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- AREA aim is to reinforce and advance the research capacity of 13 excellent groups at the Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade lead by scientists with expertise unique in Serbia in crop physiology and anatomy, biodiversity, weed science, horticulture, plant pathology, aquaculture, food biochemistry, food and biotechnology. AREA focus is on a set of coherent activities that will both improve the research capacity of each group to progress its own state-of-the-art research programmes, as well as stimulate interactions amongst the research, by strengthening implementation of existing DNA marker technologies and introducing innovative, Raman micro-spectroscopy, technologies that are common and relevant to these groups. In collaboration with EU partner organizations, and after the purchase of necessary equipment and training in new methods, the new and improved expertise in DNA-based technologies will be achieved in: characterising of genes for crop stress responses and response to herbicides, molecular taxonomy of plants, analysing of pathogenic populations, DNA-based GMO and food tracing, marker-assisted selection in fish and fruit breeding programmes, genetic diversity of zooplankton and zoobenthos, molecular characterization of lactic acid bacteria. In Raman imaging the focus will be on: chemical analyses and localisation of various chemical compounds in plants and plant products, fish meat, food constituents and for practical application in new food technology methods such as encapsulation. To improve AREA teams’ interactions with their scientific and non-scientific stakeholders and media, a series of dissemination activities including international conferences and workshops will be organized. AREA strategic intellectual property development plan for IP management and innovation capacity building at Faculty will ensure that Faculty’s researchers can deliver sustainable innovative science and future research interactions at both regional and European levels.