MYTOX-SOUTH is coordinated by Prof. dr. Sarah De Saeger & Dr. Marthe De Boevre. Prof. dr. Sarah De Saeger is founder and coordinator of MYTOX ‘Mycotoxins and Toxigenic Moulds’ (established in 2007, www.mytox.be). The MYTOX-SOUTH network is organized in 4 main expertise units: 1) toxigenic moulds, 2) mycotoxins’ occurrence, 3) mycotoxins and human health and 4) mycotoxins and animal health. Within this framework, focus will be set towards building capacity on three cornerstones: RESEARCH, EDUCATION and SERVICE TO SOCIETY.
All MYTOX-SOUTH partners are involved in building capacity on these three levels. The type of activities organized by MYTOX-SOUTH in research, education and service to society are pointed out below. Each partner/stakeholder can request for more information, and can apply for a program via the contact form. The applications are primarily reviewed by an International Steering Committee.
RESEARCH
- PROJECT PROPOSALS: seeking for funding opportunities through different funding-channels to enhance its capacity for research, education and training & awareness building.
- A1 CO-PUBLICATIONS: seeking for opportunities to enhance the number of co-publications with contributions from both North and South partners.
EDUCATION
- TRAINING AT GHENT UNIVERSITY: organizing extensive training sessions at Ghent University with focus on specific developmental priorities which aim to strengthen research and educational capacity. This will result in the exchange of knowledge that will contribute to improve food safety, food security, alleviate poverty and improve public health.
- ON SITE TRAINING: organizing extensive training sessions to researchers/staff in laboratories across Africa. Knowledge and skill transfer through training programs from both South/North partners will encourage social interaction between farmers, medicinal doctors, veterinarians, laboratory personnel and government officials contributing to human capacity building.
- SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SHORT-TERM STAYS: providing scholarships for short-term stays at Ghent University labs to researchers from the South aiming to finalize a (Joint) PhD or performing research, requiring specialized equipment at Ghent University for (a) co-publication(s).
- JOINT-PhDs and MSc: stimulating interdisciplinary PhD programs as well as joint/sandwich PhDs and exchange programs between partners’ research groups. Moreover, MYTOX-SOUTH will stimulate North students to perform part of their PhD or MSc research in the South.
- VIDEO and ON-LINE TRAINING: creating awareness on the mycotoxin issue through video-broadcasting and online tools. The transfer of these videos will be via the website or via mobile phone apps.
- CONFERENCES: organizing conferences and awareness seminars on the mycotoxin problem for local researchers and stakeholders.
SERVICE TO SOCIETY
- CONSULTANCY: providing of consultancy on the 4 expertise units to Southern partners. According to the outcome of the consultancy, further extents to training at Ghent University and follow-up courses on-site can be made.
- ANALYTICAL SERVICES: providing of analytical services to the Southern partners. These services include (not limited): ‘fungus species isolation and identification (morphologic and gene sequencing)’, ‘multi-mycotoxin analysis in food/feed and biological matrices (human/animal)’, ‘fungal metabolomics analysis’, … .