Objective
Incidence rates of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases are increasing dramatically and a clear sex bias exists in disease presentation and progression. While the underlying reasons are largely unknown, hormones are hypothesized to play a central role in these discrepancies and the microbiome is linked to disease pathology. However, a key understudied player is the interplay between hormones and the microbiome in human health.
Crucially, hormone-microbiome interactions in the human body are poorly understood. Microbes produce hormone-like signals and play a role in hormone metabolism and regulation, while hormones influence bacterial growth. It is currently unknown how the menstrual cycle impacts the microbiome and how disruptions of this natural cycle impact female health. I have identified unique fluctuations in microbial diversity in healthy women that are absent in men and altered in women on hormonal contraceptives. There is a lack of medical research focusing on female physiology, particularly investigating endocrinological changes and disruptions. Understanding the consequences of endocrine-related disruptions and how hormone-microbiome interactions contribute to them is a fundamental step towards precision medicine that will benefit both women and men.
Therefore, I will systematically investigate hormone-microbiome interactions in (1) healthy women on and off hormonal contraceptives, (2) women at menopause and (3) infertile women receiving fertility treatment. I will integrate clinical data with state-of-the-art multi-omics profiles using computational approaches and I will combine these with mechanistic validation using bacterial strains isolated from the female subjects. At the end of my project, we will know how exogenous and endogenous hormones interact with the microbiome and how they impact female health. Further, we will identify biomarkers for optimal treatment of infertility and propose new microbiome-based therapeutic strategies for this disorder.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
80333 Muenchen
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.