Project description
Lectins and polyphenols from algae could help us fight viruses
Microalgae are tiny factories whose complex metabolic pathways churn out many bioactive compounds of interest to the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Among these are lectins and polyphenols, known for various health and protective activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. More recently, many lectins and polyphenols have been found to have antiviral activity. With the support of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the AlgaeNet4AV project will create a training network to explore and exploit microalgal lectins and polyphenols with antiviral properties against influenza and coronavirus pandemic strains. The project will include omics-based discovery, characterisation, development of culture systems, market assessment, biorefinery designs and techno-economic and sustainability assessment.
Objective
The AlgaeNet4AV project seeks to exploit the microalgae biodiversity, as a source for high-added-value lectins and polyphenols with antiviral properties against influenza and coronavirus pandemic strains. Microalgae derived-compounds are easily amendable, bio-degradable, non-toxic and safe; thus, they are preferred to be used for the development of novel bio-based materials and cosmetics with antiviral potential. Lectins and polyphenols could be highly demanded non-drug interventions across the materials and cosmetics industry as a solution to reduce the risk and speed of contamination and transmission during pandemic outbreaks. The project will combine the whole value chain in order to: a) develop transcriptomics and metabolomics resources from microalgae diversity as a valuable source for the discovery novel lectins and polyphenols; b) characterize their spectrum of bioactivity and toxicity and provide structure-function relationships; c) develop and optimize application-based microalgae culture systems and downstream processing strategies for higher production rate of the desired compounds; d) develop, formulate and evaluate lectins and polyphenols-based final cosmetics products. The work will be supported by market assessment, integral biorefinery designs, techno-economic and sustainability assessment. Integrated value chains will be demonstrated to deliver proof-of-concept and demonstrate economic feasibility. AlgaeNet4AV is an industry-academia R&D and innovation project with a multidisciplinary approach aimed at generating robust business cases through technology development. The consortium composed by 11 partners, with 7 European and 2 third-country (USA & Japan) prominent research organisations. Strong industrial leadership is guaranteed through the participation of 5 SMEs. The projects goals will be achieved through a sustainable way helping meet the increasing demand while creating a positive environmental impact through reduction of carbon emissions.
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.
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.
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses influenza
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses coronaviruses
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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
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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-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01
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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.
57 001 THERMI THESSALONIKI
Greece
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.