• Start date:  07.07.2021
• End date:  10.07.2021
• RU:  «Диалоги о геномике: лучшие практики лабораторий РФ и Европы»
• DE:  Dialoge über Genomik: Best Practices der Laboratorien der Russischen Föderation und Europas
• Status: Completed

The year 2021 has been declared the Year of Science and Technology in Russia. The Russian-Austrian civil society forum Sochi Dialogue has a main focus on international cooperation in the field of science and education.

On 7 - 10 July 2021, a three-day international conference "Dialogues on Genomics: Best Practices of Laboratories of the Russian Federation and Europe" took place on the federal territory at the Sirius University of Science and Technology. Scientific teams from Russia, Austria, Germany and France were the members of the conference. The conference was held as part of the Year of Science and Technology.

The international seminar offered an opportunity for greater informal communication between the best Russian and European scientists with the aim of creating and developing joint projects, deep experience sharing on best organisational and scientific practices in genomic technology and research, as well as stimulating research in the Russian Federation in the field of life sciences.

The conference was attended by heads and representatives of new laboratories, graduate students and everyone interested in the creation and development of research teams and the organisation of research in genetics and genomics.

The event was organised in the form of lectures and master classes by leading scientists from Russia and EU countries. The lecturers included Russian and foreign heads of the best bilateral projects that have received funding under the Russian Science Foundation, grants for joint research with European partners, representatives of leading Russian and European laboratories with a high international reputation and internationally recognised research results. The speakers paid attention not only to the scientific but also to the organisational component of the laboratory's work and the results of the research.

During the forum, the members of the conference were given an insight into the research projects of the Sirius Technological University. It has no faculties or departments, but is based on research centres that develop key spheres for Russia: genetics and life sciences, cognitive sciences, information technology and artificial intelligence, mathematics, and urban studies. By the end of the year, the Sirius University Science Centre for Genetics and Life Sciences will have completed the largest laboratory complex in Russia, equipped with the latest equipment, providing global-scale research.

In addition, Russian scientists held face-to-face lectures and master classes for schoolchildren.

Additional sessions were also held in the margins of the conference:

- A panel discussion "Present and future of genetic research programmes in Russia and European countries" with representatives of the scientific community in Russia and European countries;

- Round table "New laboratories as a mechanism for research leadership" with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation;

- Discussion session on bioethics supported by the Russian Ministry of Health's National Research Centre for Endocrinology;

- Roundtable "Science Communication: Promoting Science in the Media".

The event was organised by the Russian-Austrian Civil Societies Forum "Sochi Dialogue" with the support of the Russian-French Civil Societies Forum "Trianon Dialogue" and the Russian-German Civil Societies Forum "St. Petersburg Dialogue" and with information support from the Russian Ministry of Science and Education and the Russian Science Foundation. Partners in the organisation were KFU (Russia), the Russian Ministry of Health (Russia), the Vienna Medical University MedUni Wien (Austria) and the Sirius University of Science and Technology.