Taxonomic Access Facilities (TAFs)

SYNTHESYS Project funding is available to provide scientists (Users) based in European Member and Associated States (see below for eligible countries) to undertake short visits to utilize the infrastructure (namely the collections, staff expertise and analytical facilities) at one of the 19 partner institutions for the purposes of their research.

CALL 1 Closed on 16th October 2009. Call 2 will take place in October 2010.

Click here to apply for access.

Taxonomic Access Facilities (TAFs)

The 19 partner institutions, of which 16 offer access, are organised into 10 national TAFs. TAF Users will be hosted by a TAF staff member (Host). The 10 TAFs institutions represent an unparalleled resource for taxonomic research offering:

• Collections amounting to over 324 million natural history specimens, including 3.3 million type specimens
• Internationally renowned taxonomic and systematic skill base
• Chemical analysis, molecular and imaging facilities

Award Proposals are welcomed from high calibre researchers seeking access for short-term visits. SYNTHESYS is able to meet the Users' costs for:

• Research costs*
• International travel
• Local accommodation while based at the TAF
• A per diem to contribute towards living costs

* Research related costs including bench fees and consumables (including molecular biology at some TAFs).

SYNTHESYS Partners

• AT-TAF Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien
• BE-TAF Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences; Koninklijik Museum voor Midden-Afrika
• DE-TAF Museum fur Naturkunde; Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum
• ES-TAF Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales; Real Jardín Botánico Naturales
• DK-TAF The Natural History Museum of Denmark
• FR-TAF Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
• GB-TAF Natural History Museum; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
• HU-TAF Hungarian Natural History Museum
• NL-TAF University van Amsterdam; Nationaal Herbarium Nederland; National Natural History Museum Naturalis
• SE-TAF Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet

Eligible Countries

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark (including Greenland), Estonia, Finland, France (including Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Plus the Associated Countries of the EU: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Republic of Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. It is hoped that the Pharoe Islands will be associated and eligible for support in 2010.

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