History

Ghent University members of the Belgian EMBRC node joined forces in 2012, under the umbrella of Marine@UGent, a multidisciplinary marine research consortium building a bridge between Ghent University and Flanders Marine Institute.

Mission and research

•    to conduct interdisciplinary fundamental and applied research
•    to provide knowledge-based support for ecosystem-based management of marine resources for current and future generations
•    to provide high-level education for the next generation of marine scientists

Main Services

•    Provision of Biological resources and culture collections
•    Cultures of well-characterised and documented strains of marine and freshwater diatoms, including new model species for molecular and biotechnological research (max 100 words, use of bullet points is advised)
•    Extensive research collection containing 1000s of strains of marine and freshwater microalgae
•    Living culture collection of marine macroalgae (green seaweeds and Dictyota)

•    Bacterial collection with >25.000 strains, representing some 500 genera and 3.500  species
•    Collection of living free-living nematode species
•    Collection of living harpacticoid copepod species
•    Biobank of Artemia cysts

•    Access to ecosystems
•    Access to intertidal and subtidal, marine and estuarine soft sediments and pelagic environments

•    Technology platforms
•    Microscopy and bio imaging (including SEM and TEM)
•    Molecular biology and omics technologies (for biodiscovery)
•    TPs for Structural and chemical analysis
•    Immunology/Toxicology facilities
•    Biological analysis facilities
•    Structural and chemical analysis
•    Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence platform

•   Experimental facilities
•   Wet and dry labs
•   Climate rooms
•   Aquaria and mesocosms for sediment, water or organism incubation
•   Water conditioning facilities (O2, pH, temperature...)

•    Training and education
•    Marine training e-platform (http://www.marinetraining.eu/)
•    Taxonomy training (nematodes, copepods...)
•    Staff will provide training in the use of the platforms and technologies and assist, if needed, with experimental design and troubleshooting

 •    E-infrastructures and associate services
 •    long - term datasets and sample collection
 •    omics technology data services
 •    Ghent University library network

 •    Supporting facilities
 •    In house restaurants and cafetaria
 •    Conference and teaching facilities
 •    Video-conferencing facilities
 •    Limited availability of in-house lodging, but numerous hotels and B&Bs within walking distance. Staff will recommend   locations for short/longer stays