LifeWatch is a pan-European e-infrastructure deployed for the study of biodiversity and ecosystems. Its goal is to provide researchers with tools and databases useful for the understanding and management of ecosystems. The SZN is the Italian partner, operating in the Services Centre of RI, which links state-of-the-art ICT with the needs of biodiversity and ecosystem research and contributes to the Italian JRU of LifeWatch.

SZN is the co-coordinator of the Biomolecular Topic Centre (BTC) within the service centre providing access to the tools for genomic, metagenomics, phylogenetic and DNA-barcoding analyses, as well as to existing databases. The research communities associated to SZN will benefit from the infrastructure through the use of tools and services on-line service centre and through the participation of the topic centres and user groups.

www.lifewatch.eu

The applied research performed at the SZN is dedicated to the development and implementation of 3 European Infrastructures (ERIC, European Research Infrastructures) in the framework of the road map ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures).

1. EMBRC, European Marine Biology Resource Centre, EMBRC is a European Infrastructure for marine biology, that supports services for applied and basic research, providing marine biological resources and/or access to marine environments for research and industrial purposes, with the aim of developing the Blue Biotechnologies, preserving marine biodiversity and fostering a sustainable management and exploitation of marine resources in the frame of the Blue Growth of the country. In particular, EMBRC has the aim of developing: i) industrial contracts; ii) financing for research; iii) tools and potential for research also through the creation of new services. Italy is, together with other 8 European countries, the founder of EMBRC. The Italian node EMBRC-IT is coordinated by the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Naples and includes the major marine Research institutes.

2 . Lifewatch, an infrastructure deployed to the improvement of data observation and collection of biodiversity in Europe. The Stazione Zoologica contributes with studies about the census of marine biodiversity, the study of biology, ecology and distribution of marine organisms and experimental studies in situ in pilot stations or mesocosms. In this field, the Stazione Zoologica participates in the “Programma Operativo Nazionale Ricerca e Competitività 2007-2013”, with the BIOforIU project (PONa3 00025), in collaboration with CNR and Università del Salento;

3. EMSO, "European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water-column Observatory" a European infrastructure dedicated to the development of deep marine observatories in Europe. The Stazione Zoologica contributes with studies of a network for technological observation in the Gulf of Naples and with the observation of biodiversity and functioning of deep marine ecosystems. In this field, the Stazione Zoologica participates in the “Programma Operativo Nazionale Ricerca e Competitività 2007-2013”, with the project TOP IN, in collaboration with INGV, OGS and CNR.

The research activity of the Scientists of the SZN need the use of the most technologically advanced instruments, highly specialized protocols and infrastructures for the breeding and maintenance of organisms for experimental use. The technological and methodological innovation needs the development of specific infrastructures.

The scientific equipment of the SZN has high-level characteristics and is accessible to the international scientific community, through collaborations and scientific exchanges or through the well-consolidated infrastructure model and access.

The Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn is a Public Research Institution. Its primary mission is the research on the biology and ecology of marine organisms, the study of their biodiversity, the analysis of the fundamental processes of biology and the potential biotechnological applications. Marine life is investigated in close connection with the evolution and the dynamics of the marine ecosystems. The Stazione Zoologica undertake novel research in the field of marine bioresources with particular reference to the biotechnologies addressed to the exploitation of molecules of marine origin for industrial processes, for the pharmaceutics, nutraceutics and other fields of interest.

The SZN has 5 main research departments:

• Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms
• Integrative Marine Ecology
• Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement
• Marine Biotechnology
• Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources

The research activities of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn are supported by technological infrastructures and research units dedicated to the delivery of research services. These units provide assistance and support to different analyses and share the available competences and informatic tools. The Units support the flagship programmes and research projects of the scientists of SZN and its associates.