The overall objective of PlantaSYST is to establish a Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as a joint initiative of three Bulgarian research institutes located in Plovdiv (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, and the Stefan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology) and two institutes located in Potsdam, Germany (Potsdam University and Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology).

The ambition of CPSBB is to stand at the forefront of plant sciences in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe by integrating molecular biology, functional genomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, bioprocessing, and long-standing expertise in practical plant genetics and breeding, to unravel the plant biology and translating the scientific knowledge into new horticultural and industrial applications. Thus, the newly established CPSBB will fill in the scientific and technological gaps identified in the Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) of Bulgaria. Besides that, the CPSBB will take a leading role in educating next-generation early-stage researchers (ESR) in the fields of molecular breeding, plant systems biology and biotechnology.

Specific activities of CPSBB:

• Fundamental research
• Applied research and transfer of research outcomes to the industry
• Education and training
• Conservation activities
• Public services (consultations to ministries, services to end users)