Project description DEENESFRITPL Rheumatic diseases: the role of the gut-joint axis Rheumatic diseases (RD) are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that primarily attack the joints, muscles and bones. The working hypothesis of the EU-funded ENDOTARGET project is that RDs are a result of systemic inflammation caused by gut microbiota. Researchers propose to investigate how gut microbiota may alter intestinal permeability and cause endotoxemia. They will combine omics data from patients to identify RD risk biomarkers, study the gut-joint axis and screen drugs that reduce intestinal permeability. Through an AI tool, the consortium aims to identify individuals with a risk of developing RD and support treatment decision-making. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Rheumatic diseases (RDs) affect more than 40% of Europe's population and cause significant disability, pain, reduced lifespan and a very high economic burden. In this project, we will explore the role of chronic systemic inflammation caused by intestinal microbiota derived immunologically active compounds, as a driver in the transition from health to disease, with a special focus on three RDs; osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and spondylarthritis (SpA). We aim to explore the relationship between gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and endotoxemia. We aim to understand their role as drivers of disease onset and disease activity in RA, SpA and OA, as well as targets of preventive and therapeutic approaches. We will study the events leading from health to disease onset by i) taking advantage of geographically diverse large cohorts of people with available blood and faeces samples, ii) search for novel risk biomarkers for RA, SpA, and OA by using high-throughput OMICS-based analyses iii) conducting targeted clinical studies, iv) performing in vitro mechanistic studies to explore the gut-joint axis using tissue explant cultures and organ-on-chip models v) conducting interventional proof of concept studies of diet, faecal transplantation and a gut permeability decreasing drug in RA and SpA patients, vi) exploring in vitro new potential drugs or nutraceuticals to cope with endotoxemia effects on target tissues. By combining all these results, machine learning and AI-informed rheumatic disease prediction tool will be developed for clinicians to help them identify patients with increased risk of developing the target diseases. It will thus assist in the choice of personalized blueprint intervention to reduce the risk of these diseases and disease activity in RA and SpA and to slow down the progression of OA. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicinerheumatologymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionmedical and health sciencesclinical medicinetransplantationengineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnologyorgan on a chipnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligencemachine learning Keywords chronic inflammation Microbiota systemic endotoxemia intestinal permeability rheumatoid arthritis osteoarthritis spondylarthritis Programme(s) HORIZON.2.1 - Health Main Programme HORIZON.2.1.1 - Health throughout the Life Course Topic(s) HORIZON-HLTH-2022-STAYHLTH-02-01 - Personalised blueprint of chronic inflammation in health-to-disease transition Call for proposal HORIZON-HLTH-2022-STAYHLTH-02 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator HUS-YHTYMA Net EU contribution € 1 762 493,75 Address Stenbackinkatu 9 00029 Helsinki Finland See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (11) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all TARTU ULIKOOL Estonia Net EU contribution € 598 000,00 Address Ulikooli 18 51005 Tartu See on map Region Eesti Eesti Lõuna-Eesti Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DELLA CAMPANIA LUIGI VANVITELLI Italy Net EU contribution € 581 875,00 Address Viale abramo lincoln 5 81100 Caserta See on map Region Sud Campania Caserta Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 INSTITUTO DE MEDICINA MOLECULAR JOAO LOBO ANTUNES Portugal Net EU contribution € 490 038,75 Address Avenida prof egas moniz 1649 028 Lisboa See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Continente Área Metropolitana de Lisboa Área Metropolitana de Lisboa Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 SERVIZO GALEGO DE SAUDE Spain Net EU contribution € 105 712,50 Address Edificio administrativo san lázaro 15703 Santiago de compostela See on map Region Noroeste Galicia A Coruña Activity type Public bodies (excluding Research Organisations and Secondary or Higher Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. FUNDACION INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACION SANITARIA DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Spain Net EU contribution € 657 016,25 Address Travesa da choupana 15706 Santiago de compostela See on map Region Noroeste Galicia A Coruña Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO Finland Net EU contribution € 500 000,00 Address Yliopistonkatu 3 00014 Helsingin yliopisto See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN Austria Net EU contribution € 546 250,00 Address Karlsplatz 13 1040 Wien See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 NEC LABORATORIES EUROPE GMBH Germany Net EU contribution € 471 742,50 Address Kurfursten-anlage 36 69115 Heidelberg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. NEC ITALIA SPA Italy Net EU contribution € 124 066,25 Address Via cornaggia, 58 20092 Cinisello balsamo (mi) See on map Region Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 STEINBEIS 2I GMBH Germany Net EU contribution € 461 875,00 Address Leuschnerstrasse 43 70176 Stuttgart See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart Stuttgart, Stadtkreis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 FONDAZIONE EBRIS Italy Net EU contribution € 698 750,00 Address Via de renzi 1 84125 Salerno See on map Region Sud Campania Salerno Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all SIB SWISS INSTITUTE OF BIOINFORMATICS Switzerland Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rue michel servet 1 cmu 1206 Geneve See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Genève Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Switzerland Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00