"MICROGENNET is a collaboration of 16 distinguished universities and research institutes worldwide. The overall aim of the exchange programme is to build, extend and strengthen sustainable collaborations between the partners so as to create a community driven knowledge base for micronutrient genomics research. Currently, the data on nutrient effects on health are scattered in publications and databases around the world. The aim of this work is to provide a public portal and bioinformatics toolbox to access and analyse collaborative and publically available data. Ultimately the goal is to develop individualized intake recommendations for specific micronutrients to promote prevention of both acute illness and chronic disease.The exchange objective is provide researchers with: an international platform to learn novel techniques and methods, the opportunity to formulate new joint collaborative research and funding proposals and international exposure and intercultural understanding. The exchange programme consists of visits ranging from 1-7 months for ESRs and ERs. The expertise and facilities of the partners are highly complementary and the synergy lies in the combination of expertise on identifying metabolic and functional target pathways for a range of micronutrients (Selenium, Zinc , Vitamins and vitamin-related compounds anti-oxidants) and bioinformatics expertise on pathway analysis and data integration. The concise work plan consists of 4 work packages, 2 related to data collection concerning minerals and vitamins, a third over-arching bioinformatic workpackage and one for management. The consortium will be sustainable through its close association with the Micronutrient Genomics Project and the Europe-led NuGO association. MICROGENNET contributes to the EC priorities because it uses mobility to transfer knowledge and will create a network through which European centres of excellence will enhanced through links with researchers from the rest of the world."