In 2017 dr. Petek gave an interview on the topic of RNA interference and the progress of this postdoc project for Tromba, the Slovenian Agency for promotion of science, creativity and innovativity. The interview was published on their internet portal tromba.si. In 2016 dr. Petek gave an interview for the multimedia portal of the Slovenian national television. The article introduces a technique of genetic manipulation (CRISPR-Cas) to a wider public. This technique of gene silencing is for some applications a direct competitor to RNAi technology. The article is available on the MMC website: http://www.rtvslo.si/znanost-in-tehnologija/crispr-ko-metoda-genske-manipulacije-dobi-status-superzvezde/399297.
F.35 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 4375119In the popular science television show »Ugriznimo znanost« (translated as "Bite Science") aired on the Slovenian national TV station dr. Petek presented the use of dsRNA for the control of agricultural pests, the method for testing insecticidal activity of the designed dsRNAs and the first results of the post-doctoral project's insect feeding tests.
F.35 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 4356175In order to better understand the issues and establish new ties with experts in the field, we joined the COST Action CA15223 'Modifying plants that produce interfering RNA', which brings together European scientists that work in the research field of RNAi technologies for the purpose of plant protection. Dr. Petek is involved in working group 1 that is aiming at examining mechanisms of RNAi in plants and insects, and he holds a position of Vice Leader of STSM instrument of the action.
D.03 Membership in foreign/international boards/committees
COBISS.SI-ID: 4623439COST Action FA1405 (CAMo) Annual Meeting was organized and held in Ljubljana from January 31st until February 2nd. The Action connects researchers working on Crop-Arthropod-Microbe (CAMo) interactions with the aim to enhance crop protection and production. More than 80 domestic and foreign researchers gathered at the meeting. The plenary special of the meeting was on systems biology approaches to identify mechanisms underlying CAMo interactions. Dr Marko Petek was head of organizing committee of the meeting.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 4257871Together with the Faculty of computer and information science, we have organized an international bioinformatics workshop entitled ‘Systems biology approaches to multi-way interactions’ held on February 3rd 2017 in Ljubljana. Twenty researchers from nine countries participated in the workshop. Trough hands-on computer exercises the participants have learned to use bioinformatics tools and systems biology approaches in research on interactions between plants, pathogens and pests. The programme covered data processing, modelling and the use of gene networks. The news of the workshop was released on the NIB website: http://www.nib.si/eng/index.php/novice/563-organisation-of-cost-action-fa1405-crop-arthropod-microbe-camo-interactions-annual-meeting-and-systems-biology-training-school-in-ljubljana
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting