continued and more intensive cooperation we will be able to contribute to the development of a more innovative environment, to the creation of more employment opportunities, to greater competitiveness, to higher added value, and to the goals outlined in the Single Programming Document (SPD). The strategic goals of the partners of this R&D project include strengthening of cooperation in the form of concrete projects thus intensifying cooperation and better use of the capacities of the NMR centre, as well as its future development. The R&D orientations of the NMR centre are divided into 5 sub-areas, or work-packages. These areas are tightly linked to concrete problems in the pharmaceutical industry and will allow us to focus our activities on the following scientific and research questions: (1) structure and interactions in the solid-state, polycrystallinity, polymorphism, (2) structure and analysis of organic compounds in solution, (3) studies of mixtures of compounds in solution - profiling of impurities in medicines, degradation products, metabolites, (4) characterization of recombinant proteins and biological macromolecules in solution, (5) interaction of medically active compounds with biological macromolecules. Each of the work-packages has an operative goal which contributes to a more effective response to the needs of the industrial partners and academic societies that the NMR centre cooperates with and services. These work-packages also contribute to the development of a network and to the maximizing of possibilities for joint research and joint research financing, to stimulating colleagues to improve their qualifications and research experience, to increasing the possibilities of commercialization, and to the global expansion and development of business plans, as well as to an innovative environment.

In the proposed R&D project, the cooperating partners would have many possibilities to contribute to the ongoing development of a stimulating innovative environment in Slovenia. Joint investment will include (co)financing of experts which will carry out individual concrete projects within the framework of the five work-packages. Each time the results of the cooperating academic and industrial partners are evaluated we will (re)define the areas that will lead to increased financing from the public and private sector and to a more stable operating budget. Such a project will help us to achieve the following: come up with new ideas, determine ways of maintaining and increasing competitiveness, encourage technology transfer, exploit R&D opportunities arising from the NMR centre, create jobs, encourage interdisciplinary links, modernize equipment, maintain the status of a centre of excellence in the world, and further integration with international networks of excellence. The key areas of common investment are pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. It is noteworthy however that NMR is a method which is very useful in the development of new materials and technologies for sustainable development. As a national infrastructure centre we will continue to work together with and promote a wide variety of cooperation with new partners in both the industrial and academic spheres throughout Slovenia. Proposed R&D project is complementary to other R&D projects in the field of biogenerics.

The synergy between partners is one of the fundamental elements of this R&D project. The NMR centre brings together equipment, the necessary expertise, and highly qualified trained specialists, whose work will contribute to the success and competitiveness of the Slovenian pharmaceutical industry. Slovenian pharmaceutical, biotech, and chemical companies have seen the advantages organizing all work associated with such expensive research equipment in one place. Their interest is that any cooperation is defined by concrete tasks and structured plans with deadlines within the framework of the 5 work-packages.

The strategic goals of the partners of this R&D project are such that they understand the significance of strong cooperation in the form of concrete projects and in the better use of the capacity of the NMR centre, as well as the importance of its continued development. The R&D orientations are divided into 5 work-packages. These areas are tightly linked to concrete problems in the pharmaceutical industry and will allow us to focus our activities on the following scientific and research questions:

1. Structure and interactions in solid state, polycrystallinity, polymorphism,
2. Structural determination and analysis of organic compounds in solution,
3. Studies of mixtures of compounds in solution - profiling of impurities in medicines, degradation products, metabolites,
4. Characterization of recombinant proteins and biological macromolecules in solution,
5. Interaction of medically active compounds with biological macromolecules

Each of the work-packages has an operative goal which contributes to a more effective response to the needs of industrial partners and societies that obtain service from NMR centre. It also contributes to the development of a network and to the maximizing of possibilities for joint research and joint research financing, to stimulating colleagues to improve their qualifications and research experience, to increasing the possibilities of commercialization, and to the global expansion and development of business plans and an innovative environment. The principal investigators of research projects within the framework of all of the work-packages, as well as the other collaborators on the project, are all experts with high quality international references. The leaders of the project have the required personnel in the form of young collaborators and post-graduate students, which represents a critical mass necessary for the upholding and maintaining of the prestigious title of EU Centre of Excellence with international standards.