Programme Coordination for the Priority Programme SPP 1399 on Host-Parasite Coevolution

优先方案1399“宿主-寄生虫共同进化”的主要目标是将宿主-寄生虫共同进化确立为分析进化适应的原因和过程的强大而通用的模式。优先方案整合了德国国内广泛的研究工作，并使这项研究在国际上可见一斑。在优先计划内进行更大规模的协调研究的机会使我们能够揭示宿主-寄生虫共同进化过程中进化变化的分子基础。为了实现这些目标，拥有进化生物学、寄生虫学、微生物学和生物信息学等不同专业知识的研究人员相互合作。此外，不是只对一种模式生物进行研究，而是从许多不同种类的宿主和寄生虫中获得数据。虽然每个研究有机体的主要数据和具体结论将由个别项目提供，但我们将在统一的理论框架的帮助下确定一般模式。这一方案的成功关键取决于方案内和与国际研究人员进行沟通、数据交换和协调的优秀工具。我们实施了一些工具来促进协作和实现附加值，即由多个组和单个项目组成的方案结构、中央生物信息学支助、一个联合网站和维基、博士生实验室轮换、一个国际咨询委员会以及定期研讨会和讲习班。我们寻求在下一个供资期间进一步加强我们的合作，从而为宿主-寄生虫共同进化领域的跨学科方法创建可持续的结构。

The main goal of the priority programme 1399 “Host-Parasite Coevolution” is to establish host-parasite coevolution as a powerful and versatile model for analyzing the causes and processes of evolutionary adaptation. The priority programme integrates a wide range of research efforts within Germany, and makes this research internationally visible. The opportunity for larger, concerted research within a priority programme enables us to uncover the molecular basis of evolutionary change during host-parasite coevolution. To achieve these goals, researchers with very diverse expertise, such as evolutionary biology, parasitology, microbiology and bioinformatics collaborate with each other. Moreover, rather than working on just one model organism, data is acquired from many different species of hosts and parasites. While primary data and specific conclusions for each study organism will be provided by the individual projects, we will identify general patterns with the help of a unifying theoretical framework. The success of such a programme critically relies on excellent tools for communication, data exchange and coordination within the programme and with international researchers. We have implemented a number of tools to facilitate collaboration and achieve added value, namely a programme structure consisting of clusters and individual projects, central bioinformatics support, a joint website and Wiki, doctoral students' lab rotations, an international advisory board and regular symposia and workshops. We seek to further intensify our collaboration in the next funding period and to thereby create sustainable structures for inter-disciplinary approaches in the field of host-parasite coevolution.