Events

Date: 12 November 2025, Wednesday

Venue: Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Ostwaldi 1, room A411

Please register to receive materials of the event: https://forms.office.com/e/j7T3aSfivv

Program

09:00–09:10 – Opening

09:10–09:40 – Rainis Venta: What do corporate CSOs buy?

Rainis Venta has a PhD in biotechnology. He is innovation manager for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in Institute of Bioengineering (looglab.com; digibio.ut.ee). He has worked on building bridges between Estonia and Singapore.

09:40–10:25 – Relika Alliksaar Williams: Knowledge transfer, science and innovation at the University of Tartu

Relika Alliksaar Williams is an expert of knowledge transfer, intellectual property and science innovation, and works in the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the University of Tartu.

10:25–10:40 – Coffee break

10:40–11:10 – Sven Lange: Case studies of university-enterprise partnerships

Sven Lange holds a PhD in material science. He is expert in laser spectroscopy, head of the Laser Spectroscopy laboratory at the Institute of Physics, University of Tartu. Sven Lange has experience of work and partnership with different companies.

11:10–12:40 – Gleb Maltsev: Foundations of Pitching

Effective methods in communication with companies and pitching of new research ideas to them will be introduced and trained according to the pre-tasks, which will be given before the event.

Gleb Maltsev is a communication specialist with 13 years of experience. He helps people explain complex ideas in simple terms — whether it’s a pitch to investors or a presentation at a scientific conference.

Organizers contact: leonid.dolgov@ut.ee

The Seminar was held in a hybrid format. Speakers from the Biodeterioration and Reference Organisms Division of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, BAM, Berlin delivered on-site presentations at the Institute of the Molecular and cell Biology, University of Tartu (Riia 23, room 217).

Dr. Frank Schreiber gives an on-site presentation.

While speakers from Biointerfaces research team of Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, EMPA participated online.

Prof. Qun Ren gives an online presentation.

More than 30 attendees represented various institutions and departments of the University of Tartu. The seminar participants learned about advanced methods and research findings in the fields of antimicrobial agent efficacy and microbial resistance studies. In particular, promising approaches involving probiotics and phage therapy were discussed.

The seminar program included the following presentations.

„Antimicrobial and wound healing properties of probiotics“ Prof. Qun Ren (EMPA) (online)

„Delivery of probiotics and phages“ by Dr. Siyuan Tao (EMPA) (online)

„Biocides as drivers for the selection and evolution of antimicrobial resistance” by Dr. Frank Schreiber (BAM)

„Phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial lag times and antibiotic tolerance induced by the disinfectant glutaraldehyde” by Dr. Frank Schreiber (BAM)

„A Customizable Procedure for Predicting Antibiotic Resistance Selection on Novel Antimicrobial Coatings” by Dr. Roberto Marano (BAM)

„Engineering of growth-coupled Escherichia coli biosensors” by Dr. Paul Alejandro Gomez Coronado (BAM)

The seminar materials are available under this link. If you have any questions about the seminar materials, please contact: leonid.dolgov@ut.ee

The guests from BAM participated in working meetings with members of the Microbe & Material Interactions Research Group, led by Prof. Angela Ivask, and with materials scientists from the Institute of Physics, led by Prof. Vambola Kisand. They were also introduced to the laboratories and equipment at both the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Institute of Physics, University of Tartu.

Guests from the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, in the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences during a tour of the Institute of Physics, University of Tartu. Right to left: Dr. Roberto Marano, Dr. Frank Schreiber, Dr. Paul Alejandro Gomez Coronado.

Researchers Alexander Vanetsev, Rainer Pärna, and Mati Kook from the Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, visited the FunMaters group (led by Prof. Wei Cao) at the NANOMO Unit of the University of Oulu as part of Project Task 6.2. The main aim of the visit was hands-on training for UTARTU researchers in synthetic and coating techniques for preparing visible light-active photocatalytic materials in the form of thin films on glass, metal, and other types of surfaces. They synthesized a series of photocatalytic material samples with heterojunctions in powder form with the support of their Finnish colleagues. The resulting composite materials were dispersed in a polymer solution and applied to glass surfaces using plate-coating and spin-coating techniques. These materials will be tested at IF UT for photocatalytic activity under visible light and UV-A radiation.

Left picture: Mati Kook and Alexander Vanetsev are collaborating with Andres Galdanes Martinez in the NANOMO unit laboratory. Right picture: Rainer Pärna and Alexander Vanetsev are working with Velma Beri Kimbi Yaah on the synthesis of nanomaterials in the NANOMO unit at the University of Oulu.

Mati Kook, Alexander Vanetsev, and Rainer Pärna are listening to a report in the seminar room at the University of Oulu.

In spring 2025, researchers Merilin Rosenberg and Sandra Park from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Tartu University visited Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin in frame of the project Task 6.7. The hands-on training of UTARTU researchers on methodologies for antimicrobial resistance development was realized. They investigated, in partnership with Prof. Frank Schreiber group, how exposure to antimicrobial copper surfaces affects bacterial survival and resistance. They mimicked real-world contamination by exposing E. coli to dry copper surfaces and then studied surviving bacteria using a ScanLag system, which tracks how long individual cells take to start growing again. They found that killing of bacteria on copper surfaces affects bacterial tolerance towards other antimicrobial materials. These results raise concern that bacteria surviving on antimicrobial surfaces could potentially contribute to antimicrobial tolerance. The study suggests that combinations of antimicrobial agents may be needed to prevent such unintended effects.

PhD student Sandra Park and Dr. Merilin Rosenberg presented their research and spoke about their Estonian colleagues at the research seminar of Professor Frank Schreiber’s group in Berlin.

During joint experiments at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing: Right – PhD student Sandra Park beside the ScanLag setup, an incubator equipped with nine scanners, each accommodating six Petri dishes to measure growth parameters of individual bacterial colonies. Left – Dr. Merilin Rosenberg manually counting tens of thousands of bacterial colonies during a control experiment.

This workshop was organized by Prof. Angela Ivask from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Tartu to enhance grant proposal writing skills among both experienced and early-career researchers. Kadri Raav, an officer from the Estonian Research Council, gave an overview presentation on different types of grant applications for the European Research Council. Then, Prof. Wei Cao and Dr. Satu Ojala from the University of Oulu shared their experiences with European Research Council grant projects. All workshop participants were invited to discuss statistical data on ERC projects from previous years and to gain insights into the most promising research directions, their objectives, and key factors influencing the success of grant proposals. Workshop materials can be accessed here. Contact for detail information: leonid.dolgov@ut.ee

The StartUp days held in Tartu, Estonia is one of the largest events in the Baltic countries, which has an international reach and annually brings together representatives of start-up companies, research organizations and investors to exchange experiences, ideas and profitable investments. In 2025, the moto of the event is “From zero to hero!” The FAST-Real project team presented its exposition in the demo area of ​​one of the halls and took part in several seminars and master classes. They were aimed at developing the skills of pitching their ideas and results and focused on transforming scientific ideas into relevant applications using the capabilities of start-up companies. Initial contact was made with the biotech startup company TIKO, which is interested in antibacterial solutions for the application of covering materials used in the treatment of wounds.
Asvel startup company became interested in the potential application of antimicrobial coatings for electronic medical endoscopic instruments. Such interest can serve as a starting point for introducing the scientific developments of the FAST-Real project into practice and the possibility of cooperation with commercial and technology companies.

Demonstrative examples of structured surfaces. The team from the University of Tartu at the FAST-Real project area during the Startup Days.

It was an event of around 50 people, mainly from EU projects STOP (Surface Transfer of Pathogens), AIMed and European Ceramics Society. Coordinator of the FAST-Real Project Prof Angela Ivask delivered conference report “From lab to real life with antimicrobial surface coatings”. The focus was on antimicrobial surface coatings and their efficacy testing. The information about successful starting of the FAST-Real project was disseminated and possible collaboration with the conference participants was discussed. As a result of this event it is planned to prepare joint COST project in one of the future rounds.

The scope of FM&NT-NIBS 2024 conference covers experimental and theoretical research on functional materials, nanotechnology, optical materials, novel characterisation methods, low dimensional systems and green and sustainable energy technologies and environment, bioengineering materials, biotechnologies and health, and yet more. FM&NT-NIBS 2024 provides an ideal academic platform for researchers to present their latest research findings and describe emerging technologies and directions in Functional Materials, Nanotechnologies, and Innovation issues.

One of the key investigators of the FAST-Real project Prof. Vambola Kisand from the Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, outlined the state of novel inorganic coatings prospective for the antimicrobial applications at the University of Tartu in the conference report “Photocatalytic materials for antimicrobic coatings” made on October 08, 2024 at 11:20. He accentuated that FAST-Real project appeared in course of the development of long-term cooperation between the groups of material scientists from the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of the University of Tartu. In particular, a group of microbiologists led by professor Angela Ivask, coordinating FAST-Real project, conducted a number of experiments confirming the prospects for the development and use of antimicrobial photocatalytic surfaces with the involvement of leading international institutions in this field, such as EMPA (The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technologies), UOULU (the University of Oulu, Finland), BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and testing) performing as twinning partners and sharing their experience with the University of Tartu.

Ensuring such development through the implementation of the Fast-Real project interested the conference participants, who also actively communicated with the speaker at the rolled-up banner of the FAST-Real project presented at the conference.

quests and excursions to the laboratories.  The event attracted attention both general public and university students and researchers.

Young researchers obtained nice possibility to train their speaking and presentational skills in front of an audience. Experienced researchers got acquainted with the scientific topics of their colleagues in related fields of knowledge and were interested in ongoing and new scientific projects, their goals, plans and prospects for involvement in the work. In particular, the FAST-Real project banner attracted the attention of both experienced and young researchers.

It is because the project co-adviser Prof. Vambola Kisand fascinatingly told about the present achievements and nearest plans for development of antibacterial photocatalytic surfaces. He especially emphasized the opening possibilities for training and scientific and management carrier development for the young researchers. It became possible by means of planned trainings, staff exchange visits and sharing with Tartu University of the best practice by the project participants from the University of Oulu, Finland,the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Germany.

The start of the FAST-Real project was marked by the press-release from the University of Tartu.