What is an EVGN associate member?
An EVGN associate member is a research group in the vascular biology field with an existing and actual collaboration with an EVGN laboratory (official contractor of the contract LSMH-CT-2003-503254 with the European Commission).

Who can apply?
Any research group having one existing and active collaboration (publication) with one of the EVGN partners. This collaboration must be in the scope of the EVGN scientific activities (Vascular genomics, Endothelial dysfunction, Plaque rupture and Therapeutic angiogenesis).

How to become an associate member?
Groups willing to become EVGN associate members must submit an associate membership proposal to the EVGN Executive Committee including a brief description of the on-going collaboration. An EVGN partner can also propose to the EVGN Executive Committee a group to become an Associate Member.

Benefits
Associate Members can:
 1) Apply for access to EVGN educational and training activities:
   - European Training Programme for Ph.D. students (Summer School)
    - Exchange Programme from the Associate Member laboratory to an EVGN laboratory only.
 2) Apply for access to communication activities:
   - European Vascular Biology Research Conference (EVBRC)
    - EVGN intranet platform (access to Summer school programme, congress program,

      application forms, contact list)
All activities open to the Associate Members will be supported by unrestricted grants from industrial companies.

Obligation
Associate members must sign a collaboration agreement with the management office of the EVGN network which will facilitate exchange of information which can be confidential and set rules under which collaboration will work.

Exclusion/restriction
1 – The EVGN associate members are not contractors of the EVGN contract LSMH-CT-2003-503254. Therefore they are not allowed to participate in the consortium scientific programme described in the Contract with the European Commission. Associate members shall not participate to the EVGN workpackages nor receive funds from the EVGN European financial contribution.
2 – The Exchange Programme is open to Associate members to support only exchange from the Associate Member laboratory to an EVGN laboratory. Exchange between two associate members will not be supported the EVGN.
3 – The access to the Summer School and to the EVBRC will be submitted to special admit quotas. Every year, a certain number of places will be available for the Associate Members. This quota will be determined by the Executive Committee.