The Cyprus Institute

Walk-in visits

Individual / group meetings / consultations / user guidance – slots available throughout the day to visit two infrastructures:

• BioMERAplusCHEM XAS & microXRF systems: chemical mapping (microXRF) and chemical speciation (XAS)
• BioMERA microCT: structural imaging, with high-resolution phase contrast (HR-PCI)

To pre-book, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Opening Addresses

• Stavros Malas, President, The Cyprus Institute
• E. Christoph Burgener, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Cyprus

Cyprus, ESFRI (European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures), and National Strategic Infrastructures

Strategic Infrastructures and The Cyprus Institute – Vassilios Tsakalos (CyI)

CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) and Cyprus – Christoph Schaefer (CERN)

SESAME: The synchrotron for Cyprus RTDI communities – Andrea Lausi (SESAME)

ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility) and SUNSTONE EU project – Edward Mitchell (ESRF)

Swiss Light Source, PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) and SUNSTONE EU project WP2 – Mirjam van Daalen (PSI)

Break

BioMERA Platform and the new BioMERAplusCHEM systems: labXAS, microXRF and HR-PCI integrated to microCT; SESAME as sister facility – Kirsi Lorentz (CyI)

Laboratory visits: XAS – X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy system; microCT integrated microXRF (X-ray Fluorescence) and HR-PCI (High-Resolution Phase Contrast Imaging) – Kirsi Lorentz & Anis Fatima

ERICs – European Research Infrastructure Consortia and user opportunities for Cyprus RTDI communities – Part 1

• BBMRI-ERIC – European Research Infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources – Panayiotis Petrou, BBMRI-ERIC Cyprus node; Ministry of Health, Cyprus
• Euro-BioImaging ERIC – European Research Infrastructure for Imaging Technologies in Biological and Biomedical Sciences – John Eriksson, Director General, Euro-BioImaging ERIC; Abo Akademi
• E-RIHS ERIC – European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science – Athanasios Koutoupas, E-RIHS Cyprus node; CyI

13:00 – 14:30

ERICs – European Research Infrastructure Consortia and user opportunities for Cyprus RTDI communities – Part 2

• EU-SOLARIS ERIC – European Solar Research Infrastructure for Concentrated Solar Power – Marios Georgiou, Vice-Chair of EU-SOLARIS ERIC; CyI
• ACTRIS ERIC – Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure European Research Infrastructure Consortium – Jean Sciare (CyI), ACTRIS ERIC Cyprus node; CyI
• EIRENE RI – European Infrastructure for Human Exposome – Konstantinos Makris, EIRENE RI Cyprus node; CUT

National Strategic Open Access Infrastructures in Cyprus – new in 2026

• MYRSINE –Microscopy and Raman Spectroscopy Imaging Center for Nanoscience and Engineering - Sophia Hayes, Chrysafis Andreou (University of Cyprus) 
• ARC - Advanced Autoradiography and Radiopharmacology Centre– Athanasios Metaxas, Andreas Kalogirou, Malamati Kourti, Irene Polycarpou (European University Cyprus Research Centre)
• BioMERAplusCHEM – Chemical Mapping, Chemical Speciation and High-Resolution Phase Contrast Imaging at BioMERA Platform – Kirsi Lorentz & Anis Fatima (The Cyprus Institute) – cf. presentation above

Break - refreshments

Strategic Research and Innovation Domains and Applications

• Construction Materials – Magdalini Theodoridou (University of Cyprus)
• Health/Exposomics - Konstantinos Makris (Cyprus University of Technology)
• Geology - Zomenia Zomeni & George Hadjigeorgiou (Cyprus Geological Survey Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment)

Discussion and Closing Remarks

Networking Coffee Reception

Opening Addresses

• Stavros Malas, President, The Cyprus Institute
• Maria Pantelidou, Senior Officer, D. Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy

BioMERAplusCHEM National Strategic Open Access Infrastructure

Panel Discussions: Science Policy, Science Diplomacy - The Role of National and Transnational Research Infrastructures

Panelists:

• Demetris Skourides – Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Republic of Cyprus; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)
• Andrea Lausi – Scientific Director of SESAME
• Stavros Malas – President of The Cyprus Institute
• Christoph Schaefer – Head of Relations with Associate Member States, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
• Edward Mitchell – Head of Business Development, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF); CO of SUNSTONE EU Project
• Mirjam van Daalen – Adviser, Delegation of Switzerland to SESAME Council; ESFRI Swiss Delegation Permanent Expert; Head of Communications, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
• Kyriacos Kyriakou – Professor Emeritus, Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING)
• Hanina Ben Bernou – Attaché, Green Business, Innovation and Connectivity, Delegation of the European Union to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - BioMERA plusCHEM Infrastructure

Venue: BioMERAplusCHEM Facility

Inaugural Addresses (in Greek; translation into English made available)

• Stavros Malas, President, The Cyprus Institute
• Kirsi Lorentz, BioMERAplusCHEM, BioMERA Platform, The Cyprus Institute
• Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Demetris Skourides, Andrea Lausi, Stavros Malas

Reception: Cheese & Wine

Inaugural Reception – Cheese & Wine (foyer of John Ioannides Auditorium)