An international functional genomics platform using rice as a model species: the rice functional genomics platform (REFUGE)

The accomplishments of the pilot phase of the Refuge platform has fully confirmed the high interest that the local and international scientific communities placed in its existence while précising with the help of the scientific committee ways for possible improvement in a future second phase of the programme. Even though the modalities of support can be adjusted regarding the North vs. South origin of the hostees and a permanent technician position has been recently open at Cirad, the future of the platform will still rely on the new application of functioning support to funding agencies. This assessment will be presented to funding agencies in 2013, for hopefully preparing a new phase of hosting that would fully resume in 2014. Beyond the projects of functional analysis, the hosting set up for the Refuge programme may well serve, following a critical analysis of the pilot phase and in adjusting some modalities, as a model to be extended to other scientific areas at Agropolis (as an example the hosting of international students in the frame of the programme of analysis of genetic resources ArCAd).