In his address minister Židan has pointed out the important role of the institute in transferring the knowledge and innovations to the young generations, saying that »the transfer of knowledge is one of the seven prioritized orientations in the resolution »Assuring food for the future« that was accepted in the year 2011 and is determining the vision for the development of Slovenian agriculture and food industry and at the same time it is also one of the prioritized tasks of the European Strategy 2020«. The minister also touched upon the relationship between the research and innovation and the new green employment opportunities that they are creating.

The following NIB awards were rewarded at the solemn award ceremony:

1) The Grand Miroslav Zei Award for his lifelong work in the research domains of the National Institute of Biology for the year 2013 was awarded to Prof. Dr. Andrej Čokl.

 

Prof. Dr. Andrej Čokl is a worldwide renown researcher in the science of insect communication with sound that is transmitted over the surface. With his long year research and top quality results he has invaluably contributed to the finding that the vibrational communication is the most widespread form of communication with sound, and he was also instrumental in understanding its fundamental principles. His reach bibliography comprises peer-reviewed scientific papers published in prestigious scientific journals, and chapters in books of foreign publishing companies.

Already thirty years ago Prof. Čokl has laid the pathways of complex research of insect communication and behaviour with his neurophysiologic research carried out in southern green stink bug and migratory locust and the influential publications as the proceedings of  this research. His work remains fundamental for research of detection and processing of vibrational signals in the central neural system of insects.

Besides the pioneering work in the area of neurophysiologic fundaments of vibrational communication Prof. Čokl was also important in contributing to understanding of the fundamental principles of transfer of the vibrational signals via the insect's host plants. Prof. Čokl was among the first researchers in the world using the cutting edge technology such as today's commonly used laser vibrometry for the detection of the vibrational signals in insects.

Prof. Andrej Čokl has always carried his basic scientific research using the economically important insects and has geared his research to development of the potential alternative methods based on vibrational signals in pest control. With the chapter in a book published in 2009 he has raised awareness of the professional community of the potentially vast and entirely unexploited potential using the vibrational signals in plant protection.

Prof. Dr. Andrej Čokl served as a director of the National Institute of Biology between 1988-1996, and was a chair of the Scientific Committee at NIB between 2008-2012. From 1992 and until 2013 he was a head of the Department of Entomology at NIB which has flourished under his leadership in one of the world's centres for research of vibrational communication of insects. He has directed a number of successfully completed basic research projects and has established collaboration with numerous top research groups abroad. Among them it is worthwhile mentioning the collaboration with the Department of Entomology at the University of California Riverside in the United States, and with the Institute EMBRAPA in Brazil. He has directed a number of bilateral research projects and specific parts of the individual European projects. He was a mentor to a number of young researchers among whom many have continued or are still continuing their scientific careers here in Slovenia or abroad.

Since 2005 Prof. Čokl is a Professor at the University of Ljubljana, and is also teaching at the University of Maribor, University of Nova Gorica, and at the Environmental protection College in Velenje.

2) Miroslav Zei award for her outstanding achievements in the research domains of the National Institute of Biology for the year 2013 was awarded to Associate Professor dr. Maja Ravnikar.

 

The Associate Professor Dr. Maja Ravnikar is a world known expert in the areas of microbiology and biotechnology and more specifically in research and discovery of biology of plant disease agents.  As an exemplary very hard worker, an innovative researcher, and a motivational leader to her co-workers and young researchers she is achieving top quality results in basic as well as applied research by connecting and collaborating with the partners from industry and by providing services to the state agencies. Together with her co-workers she has developed a number of new molecular methods for extraction, detection and quantitative determination of viruses, viroids and bacteria which were published in highly cited original research and review papers published in prestigious scientific journals with high impact factors and in books published by foreign publishing companies. Together with her co-workers she has discovered more than 20 new plant disease agents, mainly in Slovenia but also in Europe. Her pioneering work represents building a technology for tracing the effectiveness of concentration and purification of viruses using monolithic chromatographic supports together with the biotechnology company BIA Separations.

This year the innovative coupling of virus concentration with the new generation of nucleic acid sequencing lead to the discovery of a new Orthoreovirus that is a causal agent of gastrointestinal problems in humans. Many of developed methods for identification and quantitative evaluation of microorganisms are being used by the researchers in their research work as well as for their work for evaluating the phytosanitary status of plants within the reference laboratory at the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection. Some of the methods are being used also in other European laboratories.

Dr. Ravnikar is a head of the Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology and also directs its research program extremely successfully through a number of years. At NIB she is one of the main protagonists of encouraging enterprise which resulted in a now four years old spin off company Biosistemika L.C.C.

Dr. Ravnikar is very active in the European Organisation for Plant Protection, she is a member of the United States consortium for research of viruses in the environment, a president of the international working group for virus research, and a cofounder of the European Association of Phytobacteriology.

3) The award of the National Institute of Biology for an extraordinary doctoral thesis in the research domains of the National Institute of Biology for the year 2013 was awarded to dr. Alja Štraser.

The research proceedings were published in seven peer reviewed scientific papers. Among them four were published in journals that are categorized by the Research Agency of the Republic of Slovenia as A1, and three as category A2. The candidate appears as the first author in four of the seven papers. All papers are also part of her doctoral thesis and were altogether already cited 57 times.

 
4) At the solemn award ceremony, the National Institute of Biology recognition awards were granted to all young researchers at NIB who have had obtained their doctoral degrees between the October 1st 2012 and September 30th 2013 – these young researchers are dr. Neža Koron, dr. Ana Torkar and dr. Alja Štraser.

dr. Neža Koron

Urška Verbovšek receiving the reward in the name of dr. Ana Torkar

Additional information: Helena Končar: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; 059 232 702.

Speach of SAZU president, akad. prof. dr. Jože Trontelj

Speach of director of NIB, prof. dr. Tamara Lah Turnšek