The third partners’ meeting of ReProForce FP-REGPOT-2009-1 project took place on January 30^th, 2012 in the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. All scientists from IBIR-BAS participating in the project and the supporting partners Prof. Gandolfi (Milan, Italy), Prof. N. Fernandez (Essex, UK) and Prof. K. Teerds (Wageningen, Netherlands) took part in the meeting. Prof. H. Donat and Prof. U. Kleinstein (Magdeburg, Germany), Dr. Besenfelder (Vienna, Austria) and Prof. U. Markert (Jena, Germany) will attend the meeting that will be organized in March 2012.

The meeting was organized in two working sessions and was carried out in strict and professional environment. All project participants showed active and motivated attitude.

1. The meeting started with an opening speech of ReProForce project director Assoc. Prof. Margarita Mollova who presented a detailed report about the performed project activities during 2011. The project partners expressed their content and anticipation for even better success during 2012 and for further strengthening of collaborative work among the partners’ organizations.
2. An interesting lecture “Histocompatibility and other factors affecting trophoblasts at the fetomaternal interface” was presented by Prof Fernandez. Data underlining the importance of histocopmatibility complex at the feto-maternal interface, expression of different classes of receptors on variable cell types including trophoblast cells, and the role of histocopmatibility complexes as a key factor in immune tolerance at the feto-maternal interface was presented. Future directions in studying this problem were shown.
3. Presentation about the aims, problems, approaches and the implementation of research project: "Nutrient Sensitive Biomarkers for Optimization of Reproductive Technologies in Native and Commercial Pig Breeds: a Comparative Physiological Approach.” with acronim: REPROPIG, submitted under FP7-KBEE-2012 was reported by Prof. K. Teerds. The suggested project was highly approved by the participants in the meeting.
4. The working program of recently established research group was presented by Volodia Georguiev, PhD hired via ReProForce project. He presented the topic of “Micro RNA molecules in regulation of the spermatogenesis”. Having summarized a detailed reference from the literature, he formulated tasks and perspectives of the planned investigations. The provoked questions and lively discussion were proof for actuality of the topic.
5. Discussion and adaptation of bidirectional partners’ mobility programs and forthcoming events in 2012 were performed. The topics of the planned lectures were defined.
6. Detailed information about the performed enlargement by joining of new research groups from Balkan and Southeast European countries and partners from private organizations working on the topics of reproduction was presented by the scientific expert Assoc. Prof. E. Kistanova.

In conclusion it was underlined that the second year of ReProForce project has contributed to:

• Successful implementation of all planned activities from different working packages, ensuring realization of the main aims and problems of the project related to reinforcement of the research capacity of IBIR-BAS.
• Creation of new and reinforcement of the already founded scientific collaborations of IBIR-BAS with local and supporting ReProForce partners from EU.
• Enlargement of the network groups working on the topics of reproduction with 15 new partners’ organizations.
• Presentation of a review article entitled “Stem cells in reproductive system” that will be published in American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. The article is written by 4 scientists participating in ReProForce project from IBIR and supporting partners.
• Reinforcement of IBIR-BAS as a coordinating center on problems of biology and immunology of reproduction in human and animals.
• Development and presentation of two new projects in collaboration with the current and newly attracted ReProForce`s partners entitled:

- Nutrient Sensitive Biomarkers for Optimization of Reproductive Technologies in Native and Commercial Pig Breeds: a Comparative Physiological Approach. Acronim: REPROPIG, submitted under FP7-KBEE-2012
project coordinator Katjia. Teerds (Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University Netherlands).

 - Continuation of elaboration of scientific and innovative capacity of the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction REGPOT-2012-2013-1- project coordinator Elena Kistanova

1. A program for the forthcoming events in 2012 organized by IBIR-BAS was presented to the participants in the meeting:

• Methodology course on “Application of equipment for micromanipulation of gametes and embryos” with participation of Balkan countries, working in the area of biotechnologies in farm animals, April 2012, IBIR-BAS.
• 13^th International Symposium for Immunology of Reproduction organized by International Coordination Committee for Immunology of Reproduction and IBIR-BAS, 22-24 June 2012, Varna.

Round table “Application of the contemporary scientific knowledge in assisted reproductive technologies”, March 2012, IBIR-BAS.