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CSIR Food, Biological and Chemical Technologies

Website: http://www.csir.co.za

The CSIR is the largest scientific and technological research, development and implementation organisation in Africa and has been operating for more than 50 years. The CSIR's mandate is as stipulated in the Scientific Research Council Act.

”The objectives of the CSIR are, through directed and multi-disciplinary research and technological innovation, to foster, in the national interest and in fields which in its opinion should receive preference, industrial and scientific development, either by itself or in co-operation with principals from the private or public sectors, and thereby to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people of the Republic. “

Total income for the Financial Year 2004-5 was approximately €137m of which €50m came from the parliamentary grant (PG) and the remainder was contact income. The PG is intended to keep the knowledge base and facilities in the CSIR at the leading edge of technological development and is centred around the key initiatives of the National System of Innovation, and the complementary priorities of the government.

CSIR is structured around five operating units (1Built Environment, 2 Biosciences, 3 Defence, Peace Safety and Security, 4 Natural Resources and the Environment and 5 Materials Science and Manufacturing) and four National Research Centres.

CSIR reports to an independent board which in turn reports to the South African Department of Science and Technology.

Description of staff involved in the project

Dr Geoff Meese has a BSc in zoology (U of London), an MSc (U of Durham), a PhD (U of Liverpool) and has been a Wellcome Senior Post-doctoral Fellow and a Visiting Scholar at MIT. He has worked with the EU Framework Programmes since FP4 and is currently the National Contact Point for the Sixth Framework Programme on Food Quality and Safety.