A key goal of the Nordic Archaeal Network is to facilitate researcher training through a series of exchanges of younger scientists between the participating labs.

The interdisciplinary nature of modern biological research often requires a detailed knowledge of sophisticated experimental techniques outside one‘s own relatively narrow field, and there is little doubt that this is most easily acquired through hands-on experience.

A key goal of the Nordic Archaeal Network is to facilitate a series of exchanges of younger scientists between the participating labs, in order to build research competancies and encourage the sharing of best practice between labs.

We are fortunate in that individual members of the network possess such a broad range of core expertises, from enviromental microbiology, through genome sequencing, genetics and biochemistry, to protein structure determination.

Exchange visits are possible between all the participating labs. If you are interested in visiting one of the other labs in the network, contact the lab head directly or the network coordinator, Stuart MacNeill. The NordForsk funding covers travel, accommodation and subsistence, and is sufficient to support up to 6-8 exchanges per year, each of up to 10 days duration.

In early January 2009, Susanne Erdmann, a Masters student in Roger Garrett‘s lab at the University of Copenhagen, visited James Chong‘s lab at the University of York for four days.

Susanne explains: "The reason for my visit to the Chong lab was to learn how to perform DNA helicase activity assays on the AAA+ ATPase protein I am currently working with. I was guided by Rubab Satti, a PhD student in the lab, who also provided a functional DNA helicase as positive control for the experiments. To learn everything from scratch with the assistance of an experienced scientist was very helpful and I can now transfer this knowledge to our own group in Copenhagen. I am very grateful to NordForsk that I could take this opportunity."

In July 2009, Kevin Dalgaard, a Masters student in Qunxin She‘s lab at the University of Copenhagen, visited Svein Bjelland‘s lab at the University of Stavanger for three weeks. His visit was co-funded by the Nordic Archaeal Network.

Kevin writes: "The purpose of my visit to Svein Bjelland´s lab was to characterize four of the DNA glycosylases encoded in Sulfolobus islandicus. During my stay I worked closely with Marivi Moen, a Ph.D. student who has extensive experience in studying archaeal DNA repair proteins. I learned how to perform the uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) assay and used this to study the four DNA glycosylases. I found that only two of these enzymes exhibit UDG activity. I found that such an exchange provides a very efficient means to learn new methods from another lab. Thus, I am deeply indebted to the Nordic Archaea Network for co-funding this collaboration."